Zeit, Time Travel Tourism – Elizabeth Linde

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Zeit, Time Travel Tourism

UX/UI & BRANDING FOR E-COMMERCE SITE

UX/UI & BRANDING FOR A E-COMMERCE WEBSITE

Designing an e-commerce site for a new and innovative technology

ROLE

Research & Analysis
Information Architecture
Content Strategy & Copywriting
Brand & Visual Design
Interaction Design
User Interface Design
Prototyping & User Testing

Research & Analysis
Information Architecture
Strategy & Copywriting
Branding & Visual Design
Interaction Design
User Interface Design
Prototyping & User Testing

DESIGNLAB UX ACADEMY →

DESIGNLAB UX ACADEMY →

DESIGNLAB PROJECT
SUMMER/FALL 2019
APPROX. 3 MONTHS
PART-TIME STUDENT

PROJECT BRIEF →

PROJECT BRIEF →

PROJECT BRIEF →

What if we could time travel to the past?

PROJECT PREMISE

Imagine time travel has been safely tested for a decade. Zeit, a new subsidiary of Richard Branson’s Virgin empire, is now offering highly curated time travel tours to the public. With 289 destinations from prehistoric times until today, Zeit needs an e-commerce site for visitors to find and reserve trips.

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Research & Analysis

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Research & Analysis

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Research & Analysis

RESEARCH METHODS

As a hypothetical project, I made two key assumptions: first, that time travel is expensive, and second, that Zeit offers many kinds of experiences suited to different interests, activity levels, and preferences.

Market Research & Competitive Analysis:
I identified trends and travel preferences by gathering market research. I also reviewed existing travel booking sites identifying common patterns, solutions, and potential improvements.

Focus Group:
To understand viewpoints on time travel and travel in general, I conducted an hour-long focus group with nine participants; four males, five females, ages 23–71, from different generations, varying income levels, and travel experiences.

1:1 Interviews & Contextual Inquiry:
I targeted three different generations for hour-long one-on-one interviews to better gain empathy on their subsequent needs and preferences. Lastly, I had participants walk me through a competitor’s website (on varying devices) while going through the process of finding and booking a trip.

Internal Information:
As this is a hypothetical project, I had to make a few assumptions. Significant assumptions being that time travel is expensive and that Zeit offers many kinds of travel experiences suited to different interests, activity levels, and travel preferences.

Market Research & Competitive Analysis:
I identified trends and travel preferences by gathering qualitative research. I also reviewed existing travel booking sites identifying common patterns, solutions, and potential improvements.

Focus Group:
To understand viewpoints on time travel and travel in general, I conducted an hour-long focus group with nine participants; four males, five females, ages 23–71, from different generations, varying income levels, and travel experiences.

1:1 Interviews & Contextual Inquiry:
I targeted three specific demographics for hour-long 1:1 interviews to better gain empathy on their subsequent needs and preferences. Lastly, I had participants walk me through a competitor’s website (on varying devices) while going through the process of finding and booking a trip.

Market Research & Competitive Analysis:
I identified trends and travel preferences by gathering market research. I also reviewed existing travel booking sites identifying common patterns, solutions, and potential improvements.

Focus Group:
To understand viewpoints on time travel and travel in general, I conducted an hour-long focus group with nine participants; four males, five females, ages 23–71, from different generations, varying income levels, and travel experiences.

1:1 Interviews & Contextual Inquiry:
I targeted three different generations for hour-long one-on-one interviews to better gain empathy on their subsequent needs and preferences. Lastly, I had participants walk me through a competitor’s website (on varying devices) while going through the process of finding and booking a trip.

KEY FINDINGS FROM RESEARCH

How people travel differs, but not why.

Age and budget influences how people travel
The site needs a clear and robust classification system that accounts for the distinct travel differences between generations.

People travel to gain authentic experiences
The reasons to travel are the same: to have authentic experiences and to gain new perspectives. With Zeit offering many kinds of trips to all types of people, there is a broad audience to appeal to.

Time travel interests people of all ages, as the reasons to travel are the same: to have authentic experiences and to gain new perspectives. However, age and budget greatly influence how a person vacations. With many trips to choose from, the website needs a clear and robust classification system that accounts for the distinct travel differences between generations.

Age and budget influences how people travel
The site needs a clear and robust classification system that accounts for the distinct travel differences between generations.

People travel to gain authentic experiences
The reasons to travel are the same: to have authentic experiences and to gain new perspectives. With Zeit offering many kinds of trips to all types of people, there is a broad audience to appeal to.

While people of all ages are interested in time travel, there are concerns.

Safety was the biggest concern
“Is it safe?” and “How does it work?” were frequently asked. Being a new technology, Zeit must work at putting people’s concerns at ease.

PERSONAS & EMPATHY MAP

Because there are clear distinctions in how generations travel, the primary persona, Natalie, combines traits with Millenials, who travel the most, and Baby Boomers, who have the highest budget. I created provisional personas for Gen Z, Gen X, and Baby Boomers to help break down differences further.

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Information Architecture

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Information Architecture

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Information Architecture

CONTENT ORGANIZATION

I focused on three goals when creating and organizing content.

Rethink filters and trip categories in relation to time travel
Analysis of existing patterns on competitive travel sites revealed common patterns, but the context of time travel requires new solutions.

Introduce Zeit and time travel technology
Explanations of the technology and Zeit addresses the concerns on safety.

Offer a refresh on world history
As world history is vast, a refresh aids in the selection of trips.

Rethink filters and trip categories in relation to time travel
Analysis of existing patterns on competitive travel sites revealed common patterns, but the context of time travel requires new solutions.

Introduce Zeit and time travel technology
Explanations of the technology and Zeit addresses the concerns on safety.

Rethink filters and trip categories in relation to time travel
Analysis of existing patterns on competitive travel sites revealed common patterns, but the context of time travel requires new solutions.

Introduce Zeit and time travel technology
Explanations of the technology and Zeit addresses the concerns on safety.

Offer a refresh on world history
As world history is vast, a refresh aids in the selection of trips.

INITIAL SKETCH IDEAS

SITEMAP

KEY SOLUTIONS

Filters specific to time travel are added to the search criteria.

Immersion level
There is a varying ability to immerse in certain cultures, especially those of the ancient past.

Comfort level
Traveling to past historical locations required a filtering process to account for the widely different living conditions from our modern world.

Adventurous to relaxing trips
Trip interests can range from “Rock Climbing in the Time of Dinosaurs” to “Relaxing in Ancient Roman Baths.”

Weather preference
Conveniently a choice in weather and temperature can be decided ahead of time when time traveling!

Time periods are concisely broken down.

Narrowed down to six time periods
The academic classification of world history into time periods varies greatly and can be overwhelming to digest. When searching for trips, a break down of time into the fewest possible chunks will ease in trip selection.

Varying ways to learn about time periods are offered.

Visual timeline and time period pages
A page devoted to an overview of time periods features an interactive visual timeline to add context to where events lie in world history. Subpages would offer even more detail on each of the six time periods.

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Interaction Design

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Interaction Design

CONTEXTUAL INQUIRIES ON A COMPETITIVE SITE

When participants searched for their ideal trip, what they focused on fit the market research on their generation perfectly.

The Baby Boomer was concerned about their comfort and searched for meal plans and accommodation upgrades.

The Gen Xer immediately pulled out a calculator and began to price compare. while looking for kid-friendly trips and activities.

The Millennial focused on trips having the right mix of activities incorporating an immersive cultural experience.

I used these findings to walk through different scenarios a site visitor may experience on their way to finding and reserving a trip.

TASK FLOW

SCENARIOS

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Branding & Visual Design

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Branding & Visual Design

BRAND ATTRIBUTES

Zeit is innovative, cultivated, and accessible.

Balance innovation and history
Vacationing the past is an innovative factor setting Zeit apart from competitors. While it is essential to differentiate Zeit with this, it must strike a balance with historic cultivation.

Leverage the Virgin brand
The Virgin empire is known for its stellar customer service. As a subsidiary of Virgin, Zeit can leverage Virgin’s accessibility and friendliness, building trust and easing concerns over the new technology.

MOODBOARD

LOGO

Two “arrows” pointing to the past and the future with subtle depth and movement make up up the letter “Z” logo mark. Zeit’s lowercase letterforms are geometric and friendly.

STYLE GUIDE

Virgin’s red brand color conveys innovation and passion in the technology. “Vintage Green” speaks to the history and cultivation of the trips offered. “Dove White” lays a soothing and clean foundation for graphics, while tones of sky and sea in “Harbor Blue” communicate trust and safety.

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Design

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Design

WRITING & CONTENT CREATION

When writing and creating the content, core messages needed to:

Introduce Zeit
Address time travel concerns
Communicate the awe of the innovation
Describe the time periods in world-history
Make trips easily searchable and enticing

WIREFRAMES

HOMEPAGE

WIREFRAMES

LANDING PAGE

A particular challenge was designing a landing page that speaks to many diverse locations and time periods.

A timeless landscape image is labeled to be from 25,000 BC
Viewing present-day photography from the ancient past creates a sense of awe toward time travel.

An interactive feature adds to a sense of wonder
The red dot on the right-hand sidebar is an interactive feature that, when moved up and down the timeline reveals images from other time period locations.

“Vacation the past. Experience the wonder of time travel.”
Copy further communicates the sense of wonder.

ICONS

On the way to building trust on the homepage, icons quickly communicate two key messages:

Icons explain the step-by-step time traveling process with Zeit and visually represent the values and trustworthiness of Zeit.

On the way to building trust on the homepage, icons quickly communicate two key messages:

On the way to quickly building trust on the homepage, icons communicate two key messages.

Explain the time travel process with Zeit
Visually represent Zeit’s values and trustworthiness

Explain the time travel process with Zeit
Visually represent Zeit’s values and trustworthiness

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User Testing

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User Testing

GOALS

User-testing focused on the following:

Gain insight into a user’s first impressions of the homepage
Ensure the image of Zeit communicates trust
Determine if content covers people’s interest and concerns
See if filtering a trip is understandable, particularly the filters comfort and immersion
Discover any pain points when reserving a trip

Gain insight into a user’s first impressions of the homepage
Ensure the image of Zeit communicates trust
Determine if content covers people’s interest and concerns
See if filtering a trip is understandable and easy
Discover any pain points when reserving a trip

TESTING METHODS

Testing was conducted in-person with four participants using a prototype in Invision, and remotely with fifteen participants using the testing platform Maze.

AFFINITY MAP

KEY FINDINGS FROM USER TESTING

Overall, the design was well-received, time travel related filters were understood, and the reservation process went smoothly.

Main challenge:
When remote testing, I learned not to overburden participants with too many tasks at once. In-person testing assured me that issues were related to an overly complicated remote test and software glitches.

Significant improvement:
Confusing testers, the red CTA button on the homepage was initially labeled “Find your trip,” the same as top bar navigation. The CTA button became “Search all trips,” and the top bar navigation changed to “Discover trips.”

Additions:
Testimonials were added to the homepage, as well as images with direct links to trip categories.

Main challenge:
When remote testing, I learned not to overburden participants with too many tasks at once. In-person testing assured me that issues were related to an overly complicated remote test and software glitches.

Significant improvement:
Confusing testers, the red CTA button on the homepage was initially labeled “Find your trip,” the same as top bar navigation. The CTA button became “Search all trips,” and the top bar navigation changed to “Discover trips.”

Additions:
Testimonials were added to the homepage, as well as images with direct links to trip categories.

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Prototype

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Prototype

HIGH FIDELITY DESIGN

HIGH FIDELITY WIREFRAMING