The travel planning app that caters specifically to the needs of the LGBTQ+ community.
UMBRELLA
Case study by Massiel Lopez
What is Umbrella?
UMBRELLA is a non-profit organization that aims to facilitate the travel experience for the LGBTQ+ community.
So, what’s the problem?
Users have difficulty accessing reliable and comprehensive information about LGBTQ+-friendly destinations, local laws, customs, and available support resources.
What is reliable?
Is any of it comprehensive?
It is all too overwhelming, adding to the stress of planning an international trip.
End-user
Travelers from the LGBTQ+ Community
Tools utilized
Figma
Miro
IDEATE
Project Duration
7 months
Designer
Massiel Lopez sole designer
As the sole designer for Umbrella, my role encompassed every aspect of the project, from initial research and ideation to prototyping and usability testing.
The Design Process
EMPATHIZE
DEFINE
DESIGN
TEST
Empathizing with the user
User Interviews
Resources available for planning
Deterrents for traveling to other countries
Picking a destination
Concerns about traveling
Stressful parts of planning a trip
Secondary research
“Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) travelers can face unique challenges when traveling abroad. Laws and attitudes in some countries may affect safety and ease of travel. Legal protections vary from country to country.” (Travel State Gov.)
Findings
Lack of information: User interviews and research revealed that there is a lack of information when it comes to LGBTQ+ safety and travel. -
Safety concerns: The users are often concerned about their safety and acceptance while traveling to other countries.
Inspiration and info resources: Main resources are utilized, other than booking sites and Google searches to get information on where to go
Defining the project
Affinity mapping
User Persona
“As a transgender it can be challenging to find the support and community to guide me through”
“I just want to ensure a positive travel experience for my family, while still keeping in with the laws and requirements of other countries”
How Might We…?
Provide insights into local laws, customs, and social and political attitudes to help reduce the stress of planning an international trip?” ( for the LGBTQ+ community.)
“Help reduce the stress of planning an international trip “
Aim to reduce the stress of travel planning for the LGBTQ+ community. Help users identify LGBTQ+-friendly destinations.
Safe cities
Understand necessary legal documentation
Avoid potentially risky places.
Problem statement
The IDEAS portion!
“As a user, I want to find out which countries/cities are queer-friendly so that I can make an educated decision about where to visit.”
User stories
Sketches
Design
Low Fidelity screens
Style Guide
The design philosophy for Umbrella centers around providing users with a calm and focused experience.
A color palette that embodies simplicity and clarity
The font prioritizes readability and accessibility,
High fidelity wireframes
Prototype
Onboarding process
App navigation
Profile changes
Testing
Participants encountered challenges with the profile editing process, which involved leaving the page and navigating through multiple steps.
Usability testing
before
after
Navigation difficulties, including accidental clicks while trying to log off.
before
after
Conclusion
Umbrella is more than just an app; it's a solution designed to empower LGBTQ+ travelers with the information they need for safe and confident travel planning. The project has been driven by passion, meticulous research, and a commitment to user-centric design. Umbrella aims to make travel planning a little less stressful for the LGBTQ+ community, helping them explore the world with peace of mind.
travel planning a little less stressful…
To see the full case study along with the wireframes, feel free to check out this link.