Aventus
Tailor your searches to what matters
UX/UI, Web, Mobile, B2C
2024
Introduction
Aventus is a one-stop solution for users booking a stay
Aventus aims to help users book their perfect stay, with the option to search by occasions, local events, and recommended nearby sights
As Lead Designer on this project I shaped the overall user experience
The research was done by the research team, but I didn’t have any direct contact with them. My role involved analyzing and refining the research data to design an intuitive experience. I created sketches, wireframes, mockups, and high-fidelity prototypes, and conducted usability tests
Background
Platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo let travelers find flexible stays during their trips
Here are some of the options they offer:
Vacation Homes
Entire homes with multiple rooms and amenities, perfect for families and larger groups
Aparments
An entire apartment or condo with one to a few rooms, perfect for solo travelers or small groups
Single Rooms
Option to book a room inside of the host's home, often being the most affordable
The Problem
Trip planning often includes juggling multiple websites for things like accommodations, event tickets, and nearby sights
Without a single platform to organize everything, travelers risk booking stays in bad locations, missing out on cool experiences, and the possibility of unwanted stress
The Goal
I set out to design a solution that let's you book a stay based on occasions, local events, and nearby attractions
With these features included, Aventus would:
Research
80% of users have to switch between multiple websites
51/100
51 % of users crossed referenced information between different websites, making it hard for them to find the right place
90/100
Checkout scores are high, showing that 90% of users thought the checkout experience is fairly easy, but this can always be improved
100/100
All users say that nearby events and activities play a crucial role in where they decide to book a stay
Competitive Analysis
The research team looked at 3 major companies that currently do accommodation rentals
Airbnb, Booking.com, and Expedia
AirBnb
Airbnb scored a 9. They are a direct competitor with the most similar solution to Aventus
Booking.com
Ranked around 6 as an indirect competitor, mainly focusing around hotels
Expedia
Expedia scored an 8 and has a well designed experience with a strong loyalty program
Persona
Using the research as a guide, I created a persona of a couple searching for their perfect honeymoon getaway
Justin and Jasmine are newly married and want to plan a trip as a second honeymoon. Their stay needs to be special and exciting, while keeping in budget and finding activities that are fun and easy to get to
Newly Married
Justin & Jasmine
26 years old
"We have to bounce between multiple websites to find the best stay for our anniversary and the whole process is overwhelming"
Needs
A vacation within budget with activities near their rented stay
Wants
A stay that’s culturally rich, convenient to activities, and appropriate for an anniversary
Early Sketches
Early sketches showed a familiar navigation bar with one standout feature: search by occasion
The page opens with a classic hero image showcasing a luxury stay. Below that, a carousel highlights different occasions, which sets it apart from other sites
Wireframes
I mapped out the core pages for a vacation booking site, building a usable low‑fi prototype as I went to test and explore the flow
I designed both logged-in and logged-out states, showing different options for each while making sure users could complete bookings in either state
Wireframes for logged-in/out states
I designed features that would help users plan their trips around special occasions and local events
By putting in a search for occasions and options to create a more personalized stay, I aimed to create a more stress-free planning experience
Mockups and High Fidelity Designs
I made some design changes from the original sketches and wireframes
I removed “search by occasion” from the search bar since it felt crowded. I kept the occasions carousel, included a persistent filter sidebar on the left, and added a section in the stay listings showing nearby events for the selected dates
Standout Features
Prototype feedback and final Designs
Usability testing showed that searching by occasion wasn't the main focus of the platform
While users found the design intuitive and smooth, they shared that the occasion search should be more front and center. With this, I made a few changes to the design
Occasions in the Search
Highlighting special occasions in the search bar made them a core part of the search. Keeping the bar visible throughout the site allows for easy adjustments at any time
occasions search filter
Relocating the Occasions Carousel
Placing the Occasions Carousel directly under the hero section and enlarging the images made searching by occasion more visible to users
Featured Occasions Carousel
Results
Redesigning the personalization features improved task efficiency and increased user satisfaction
Based on projected outcomes, these updates would produce measurable gains in engagement, feature adoption, and overall experience
Interactions with personalization
Projected 25–30% increase in interactions with personalization features per session over 3 months, showing stronger engagement with tailored options
Bookings using occasions filters
Projected increase in bookings using occasion or event filters from 0% to 15–20% in the first quarter, showing adoption of the new features
1 pt ↑
Post-booking Satisfaction
Predicted increase in average post-booking satisfaction score from 7.5 to 8.5 on a 10-point scale within 6 months, based on feedback from 500+ users
CHALLENGES & CONSTRAINTS
Designing solo required creative problem-solving, a lot of decision-making, and better management for all parts of the project
I had to validate ideas, prioritize designs and changes, and had to manage the entire design process more efficiently
1
Idea validation
Without a team to provide feedback, I used research and usability testing to design a way for users to search by occasion in addition to the usual location and dates
2
Feedback
Using outsourced testers, I focused feedback on the Occasions Carousel and the search-by-occasion option to refine how users discover and select stays
3
Prioritization
I balanced analyzing research, prioritizing occasions as the main feature, prototyping, and designing to ensure users could easily discover and select stays
Key takeaways
Thinking through the booking search from the user’s perspective helped me design a more effective solution
Trying to book a stay myself and reviewing how users interact with the product gave me with a better understanding of how to simplify the experience and make key features more accessible
Standout Navigation
The navigation bar stands out on the mostly white site, but the main goal was to include the option to search by occasion
Persistent Sidebar
The persistent filter sidebar keeps search options visible at all times, making it easier for users to adjust their search.
Repositioned Carousel
Placing the Occasions Carousel under the hero section puts occasions and events front and center
