Cruisecritic
UX/UI product design. Research.
The Project
BACKGROUND
Cruisecritic is a cruise resource site used to discover helpful information on various cruise lines and plan the optimal cruise vacation. Users can interact and gain knowledge through features such as reviews, articles, deals, and videos. We aimed to redesign and improve various areas of the Cruisecritic website to create a more intuitive and enjoyable user experience and increase user engagement.
SETTING
Tripadvisor. Jan 2020 - June 2020.
MY ROLE + TEAM
UX/UI Product Design Co-op. Worked with one other designer on the Cruisecritic user engagement team.
Deliverables
WEBSITE REDESIGN
We redesigned aspects of the website such as the homepage, articles, and member reviews in order to create an enhanced user experience and increase engagement.
RESEARCH
Through user testing, I conducted research to obtain users thoughts about their experiences with various implemented updates on the website. I also conducted competitor analysis and audits in order to make informed design decisions for improvements.
WEB COMPONENTS
I created various web components to be used across the site, such as components for subscription acquisition and content satisfaction. I also created photographic imagery, illustrations, and visual elements.
Website Redesign
HOMEPAGE DESIGN
One main task aimed at improving engagement on the website was redesigning the homepage. We implemented visual features like a wave shape for the hero image, rounded corners for images, cards, and buttons, and colored sections that complemented the existing blue and yellow palette. The homepage features links to videos, articles, cruise deals, and Cruiser’s Choice winners. A search bar is located at the top of the page for quick access to specific needs.
VISUAL EXPLORATION
Before creating the new homepage design, I experimented with different styles for the hero image to identify what options would match the updated visual branding. I explored various shapes, colors, photos, and illustrations.
Articles
The website's articles section was given a new design to increase user engagement and satisfaction. For example, the text was formatted to have an improved and consistent hierarchy and infinite scroll between articles was implemented.
USER TESTING
Once the design of articles was revamped, I conducted user testing via usertesting.com. Five participants walked through their experiences of the articles section via prompts, and they expressed their thoughts on what was successful and what needed improvement. I collected and organized their insights into a data table for each participant and prompt. I then analyzed the findings into a data summary with highlights and problem points to share with the team.
CONTENT SATISFACTION COMPONENT
We needed a way to gauge how satisfied users were with the articles they were reading, so I designed the content satisfaction component. Users first have an option of selecting a happy face, a neutral face, or a sad face. Once selected, tags appear underneath as reasons why they selected their choice as well as a button to submit their feedback. The component was implemented inline with the articles for an efficient experience.
Member Reviews
MEMBER REVIEWS AUDIT
Another task of improving the website was redesigning the member reviews. In order to understand what elements to include in our design, I conducted competitor analysis and compiled an audit of existing review designs. I organized the images and links by specific features and presented the audit to the team. Some features incorporated in the audit include overall and individual rankings, multiple filter options, and photos.
Pop-up Components
ROYAL CARIBBEAN CONTEST
The Royal Caribbean pop-up allowed users to enter a contest to win a cruise. The imagery on the pop-up features a wave shape to add visual delight, and the text content is organized into respective type styles. The pop-up also has a clear call to action and closing button for an efficient experience.
SUBSCRIBER ACQUISITION
The subscriber acquisition pop-up encouraged users to sign up for Cruisecritic emails and newsletters. The pop-up features simple imagery and optimized text hierarchy. Like the Royal Caribbean component, the subscriber acquisition pop-up has a clear call to action and closing button in consideration of user experience.
