UX Research | UX Strategy | Virtual Social Behaviors | UI/UX Design
To identify and study the social behaviors present in and around the virtual platform of Makemytrip and addressing the deviant behaviors through proposed UI/UX interventions.
The whole study focused on the various psychology aspects of an interface, where how an interface evokes and triggers the behaviors of any person and how it provides the meaningful experiences.
Design Methodology
Makemytrip platform was backed by research for understanding the virtual behaviors of users by studying deep in phases. More importantly we have used various research tools and methods for mapping out the social and deviant behaviors.
It was done through the lenses of social behaviors & UX heuristics to understand the experiences of users, stakeholders, core intent of the platform etc.
Phase 1
Understanding the platform
Phase 2
Data gathering: A research phase
Phase 3
Analysis and insights
Phase 4
Prototype and solutions
Preliminary study done for:
1. About Makemytrip
2. Core intent of the platform
3. Competitors
4. Challenges faced
1. UI/ UX interventions and prototyping for the redesigned website proposed
1. Secondary research: Trends & behavior of OTA (Online traveling agencies
2. Primary research:
- Key feature analysis
- Competitive analysis
- Auto ethnography
- Netnography & User Survey
- UI/ UX features and elements present (usability and application of UX Heuristics)
1. Identifying behavioral drivers
2. Insights
3. Strategy for UX
Understanding The Platform
About MakeMyTrip
Nurtured from the seed of a single great idea - to empower the traveler - MakeMyTrip is a pioneer in India’s online travel industry. Founded in the year 2000 by Deep Kalra, MakeMyTrip came to life to empower the Indian traveler with instant bookings and comprehensive choices. The company initiated its journey serving the US-India travel market offering a range of best-value products and services powered by technology and round-the-clock customer support.
After consolidating its position in the market as a brand recognized for its reliability and transparency, MakeMyTrip launched its India operations in 2005. With more and more Indians initiating to transact online with IRCTC and new opportunities with the advent of low cost carriers, MakeMyTrip offered travelers the convenience of booking travel online with a few clicks.
MakeMyTrip’s rise has been led by the vision and the spirit of each one of its employees, for whom no idea was too big and no problem too difficult. With untiring determination, MakeMyTrip has proactively diversified its product offering, adding a variety of online and offline products and services. MakeMyTrip has stayed ahead of the curve by continually evolving its technology to meet the ever-changing demands of the rapidly developing global travel market, steadily establishing itself as India’s leading online travel company.
Competitors
The main competitors of MakeMyTrip are yatra, booking.com, expedia, easemytrip, cleartrip, travelguru, and OYO.
Challenges
1. As of currently, MMT is facing a lot of criticism and bad reviews.
2. Listed hotels, resorts etc. not meeting the promised standards.
3. Lots of issues with traveler bookings. Eg: bookings not registered at the place of stay.
4. Fraudulent behaviour by third party sources.
Imposed restrictions due to the pandemic has badly hit the travel and hospitality industry.
5. Cancellation and refund issues.
6. Increasing number of competitors, in the booking sectors. The main competitors of MakeMyTrip are
yatra, easemytrip, booking.com, expedia, cleartrip, travelguru, and OYO.
To provide customers
a one-stop shop for all
their travel needs.
60%
Market share
in India
Core Intent of the Platform
Data Gathering
Research Methods and Their Objectives
Secondary research
To understand the Online travel agencies trends, behaviors and perception of tourism industry.
Auto-ethnography
The aim of this is to recreate the researchers experience in a reflexive way, aiming to think and reflect about our own experiences.
Key feature analysis
To study the all possible or mostly used features of the platform to get the knowledge of effectiveness and efficiency of features.
Netnography & survey
To study online social interactions by engaging with other users through reviews sections. Surveys to get the perceptual thinking of users on usability direction of the platform.
Competitive analysis
To understand the competitors strengths and weaknesses in comparison to our platform features to find out the gaps.
UI/UX Heuristics & usability test
To get the planning behaviors of an experienced and armature users. Also, to determine the problems faced by users on different principles of heuristics.
Secondary research | Findings
Young professionals.
Age group between 22 and 31 years
drives the growth of the online travel market
Strongly influenced by online travel review
sites, social media, blogs, and friend’s
recommendations.
Increase in disposable income, rise in middle-class
segment, and greater penetration of Internet
facilities.
65% of desktop and 22% of mobile travel
searches, maps (17% desktop, 23% mobile),
and images (18% desktop, 15% mobile).
The average abandonment (dropping) rate for
online travel sites was 90.74% in 2019,
especially for airlines.
80% of customers who received a request
left a review. Just 22% wrote a review without
being asked.
People value updates on trip status, price alerts
and discounts, as well as reminders of bookings
in progress.
Key feature analysis
6
4
4
4
5
5
5
4-5
5-6
- One Way / Round Trip / Multi City
- Flying From | Flying To
- Departure Date | Return Date
- Class
- Regular fare | Armed Forces | Student Fare | Senior Citizen
- Trending Searches ( if applicable )
- Flights information on the right
- Popular filters to the left
- Sorting at the top section
- Total amount generated at the bottom bar
- Book Train Tickets / Check PNR Status / Live Train Status
- Traveling From | Traveling To
- Travel Date
- Class
- Trains information on the right (Available seats, price, time, route, available dates of departure)
- Popular filter to the left
- Sorting at the top section
- Travel dates can be changed at multiple places in the same page
- Traveling From | Traveling To
- Travel Date
- Trains information on the right (Price, time, amenities, pickup and drops, reviews, seat selection)
- Popular filter to the left
- Sorting at the top section
- Live tracking of buses available
- Travel dates can be changed at multiple places in the same page
- Outstation One-Way / Outstation Round Trip / Airport Transfers
- Traveling From | Traveling To
- Departure Date | Return Date
- Pickup Time | Drop Time
- Cabs information on the right
- Different prices available for same option
- Popular filters to the left
- Sorting at the top section
- City / Hotel / Area / Building
- Check In Date | Check Out Date
- No. of Rooms & Guests
- Reason for travel (optional)
- Hotels information on the right
(Price and rating available)
- Extra information and details available on
selecting the option
- Popular filters to the left
- Sorting at the top section
- City / Hotel / Area / Building
- Check In Date | Check Out Date
- Number of Guests
- Reason for travel (optional)
- Hotels information on the right
(Price and rating available)
- Extra information and details available on
selecting the option
- Popular filters to the left
- Sorting at the top section
- Traveling From | To Destination
- Destinations: Domestic / International
- Themes: Honeymoon / Family Holidays / Offbeat Holidays / Signature Journeys
- Featured: Explore by Themes / Best Selling Holidays / Special Offer
- Travel Guidelines: Domestic / International
- Holiday packages displayed in the grid of
3 (Name of package, duration, price)
- Customize and book now options lead
to the same page
- Popular filters and sorting at the top in
the same bar
- Visa Destination
- Departure Date | Return Date
- No. of Travelers
- VISA details on left
- List of required documents and other required details below VISA details
- Steps to get VISA on right
- Activities / Tours/ Destination
- Available categories like sight seeing, water sports, Food & Drinks, Spa & wellness etc.
- Different activities options available in a grid of 4 in segments like trending, highest rated, new, most booked, etc.
- Other popular destinations at the bottom
Key Observations
Due to having all features of Makemytrip available at the top all the time provides good user control and freedom. One can jump and go back to other options in one click.
Hotels & villas have almost same search parameters with same available options. Also, steps to navigate is same.
Holiday packages have both customized and book now options, but both take to the same page.
Most of the process have long, where one can not able to find on what page he/she
is now and how many left ahead.
Competitive analysis
Aesthetics
- At first sight, it appears like
a website for booking flights
- Bold and to the point design
- At first sight, it appears like
a website for booking flights
- Simple, cool and lively
- At first sight, it appears like
a website that provides travel
services
- Minimal, light and airy
Consistency/
Standards
- Cognitive load at the top
- Easy to identify the icons
- Profile icon at the top right
- Offers and travel blogs
(changes to chosen services)
- Lack of icons
- Low cognitive load
- Profile icon at the top right
- Offers and travel blogs
(changes to chosen services)
- Easy to identify the icons
- Consistent icons & low cognitive load
- Unlike common standard
homepage. Search parameters to the left and information on the right changes according to chosen services
Categorization
- No categorization of key features.
They are placed according to the
frequency of usage.
- No categorization of key features.
They are placed according to the
frequency of usage.
- No categorization of key features.
They are placed according to the
frequency of usage.
Search Parameters
- Traveling From | To Destination
- Destinations: Domestic / International
- Themes: Honeymoon / Family Holidays / Offbeat Holidays / Signature Journeys
- Featured: Explore by Themes /
Best Selling Holidays / Special Offers
- Travel Guidelines: Domestic /
International
- Destination search bar
- Popular categories displayed below
and the options are displayed in a grid of 4 with sliding bar
- Given details: Destination, duration
and price
- Depart from | Going to
- Month of travel
Option Pages
- Holiday packages displayed in the
grid of 3
- Given details: Name of package,
keywords, duration, price
- Customize and book now options
do not have specific functions and
lead to the same page.
- Popular filters and sorting at the top
in the same bar
- Search bar at the top
- Holiday packages displayed in the
grid of 3
- Sorting options at the top and filters
open after a click. Both initially available in the same bar
- Given details: Name of package, duration, rating, price
- Modify search bar at the top
- Filter bar below that, followed by
the sorting bar.
- Holiday packages displayed in list
- Given details: Name of package,
duration, places to visit, price
- Comparison feature available
Customization
- After selecting a holiday package, one can customize it
- Top bar: Starting from | Traveling on |
Rooms and guests
- Package name and photos at the top
- Detailed itinerary of each day
- Lack of visibility of system status.
Which step of booking one is in.
- No customization
- Basic Package name with duration
- Package overview | Hotel details |
Day wise itinerary | Additional info
- Contact details to the right
- No customization
- Photos | Hotels & Transport |
Departure dates | Inclusion | T&C |
Detailed itinerary | About the place
- Lack of visibility of system status.
Which step of booking one is in.
Steps
- 5 steps to book a preferred holiday
package
- 3 steps to get a call back from a travel
consultant
- 4 steps to get a chat with a travel
consultant and book
Other Key Points
- Good user control and freedom.
One can jump and go back to other
option in a click.
- Use of non functioning icons.
- Holiday packages for a solo traveler
not available
- Booking remains incomplete.
Call back from a travel consultant
- Own transition page
- Holiday packages for a solo traveler
not available
Key Findings
Makemytrip has potential strengths as, to the point and bold info., one can easily identify icons because of good labelling.
It has both connectivity, domestic and interational,
with lots of search options as theme holidays, special offers, keyword searches and popular filters. Also, One can easily customized their packages.
Lack of visual diversity in searches and appearances of key features findings. Stacked features increases cognitive load.
Lack of visibility system status as finding yourself at which steps we are? categorization of features are placed as per frequency of usage. Function of two icons with having same feature
looks different.
Various opportunities lies for this platform- to provide customized packages, Tap the cab services more engaging manner.
Apart from hotels and villas, platform can primarily target the wedding and such ceremonies where one can book banquets, and lawns for different occasions like an engagement.
Makemytrip can provide the chat and sharing experience services for making platform more livable and least depended on other platform for sharing photos and informations.
New entrants are the possible threats by giving
more price discounts, and offers. Whereas, Existing
Ola, Oyo, and Airbnb or local rented places are the possible threats to make primary features of
Makemytrips as addons or obsolete.
Auto Ethnography
1. Questionnaire
To help ourselves for understanding travel type and engagement with Makemytrip
2. Time- bound task
Every trial of task were time bounded approximately
20- 30 minutes
3. Observing the task
We were observing the tasks in ourselves by noting down the observations
4. Observation method
On completion of task, we did group interview for discussing out the experience on Usability, changes, passuses, confidence etc.
5. Recording and analysis
The process notes were recorded to be used for analysis later
Key Findings
First
Impressions >
Round trip
flight >
Booking hotel
2 people + 2 nights >
Cancellation
of booking >
Looks like flights booking website
Cognitive load: Too much on homepage
Easy sign in with google mails (2 steps), with other it will take up 3 steps.
Icons are understandable
Too much information on homepage, tried to ignore and focused on primary
Easy to navigate the proceedings
Interesting loading and searching flights graphics
Cognitive load with available of too many options.
Struggle to find the sorting tab
Total cost of the both flights summed down the bar
Didn’t required the filters
Lost in between the steps of booking
Can’t select the seats
Overwhelming but moderate learning curve
Easy to navigate the proceedings
Suggestions help to fill in the search parameters
Cognitive load with filters on the right
Struggle to find the sorting tab
Prices shown sometime don’t match the pay@hotel option
Not easy to cancel the booking
Cognitive load and struggling to figure out how to cancel the booking
UI/ UX
Heuristic Evaluation
1.
Functionality
My boarding station is “Lucknow” that starts with “Luck” whereas I wrote “Lick”. I got to see irrelevant boarding station options as shown below. When I type “Licknow”, the system did show the correct venue. This might be a result of varying implementations of full-text-search.
Wouldn’t it be more appropriate that when I type “lick”, the interface says “Sorry. I don’t know that city.” (or) “Did you meant: “Lucknow?”. I leave it for the readers to judge.
2.
Visual design
Login/ sign up page have pop ups for delivering the quality of the platform towards best hotel prices, cheapest flights and cool trip advices which is unattractive, less explained and short screen time.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Functionality
The first heuristic violated is Helping users. When selecting infants more than adults, the interface stops this move. Notice how it says that “infants can’t be more than adults”. What if the three adults included: three young mothers, out of which two were having twins? What should the mothers do? Why I believe this to be a violation is because the website doesn’t offer any help to users over here. When you design a product, you want to lead the customer to what he wants, which I think is having a gap over here as the user (about to become a customer) is left to wonder and figure his own solution. A confused user may very well use any other portal.
Language/ content
Have a look at the image below. Say if I have a child of 12 years or 12 years, 2 months, which category do I put him in: “Adult” or “children”?
Navigation/ freedom
The portal asks you to choose the travel class. I couldn’t find any option where I could book separate class tickets. For example: if I wanted one business class ticket and one economy. I do think that it is rare that people would book separate class tickets so maybe that’s why the interface is like that
Consistency
On the same section, there’s a button that says “APPLY”. When I was choosing other inputs like the departure date, it didn’t have a button to confirm the inputs. In this case, there’s a button that says “APPLY”. However, once you click the button, the action is still similar. I was expecting to see my available flight options but I got to see a regular screen as shown below. The button always said “Apply” and not “Apply & Search”, and so maybe, it was my fault to set the wrong expectations.
Makemytrip
Usability Test
Behaviors of an experienced and amature users. Usability task was carried out with 5
participants on the Makemytrip website, to determine the problems faced by experienced travelers using to Mamkemytrip to plan their trips. The test consisted of 6 tasks and SUS questionnaire
1. Onboard criteria
- Has bought a ticket online in the past years
- Has not used Makemytrip before
3. Preparation-
A gmail account was created for the purpose of this test.
4. Test instruments
- User test script
- Pre- test interview questions
- Task descriptions
- User test logging sheet
- Post- test SUS questionnaire
- Post - test debriefing guidelines
5. Analysis methods-
All notes, logging sheets, ouestionnaires, and audio/video recordings were later reviewed
2. Participants profile- Roughly in the age group
20- 30 years and had the experience using internet.
Key Observations
Users were convenient on booking tickets with appropriate price and dates
Users unable and lost in between on finding
the names of hotels for a specific purpose such as engagement. They tend to procced as regular hotel bookings
User unable to find out the cheapest total price determination of journey. They tend to search individually for each modes of traveling
User won’t able to customize or plan out the trip planned budgets as whole. Even the
platform are not meant for achieving that purpose
Key Observations
Both type of users, who had experienced before and who had no experience felt neutral
on confident to use system
Users agrees on saying inconsistent to the system.
whereas, they felt systems function are well integrated.
No prior experienced users felt, they should have needed to learn a lot of things before
going with this system
Early users felt that they should require a technical
person support to use this system
Post- Test Debriefing Insights:
01.
Understanding
- Good customer services
- Cheap and offers on bookings
- Attractive deals all time
Preferences
02.
Likes:
- Visibility of features
- Price comparison
- Time and duration
of the flights
Dislikes:
- Cancellation issues
- False pricing on changes
- Poor filtration
Changes
03.
- Users expected to have Clear pictures and views of hotels premises and rooms, both indoor and outdoor
- User thought to have booking guidelines for Novice users, especially at the time of flight seat selection
- Filters for customizing the trips and to plan the cost for estimating the budget
- More exiting deals on prices as offers, referrals, coins, points which can be redeemed in future
- Prices on calendars, when anyone is making booking especially at the time of selecting dates of traveling
Data Gathering
Vary Behaviors
on Makemytip
Platform
Online platforms leads to the many deviant spaces where ones behavior can be suppressed and
amplified. An online platform, especially Makemytrip should exclude the deviant scope.
Findings
Behavioral drivers
Effects
1. Novice users feels under-confident on this system. They are not familiar with the process and sometime feels helpless with unseen steps.
Due to lack of trust on the online system. Past experiences, complexity of platform for fulfilling business needs first.
Such users either switched on other platforms easily or become dependent on other which leads them to share their privacy of information and spaces.
2. Most of the users only stock the sites to explore, without making any bookings.
Habit of comparing and not trusting things at first may lead to this.
It gives an opportunity to users and business stakeholders for making mocked reviews and offers to attract the users.
3. Vicenarian mostly active on Online travel bookings.
Emerging decisions maker, tech savvy, purpose of traveling not limited with need, it changed to desire.
Makes inequalities among families on suppressing the choices, freedom of satisfying yourself.
4. At first sight, looks like a website for booking flights.
Niche market to target, establishing esteem among users, easy on pocket to convert users.
Makes other features valunrble, divides the users, afeects the market of transportation. Also, pushes platform to provide offers extreme to this area most.
5. Many travelers feels reviews are the best way to decide upon on taking their decisions.
Besides reliability its also the tendency of an individual to acquire a particular style. Behavior or attitude because everyone else doing it (bandwagon effect).
Misinformed travelers might end up on the option that is not preferred by them (not relevant)
6. Users writes the reviews on request, very least writes without being asked.
Due to lack of trust on the online system. Past experiences, complexity of platform for fulfilling business needs first.
Such users either switched on other platforms easily or become dependent on other which leads them to share their privacy of information and spaces.
7. Users Strongly influenced by online travel review
sites, social media, blogs, and friend’s recommendations.
Due to lack of trust on the online system. Past experiences, complexity of platform for fulfilling business needs first.
Such users either switched on other platforms easily or become dependent on other which leads them to share their privacy of information and spaces.
8. Users most of the time share booking details and other travel stuff on other apps and formats.
Due to lack of trust on the online system. Past experiences, complexity of platform for fulfilling business needs first.
Such users either switched on other platforms easily or become dependent on other which leads them to share their privacy of information and spaces.
9. Local cities and places are untouched on this sites.
Due to lack of trust on the online system. Past experiences, complexity of platform for fulfilling business needs first.
Such users either switched on other platforms easily or become dependent on other which leads them to share their privacy of information and spaces.
10. Guidelines and rules and regulations on the website are vey text heavy.
Due to lack of trust on the online system. Past experiences, complexity of platform for fulfilling business needs first.
Such users either switched on other platforms easily or become dependent on other which leads them to share their privacy of information and spaces.
11. Offers, discounts and prices are the norms for liking the websites by users.
Due to lack of trust on the online system. Past experiences, complexity of platform for fulfilling business needs first.
Such users either switched on other platforms easily or become dependent on other which leads them to share their privacy of information and spaces.
Behavior
Amplification
Insights
Formation
Both type of users, who had experienced
before and who had no experience felt neuteral on confident to use system
Users agrees on saying inconsistent to the system. whereas, they felt systems function are well integrated.
No prior experienced users felt, they should
have needed to learn a lot of things before
going with this system.
Early users felt that they should require a technical person support to use this system.