Role
Timeline
Oct - Dec 2024
UX Designer & Researcher
Figma, FigJam, Teams
Prototyping, User Interviews, UI
Tools
Skills
Overview
A Streamlined Approach to Hotel Check-In and Management 🏨
Hotel Kiosk is a self-service application designed to streamline the hotel check-in, check-out, and booking processes. Created to address common challenges in the hospitality industry, such as long wait times and inconsistent guest experiences, this project focused on simplifying tasks for guests while easing workloads for staff.
The project was developed as part of an academic challenge over 3 months using Lean UX methodologies. It involved research, ideation, prototyping, and usability testing. With a team of four designers, we used Figma, FigJam, and Microsoft Teams to design and test our concepts.
Problem
Long Wait Times and Frustrating Check-In Processes ⏳
In the hospitality industry, guests often face long wait times, inconsistent service, and confusing check-in processes. These challenges lead to dissatisfaction and impact guest retention. Hotels also struggle with staff overload and inefficiencies in managing reservations and check-ins.
We set out to solve these problems by designing a self-service kiosk interface that reduces wait times, enhances user experience, and provides flexibility for guests while alleviating staff workloads.
Approach
Leveraging Lean UX for Rapid Iteration 💡
We used Lean UX as our process because it allowed us to iterate quickly and validate ideas early based on user feedback. Given the fast-paced nature of the hospitality industry, Lean UX supported our goal of creating an intuitive and user-friendly kiosk interface without sacrificing usability.
The focus on user-centered design ensured that every feature was built to solve a real problem. From defining assumptions and creating proto-personas to usability testing and continuous refinement, Lean UX kept our process agile, enabling us to adapt based on insights gathered throughout each sprint.
Sprint 1
Week 0 - Solidifying our thoughts 📝
We kicked off our first sprint by creating a Lean UX Canvas, which helped us lay out assumptions, identify goals, and develop hypotheses. We focused on understanding the business problem, defining our users, and brainstorming initial solutions.
Before diving into design, we asked ourselves foundational questions to better define the scope and focus of our project. We explored questions like, “What problems do guests face during hotel check-ins and check-outs?” and “What barriers prevent efficiency, and how can we address these issues through a self-service kiosk?” Another important consideration was, “What’s the least amount of work we need to do to validate our assumptions quickly?” These questions allowed us to align our goals with user needs and business objectives, ensuring that every design decision supported both guest satisfaction and operational efficiency.
Product Problem Statement
We came to the assumption that the current state of the hospitality industry relies heavily on traditional front-desk interactions, which often lead to long wait times, limited flexibility, and accessibility challenges for guests. Many hotel systems lack seamless processes for quick check-ins, check-outs, and modifications, creating inefficiencies for both staff and guests. We believed our product could address these gaps by introducing a self-service kiosk that simplifies key workflows, minimizes reliance on staff, and accommodates a wide range of guest needs. By prioritizing speed, accessibility, and user-friendly design, we aimed to create a solution that enhances the guest experience while improving operational efficiency for hotels.
Proto-Personas
We assumed those who would benefit most from our kiosk would be frequent travelers looking for a faster, more efficient way to manage hotel check-ins and bookings. We believed that traditional hotel systems often create frustrating bottlenecks, especially for guests who value convenience and flexibility.
We initially created two proto-personas — Eric, a business traveler who prioritizes speed and simplicity to accommodate his busy schedule, and Gabby, a leisure traveler who values customization and ease of use to enhance her stay. While Eric represents users who need quick, no-frills solutions to minimize time spent at the front desk, Gabby reflects users who may be more experience-focused and interested in options like room upgrades and early check-ins.
Eric - The Business Traveler
Eric values speed, efficiency, and simplicity. He often travels for work and expects technology to save him time, whether checking in late at night or accessing receipts quickly for expense reporting.
Gabby - The Leisure Guest
Gabby prioritizes ease of use and visual clarity. She enjoys traveling for leisure and appreciates options like early check-in, room customization, and upgrade suggestions without needing to speak with staff.
We intentionally designed these personas to reflect contrasting needs—efficiency versus simplicity—allowing us to evaluate solutions that catered to a broad user base. These proto-personas evolved as we gathered more data during interviews and testing.
Although these personas reflect different priorities, both share a familiarity with technology-driven solutions, making them ideal candidates for adopting a self-service kiosk. By focusing on these two groups, we aimed to balance efficiency and personalization, ensuring our product met the needs of both practical and experience-driven users.
Sprint 1 Backlog
Once the Lean UX Canvas was complete, we outlined features to test in Sprint 1 based on high value and risk. Our backlog included:
Quick check-in, check-out, and booking processes.
Reservation lookup with multiple input methods.
Visual clarity for navigation and buttons.
Sprint 1
Week 1 & 2 — Testing wireframes 💻
During the first sprint, we focused on validating our assumptions and refining our initial designs. We conducted user interviews with participants who aligned with our proto-personas. To gain diverse insights, we interviewed 6 participants with varying travel habits, including business travelers, solo adventurers, and those who had experience using self-service kiosks. Because our product focused heavily on improving efficiency and usability during hotel check-ins, we prioritized participants who had prior frustrations with traditional check-in systems or a preference for streamlined, tech-based solutions. Also, Every two days, my team and I held stand-up meetings to review progress, address any challenges, and prioritize tasks—ensuring we stayed aligned and focused on meeting our project goals.
What We Tested
We started by developing low-fidelity wireframes that focused on the core functionality of the kiosk—check-in, check-out, and booking. These wireframes were intentionally minimal, allowing us to test key workflows without being distracted by visual design. The primary goal was to evaluate how intuitive the navigation felt and whether users could complete tasks without assistance.
To gather actionable insights, we moderated each session using a structured approach. First, participants were asked about their previous check-in experiences and frustrations, helping us uncover pain points and habits. Next, they were guided through our wireframe prototypes, performing tasks such as locating their reservation, modifying room preferences, and identifying what key icons meant. Afterward, we conducted open-ended discussions to gather feedback on usability, feature clarity, and their overall impressions.
Affinity Maps
After conducting interviews, we consolidated our findings through affinity mapping. Each team member took 10 minutes to jot down notes from their observations, focusing on key points and recurring themes. We then grouped these notes into categories, such as navigation preferences, input methods, and visual hierarchy, to identify patterns and priorities. This process allowed us to quickly visualize user needs and refine our designs based on common insights.
Patterns from the mapping showed that users prioritized clear labels and visual hierarchy for ease of use, flexibility in input methods to accommodate different user preferences, and confirmation screens to provide reassurance and reduce anxiety about errors.
Sprint 1 Major Insights
Clear visual hierarchy improved task completion rates by making buttons, labels, and actions easier to identify, reducing hesitation and improving efficiency.
QR codes were appreciated for their speed and convenience but highlighted the need for manual backup options to address technical issues and ensure accessibility.
Simplified navigation improved clarity but required further refinement, such as clearer labels and progress indicators, to enhance user confidence and reduce confusion.
Sprint Retrospective
At the end of Sprint 1, our team conducted a sprint retrospective to reflect on our progress and identify areas for improvement. We discussed how meeting deadlines and regular stand-ups kept us organized, while dividing tasks ensured everyone contributed effectively. However, we realized that our wireframes lacked interactivity, which limited the depth of user feedback. Additionally, some interview questions were repetitive, leading to insights that didn’t always uncover new information. Moving forward, we decided to refine our interview scripts, improve prototype interactivity, and schedule interviews earlier to avoid conflicts. These adjustments aimed to make the next sprint more focused and data-driven, ensuring our designs addressed user needs with greater precision.
Sprint 2
Week 0 — Revalidating Assumptions ✅
Sprint 2, Week 0 began with revalidating our Lean UX Canvas by reflecting on lessons learned during Sprint 1. We scheduled sessions to revisit our assumptions, asking questions such as, “What did we learn?” “What needs to change?” and “What are the highest priorities moving forward?”
A/B Testing Insights
Through several rounds of A/B testing during Sprint 1, we uncovered valuable insights that shaped our design decisions:
Users were confused by the help button’s placement, as it was positioned too close to the language translator icon, leading some to assume it was intended for staff troubleshooting rather than guest assistance.
On the booking page, participants preferred the left-side navigation bar, which allowed them to continue browsing without losing their place, creating a more fluid and intuitive experience.
Clearer signifiers for input fields, such as highlighted borders and error indicators, improved usability by helping users quickly recognize when information was required or incorrectly entered.
These insights guided refinements in our design, ensuring the interface felt intuitive, accessible, and user-focused throughout the entire process.
Shifting Focus to MVPs
Our findings from Sprint 1 showed that simplified navigation improved clarity but still required clearer labels and stronger visual hierarchy to reduce confusion. Users also valued customization options but preferred preset defaults to speed up the process.
To address these insights, we updated our Sprint 2 backlog, prioritizing:
Improved hierarchy and visual cues to make navigation intuitive.
Streamlined check-in flows to minimize steps and reduce cognitive load.
Optional manual input methods to support users who preferred traditional entry formats.
Proto-Persona Iteration
During this revalidation stage, we refined Eric’s persona based on interview insights, revealing that business travelers prioritize reliability and detailed receipts for expense reporting just as much as speed and efficiency. This led us to focus on features like instant receipts and payment confirmations to better meet their needs. Meanwhile, Gabby’s persona remained consistent, as interviews confirmed her focus on customization, clear instructions, and language translation tools for ease of use. These updates ensured our designs addressed both practical and experience-driven users while balancing efficiency and personalization.
Sprint 2
Week 1 & 2 — Testing our hi-fi mockups 👩💻
Sprint 2 followed a similar structure to Sprint 1 as we transitioned into high-fidelity prototypes, focusing on visual design, navigation, and usability testing to create a more polished and realistic platform. We interviewed an additional six participants, including four business travelers and two leisure travelers, to gather diverse insights that aligned with our proto-personas.
What We Tested:
Our testing focused on ensuring task completion without hesitation or confusion, evaluating whether users could easily locate the help button and language translator without assistance. We also assessed the effectiveness of receipt layouts and confirmation screens to verify they provided clear and essential details, minimizing the need for guests to seek additional help from staff. Special attention was given to refining the booking page, prioritizing a user-friendly and intuitive layout that allowed guests to browse rooms quickly and complete bookings seamlessly. These refinements aimed to create an experience that balanced efficiency and personalization, addressing the distinct needs of both business travelers and leisure guests.
How We Tested:
We conducted think-aloud sessions where participants narrated their thoughts as they navigated the prototype, allowing us to observe whether users could interpret signifiers, icons, and labels without assistance. Tasks included check-in, check-out, booking, and modifying reservations, during which we timed each process to measure efficiency and identify areas of confusion.
These refinements balanced efficiency and personalization, catering to the unique needs of both business travelers, who value speed and simplicity, and leisure travelers, who seek customization and flexibility.
Refinement
Polishing our designs, staying consistent 🎨
After Sprint 2 concluded, we spent a week refining our designs and making final adjustments. We focused on maintaining consistency across screens, ensuring every element followed an 8pt grid system for alignment. Colors and typography were standardized, and we implemented auto layout in Figma to make updates more efficient. These refinements allowed us to deliver a polished, user-friendly prototype that met both user needs and business goals.
Final Result
Hotel Kiosk, a Seamless Hospitality Solution 💡
The final prototype of Hotel Kiosk offers a streamlined, self-service solution for modern hotels. From check-in and check-out workflows to modifying reservations and accessing upgrades, every feature was designed with usability, efficiency, and flexibility in mind. Our iterative process, driven by Lean UX principles, ensured we addressed both user and business needs while creating a visually engaging and intuitive platform. This solution empowers hotels to reduce wait times, enhance guest satisfaction, and optimize staff operations.
Reflecting
Key Takeaways from the Design Process 💡
Working on the Hotel Kiosk project was an eye-opening experience that deepened my understanding of Lean UX methodologies and the importance of rapid iteration and collaboration. This project challenged me to think critically about user needs, test assumptions quickly, and refine ideas based on feedback—skills that I know will carry over into future projects.
Learnings
1: Iteration drives progress. Testing early and often made it clear how valuable quick iterations are for improving designs. I learned to embrace imperfections and prioritize functionality over perfection, focusing on delivering designs that solved problems efficiently.
2: Collaboration is essential. Working closely with my team showed me how sharing ideas and discussing insights from interviews strengthened our outcomes. It also emphasized the value of being flexible and open to feedback, allowing us to make continuous improvements.
3: Usability testing uncovers hidden issues. Observing users interact with our prototypes highlighted unexpected pain points, such as confusion around labels and icons. This reinforced how direct user feedback helps refine even the smallest details for a better user experience.
4: Research informs design decisions. Conducting multiple interviews and analyzing patterns through affinity mapping gave us a clearer picture of what users actually needed versus what we assumed. It taught me the value of data-driven design over assumptions.
5: Time management matters. Balancing research, design, and testing within tight sprints forced me to prioritize tasks and stay organized. It also emphasized the importance of setting realistic goals and adapting quickly when plans changed.
This project reminded me that design is never finished—it’s a continuous cycle of learning, improving, and testing to create something truly impactful.