Overview
Locus is a mobile app that is designed to connect you when traveling on vacation with trusted communities of locals around the world that host you over authentic dining experiences. Our aim is to enable travelers to explore different cultures through food.
“There has been an ongoing evolution away from being a tourist, toward being more of a traveler”
What Is The Issue ?
Most memorable authentic travel experiences were in places where we had local friends or family living there. Travelling for a short period of time in any city around the world makes it very hard to discover it fully.
Discovering Cultures Through Food
The importance of food is a thread that unites everyone on earth. The instinct to feed others is one of our most basic; it inspires humanity and builds communities. We provide food to those we love, we share stories over meals, we offer tasty edibles as a sign of gratitude and we come together with perfect strangers at the table.
Problem Space
Why is it so hard to experience authenticity when exploring cultures when traveling on vacation ?
How Might We
Connect travelers with trusted communities of locals around the world to explore cultures through authentic dining experiences ?
Constraints:
Travelers might fear meeting with locals for the first time at their houses.
Travelers don’t know what to expect from the experience.
Locals might have a language barrier, does not speak traveler’s language.
Some travelers might not have access to internet.
Exploring The Market
User Research
I surveyed 18 and interviewed 7 people.
People said that the sharing economy offers more flexibility & greater efficiency than traditional businesses.
People also mentioned that the sharing economy provides them with more convenience & cheaper prices.
The 7 people that I've interviewed traveled 1-3 times a year.
The 18 people I shared the survey with traveled 1-6 times a year.
Average age of people was 21-36 years old.
“I Went to a local fisherman’s house in Cuba and feasted on home cooked snapper and lobster with a local family, it was amazing.”
Primary Persona
User Experience Map
User Stories
Core Epic: Search & Book for an authentic dinning experience within the app.
Task Flows
Low Fidelity Wireframes
“Do not seek praise. Seek criticism.”
Usability Testing
I conducted ten user tests over the course of two days with a low fidelity prototype, compiled my findings and went through several iterations.
High Fidelity Wireframes
UI Style Guide
High Fidelity Prototype
Main Tasks:
Sign in with email address.
Search for authentic dinning experiences based on your location.
Add filters to narrow down list.
Choose a dinning experience you want to indulge in.
Book & request experience from host.
Next Steps 🤔
Adding additional epics.
Continue refining UI.
Software Used 💻
Sketch.
Adobe Photoshop.
InVision.