After the pandemic, travel has become more accessible, allowing many people to explore various countries. According to a World Economic Forum report, Japan is one of the best tourist destinations for 2024, with 9.62 million foreign tourists visiting in 2023. Many people look forward to experiencing Japan's food culture, but for those unfamiliar with the language and culture, finding and booking suitable restaurants or cafes can be challenging. Additionally, organizing all the reservations and saved restaurants across different apps can be disorganized and sometimes difficult.

To understand travelers’ interests and priorities regarding dining and personal experiences, I conducted surveys with 17 participants and user interviews with 5 participants, all of whom are interested in traveling to Japan or have previously visited the country.

I recorded the points and ideas obtained from the surveys and user interviews on individual sticky notes. Then I grouped them by interview topics, further categorized them into patterns, and created an affinity map.

By gaining insights through surveys, user interviews, and affinity mapping, I created a user persona to highlight key patterns.

To clarify the solutions needed to address specific user needs, I created two POV statements based on the personas. Among them, I selected the POV focusing on the language barrier and managing restaurant lists, as these were identified as significant challenges for many users.

Then, I took the problems into clear questions that help find creative and practical solutions.

I brainstormed key features that address the intersection of business and user goals, considering technical feasibility, and used a card sort to determine the site structure.

Based on the results of the card sort and research showing that travelers struggle with searching for restaurants and managing reservations, I designed a sitemap to structure the app.

To better understand user needs and identify potential pain points or confusing elements related to the “search” and “reservation” processes, I created several user flows and task flows. This helped visualize the user’s journey and pinpoint areas for improvement.

I created specific design layouts based on the user flow, task flow, and observations of how users prefer to search for and make reservations effectively.

After creating the mid-fidelity wireframes, I conducted a quick usability test to evaluate whether users understood the design layouts. Based on the feedback, I made iterative improvements to enhance clarity and usability.

To address users’ challenges with navigating the app, finding restaurants, and making reservations, I conducted usability testing to gain insights into their interactions. Based on the feedback, I iterated on the design to simplify the process and better meet user needs, ensuring a more seamless experience.