Airbnb xChange
Project Timeline
March - May 2022 | 10 weeks
Roles
Project Lead
Summary
Airbnb xchange is an additional feature added to Airbnb’s existing platform that is a matching making system that connects tourists and localite together by exchanging skills, stories, and experiences together.
Problem Space
Millennials are feeling lonely, intimidated, and lacking in confidence while traveling solo, however, many have indicated that they are willing to travel alone. These solo travelers are struggling to meet new friends and are also seeking an immersive experience in culture, language, and people of the place. They want a safe and simple way to explore local cultures and experience self discovery without feeling alone during their solo travels.
Goal
xchange’s goal is to enrich every solo traveler’s experience using millions of stories that they build, live and share while traveling, so that every trip is more special and memorable than the previous one.
Airbnb
xchange
A place to trade skills & stories
Matching
Find skills or stories that interests you to xchange with!
Problem Statement
Travelers want a safe and simple way to explore local culture and experience self-discovery without feeling alone during their solo travels
“I want to travel solo, not alone.”
Our Hypothesis
People have so many stories, experiences, skills but lack a platform to share them, especially while traveling around
Concept Validation
3 Cultural probes:
28 Participants
21 - 65 age group
Set up
xchanged life stories
Traded skills
Understanding price points
Price Tiers
Flexible payment options to different types of travelers
airbnb
memories
A place to record and share experiences
Memories
xchange’s review system is a built-in feature that acts as a user-built database and place where users could review their experiences, skills or stories. They can search in the database for future places to visit.
Creating memorable and unique experiences for future solo travelers
The Process
Understanding the brand
What is Airbnb?
Product Ecosystem
Uniqueness of airbnb
Primary Research
2 Surveys
84 responses
77%
of our responses indicated that they are interested to meeting new people when they travel.
12 Interviews
“
Solo travel is a form of self-discovery for me.
“
4 Subject matter expert interviews
Experienced Airbnb and Couchsurfing hosts
The Couchsurfing hosts indicated that they stay on the platform because they believe it can create genuine connections with locals or travelers and potential friendships that last a lifetime.
Data Affinitization
390
Data Points
32
Themes
78
Categories
25
Insights
How might we…
Enhance the experience of self discovery while traveling solo?
Connect solo travelers with each other to avoid feelings of isolation?
Create a channel of connection between the travelers and locals for an exchange of experiences and services?
Cultural Probes
We conducted 3 cultural probes.
We wanted to find out if people were interested in trading skills or stories, and how much they are willing to pay for such a service.
Our Learnings
People have skills and stories they are willing to share
People might not know what exactly they are looking for, but they have an idea of what they might offer
People had a limit on how much they are willing to pay
What did users want?
A platform to share skills, stories and experiences
People wanted categories to help them figure out what they would like to trade with
Options for price plans
Ability to record and share memories
User Testing
Low Fidelity Test
We created 5 different task flows to test to see if users had difficulty navigating through sections of the app.
1. Onboarding
2. Finding an xchange
3. Matchmaking
4. Scheduling the xchange
5. Navigating to the xchange & completing it
Feedback
Onboarding process was too long and some portions felt like it was slightly repetitive.
Some of the questions confused users on how they should detail their xchange
Most liked the reply suggestions and help from the app to find the right time and place to organize the meet up
Key changes
Shorten and reorganize the onboarding flow.
Improve UX copy for categories and onboarding questions
Include branding colors
Final Product
1. Onboarding
2. Matching interaction
3. Accepting xchange
4. Navigating xchange
5. Reviewing xchange
6. Looking at Airbnb Memories
