User feedback and basic concept

Before we began development, planning, and design, we first prepared a survey to gather information, including: Does the market need another platform with information about trips in Slovenia? What activities do people usually choose when going on a trip? Who do they typically go on trips with? – How often do they go on trips? …

The survey was very successful, with 580 Slovenian participants. The results indicated that Slovenians need a new portal to access all information in one place.

Once we had the basic concept for the MVP, we prepared initial prototypes to test how users navigate the platform and whether they can find the desired information…

User interface – Search

The most important part of the platform is the search engine, as everything depends on how quickly and whether it will find the information users seek.

The search engine’s development went through several iterations and options. Initially, we designed the search with two fields where users could search by location and activity of interest. When a user clicks on a field, dropdown options appear. However, this approach did not provide the best user experience because the trips were grouped in ways that may not have been clear to the user.

Ultimately, the best and final option was a single field – the search input – where users could immediately enter anything and receive relevant suggestions through a quick search.

User interface – Cards

Considering that the portal’s primary function is to provide excursion ideas across Slovenia, we presented these ideas using a card-based view. Using cards lets us effectively showcase ideas to users and entice them to explore further by clicking on them.

To arrive at the final look of the card, we needed to explore various options. During development, it became evident which information was most important to users. We also conducted user testing to determine the final design option.

The results showed that users prioritise photographs the most, so we enabled users to navigate through a gallery directly from the preview photo. Regarding the selection of information, it was found that users value the idea’s name, its location, and three key features the most.

User interface – Special filters

Throughout the development of the portal and the diversity of content, it became apparent that users needed the option of additional filtering to facilitate exploration. This type of filtering is intended for users who are exploring without a specific destination or activity in mind.

Initially, the filters were hidden under a dropdown menu, but eventually, we placed them under categories to make them immediately visible and allow users to switch between them more quickly or select multiple filters at once.