DISCOVER THE WORLD IN A NEW WAY
Wanderlust Guides
Wireframing, Visual Systems & UX Exploration
Solo project for Experience & Interaction
Adobe XD
Feb 2022
PROBLEM
Traditional travel platforms often overlook the unique needs and behaviors of college students, who seek affordable, experience-rich trips but lack the time, tools, or resources to plan them easily. Most existing services focus on mainstream destinations and complex booking flows, leaving younger travelers underserved and overwhelmed.
The challenge:
How might we design a digital travel platform that empowers college students to plan meaningful, budget-friendly trips — with less friction, more inspiration, and a focus on authentic experiences?
USER RESEARCH + INSIGHTS
To better understand the needs of the target audience—college students planning independent travel—I conducted a competitive analysis and user-focused research. My goal was to identify gaps in existing travel platforms and uncover values that drive travel decisions for younger users.
Key Insights:
- Budget-conscious planning is essential. Students want tools that help them manage costs without sacrificing experience.
- Authenticity over trends. Users are more interested in unique, locally-rooted activities than commercial or influencer-driven destinations.
- Design matters. A modern, visually engaging interface is more likely to build trust and interest among younger users.
- Digital-first preferences. Students rely heavily on mobile tools and avoid physical guidebooks—they expect intuitive, streamlined platforms.
These findings shaped my design strategy: create a visually compelling, mobile-friendly platform that makes it easy for students to discover and book affordable, experience-driven travel options.
Usability testing revealed students often abandoned booking sites due to information overload and confusing filters. I responded by simplifying the flow and emphasizing budget-friendly visuals up front. The interface leans on clear categorization and direct copy, a choice shaped by repeated feedback on how overwhelming vague or too-niche destinations felt. The visual identity balances playfulness with clarity, mirroring how students described wanting to “dream” but also “plan smart.”
WIREFRAMES + PROTOTYPE
I created low-fidelity paper wireframes to define the platform’s structure, layout, and navigation. This early stage allowed me to focus on usability and flow without being distracted by visual styling. The wireframes prioritized intuitive search, curated experience categories, and clear paths to booking—all optimized for mobile use.
I developed a high-fidelity prototype to bring the Wanderlust platform to life, focusing on clean visual hierarchy, responsiveness, and a balance between aesthetic appeal and usability. The final design showcases intuitive navigation, curated experience pages, and a booking flow tailored to college students' preferences and priorities.
CHALLENGES
One of the biggest challenges was balancing aesthetic appeal with functionality. The target audience cares deeply about visual design, but also needs a platform that feels seamless and easy to navigate. Another challenge was shifting away from the traditional "flight + hotel" model to focus on experience-driven planning. Lastly, we had to consider how a free or low-cost tool could be financially sustainable.
SOLUTIONS
To address these, I designed a modern, mobile-first interface that highlights unique activities and hidden gems rather than defaulting to popular destinations. The layout emphasizes discovery, not just booking. For monetization, I proposed branded merchandise as a lifestyle-aligned revenue stream—something that felt natural to young, adventurous users without compromising the platform’s utility.
WALKTHROUGH + REFLECTIONS
This project marked the culmination of my Experience & Interaction course, which served as my formal introduction to Interaction Design. Through this process, I gained hands-on experience with the full design cycle—from research and ideation to wireframing, testing, and prototyping.
More importantly, this project taught me how to approach user-centered problems through both strategic thinking and visual execution. It laid the foundation for future projects where I applied these principles in more complex, real-world contexts, and it gave me confidence in my ability to move from idea to interface with clarity and intention.