Overview
Oh Wow is an AI-generated travel guide for the entire world. The primary concept of the app is to entertain and educate users through audio stories about the place while they observe it with their own eyes.
Role & Duration
Sr. Product Designer
Project Duration 3 weeks
April 2023
Applied Skills
Design Thinking, UX Research, User Journey Mapping, User Stories, Wireframing, Rapid Prototyping, Usability Testing and Visual Design.
Challenges and Learnings
We all aspire to work under ideal conditions. As designers, we dream of User interviews, UX testings, and all the things that sometimes don’t exist in a real project for various reasons. However, we need to produce quality design regardless of the circumstances. This project became a unique challenge for me: how good of an application can one create in just 3 weeks?
The Startup Spirit
I was presented with the challenge to create an MVP from scratch for an investor presentation, and I had only 3 weeks. There was no documentation for the project, just an idea, which was: “I want to develop an app that would tell me about places, so I wouldn’t have to read lengthy articles.
Planning
So, I broke down the process into three stages:
Week 1 – Research
Week 2 – UX
Week 3 – UI
Research. Week 1
To understand for whom I was creating the app and to formulate a list of features based on that, I conducted brief interviews among acquaintances and created User Personas.
Use Case
Suppose you’re a person 25 years or older and you’re traveling for the most common reasons, to have fun and learn a little bit while you’re traveling and keep in touch with family.
You should use the Oh Wow app to learn about fun interesting places you want to go or are visiting and be able to easily keep your “family” informed so they can “arm chair” travel with you. Given this, we should adjust prompts to incorporate this slant and keep this in mind for app uses and connecting friends and family, and NOT Social media type of postings, but close “family” groups.
Social features specific for travelers, $100 million.
We are the GitHub for travelers.
Motivational for using the app
- Why is this town here?
- Preview before visiting.
- Immersive listening experience while walking around (as a group).
- Bring it to the dinner table.
Oh Wow! – Experience.
Results
Based on the insights, a list of essential features was formulated that must be present in the application to catch our clients.
Competitor Research
The realm of AI-generated content has unveiled new market opportunities for us. After thorough research on the topic, I was able to identify only one direct competitor. I meticulously studied their feature list and compared it with ours. After another brainstorming session, I incorporated several features from our competitor into our list.
SWOT Analysis
While examining the competition, I delved not only into the feature set but also into the UI/UX capabilities of the application using the SWOT analysis framework.
Surveying the Competitive Landscape
While this application served as our primary competitor and a foundational reference for our product’s development, I believed it was essential not to limit our scope to just one inspiration. Hence, I proactively sought insights and inspiration from various sources, ensuring our solution was not only competitive but also innovative and tailored to our target audience’s evolving needs.
Week 2
Back on track
I started with the information architecture to clearly and systematically integrate the devised features into the screens for the next stage.
Goal
The goal was to design an application with a minimal number of screens, simple navigation, and a quick entry point.
Result
✅ Registration process streamlined and optimized
✅ Efficient onboarding experience condensed to 4 pivotal steps
✅ Designed a user-friendly interface featuring 3 primary navigation tabs
Wireframe Phase 1
I’ve developed the initial wireframes and created a prototype. This was subsequently tested with a select group of colleagues and acquaintances for preliminary feedback.
Week 3
Introspection and Realization
Despite the looming deadline, I took the conscious decision to allocate three days for introspection. During this period, I explored unfamiliar places and deeply contemplated the essence of our application. My wanderings and reflections led me to the following insights:
Key Takeaways
We are not Google Maps.
We are not Wikipedia.
We are not Spotify.
We position ourselves as a companion, offering captivating stories while one takes a leisurely walk in a park or is on a road trip.
Distinguishing Element for Success
In the saturated landscape of 2023, merely surpassing competitors is no longer a guarantee for success. Launching a new application requires a unique proposition that doesn’t just match, but transcends the offerings of existing platforms. It’s paramount to introduce an exceptional feature – a “killer feature” – that not only appeals to new users but also persuades loyal users of other applications to make the switch. This exceptional characteristic should embody both innovation and utility, ensuring it becomes an indispensable part of the user’s experience.
Approaching the Deadline
With the investor presentation imminent, I was left with a tight span of just two days. Faced with this challenge, I efficiently managed my time to finalize the remaining design work, ensuring the output met the standards and expectations set for this critical presentation.
Expansion of Creative Vision
Over the course of these three weeks, I became deeply engrossed in the project, dedicating my every waking hour to its progression. The immersion sparked a plethora of innovative ideas for the product’s future, potential integrations across diverse platforms, and more.
Logo Conceptualization
The project’s chosen name, “Oh Wow”, embodies the emotions of admiration and surprise. Given the tight timeframe, I couldn’t fully delve into creating an intricate logo. However, I did share my conceptual vision with the stakeholders, ensuring alignment with the project’s core essence.
Marketing Initiative for 2024
With the upcoming 2024 World Cup in Paris, the city is set to witness an influx of global visitors. Recognizing this unparalleled opportunity for brand visibility, I proposed a strategic marketing campaign to the stakeholders. The initiative involves placing speakers near major city landmarks to broadcast our AI-generated narratives. This immersive experience aims not only to enrich the visitors’ journey but also to encourage them to download and engage with our application for a deeper exploration of the city’s stories.
Strategic Expansion to Air Travel
I proposed an innovative collaboration with airlines to develop a specialized version of our app tailored for in-flight entertainment. The primary objective is to promote events and partner locations at the passengers’ destination.
The essence of this initiative lies in capitalizing on the unique captive audience scenario. Air travelers, en route to their destinations, represent a direct target segment: tourists keen on exploring new events and experiences. Given that the airline already possesses data such as the age and gender of passengers, the content can be further personalized, enhancing the user experience and increasing the likelihood of them attending offline events at their destination.
Outcome
This project stands as one of the most challenging and exhilarating undertakings of my career, given its unique circumstances. It compelled me to blend discipline with creativity, pushing the boundaries of both to their utmost limits. I extend my sincere gratitude to the founders for entrusting me with this responsibility and granting me complete creative freedom. Their trust enabled me to harness my full creative potential.