Background
Oddysee was created to simplify group trip planning, which was often managed through tools like Google Docs. Unlike apps like Wanderlog and TripIt, which focused on individual planning, Oddysee introduced real-time collaboration for friends. In addition to planning, Oddysee allows group to track expenses, maintain checklists, share photos, and chat within the app, making it an all-in-one solution for group travelers.
The problem
Oddysee’s original UI felt outdated and lacked refinement, making it difficult for users to engage with the full range of features. With so many functionalities built into the app, users also struggled to discover and utilize them effectively. Additionally, I found that the app’s fun and quirky brand theme wasn’t fully embraced.
Lack of design system and guideline
There was no unified design library in place, resulting in an inconsistent look and feel across the app. I recognized the need to build a simple design system from scratch to bring uniformity and coherence to the user experience.
Balancing quantity with discoverability
With features like voting, tracking expenses, and more nested within the app, it was essential to create a more intuitive way for users to discover and access them. Balancing the quantity of features with ease of navigation became a key focus.
Monetization challenges
As a startup, monetization was a pressing concern. We had partnered with creators to sell curated travel guides to users, but the feature was underutilized due to poor visibility. There was a clear need to better showcase this offering to boost revenue and user engagement.
Onboarding
Simplified entry points
Two clear actions—Create a trip or Join a trip—streamline the onboarding, reducing decision fatigue and confusion.
Reusing common pattern
As user testing data shows positive feedback towards Airbnb pattern, the trip creation drawer uses a familiar pattern, consolidating steps into one screen for a smoother flow and fewer backtracks
Brand identity
The alien mascots were integrated throughout the UI reinforcing Oddysee’s playful identity and engaging users with fun visuals.
Trip HQ
New homepage
Upon entering the app, the main information are all in one place and in real time — group checklists, announcements, votes, and photo sharing. The navbar allows quick key actions for the current trip selected.
Guests system
Easily add friends or see all current trip participants at a glance. Or generate an invitation code to mass send to friends.
Trip management
Taping the arrow beside the trip name instantly switches between different trips. User can also join trips using an invite code or personal invitation from friends. It’s like VIP access, but for trips!
Explore
Keeping things competitive
In the new Explore tab, we’ve enhanced visibility for travel influencers we have partnered by prominently showcasing their guides, similar to the Thatch app. This boosts the discoverability of their content and provide a form of revenue, with top-performing guides ranked higher to maintain competitiveness.
Challenging form of monetization
Additionally, we explored another monetization stream by enabling in-app accommodation bookings. These bookings can sync seamlessly with users’ itineraries, offering added convenience while we earn a third-party fee. However, this approach presents challenges, as there is stiff competition from established hotel booking platforms. It's also costly to return Google APIs for each query.
Creating the itinerary
Comprehensive Overview
View all key information at a glance, with the option to collapse itineraries by day and add custom labels for easy organization.
Tailored transport forms
Streamline the journey by filling out transport forms designed specifically for the mode of travel you choose, reducing unnecessary steps.
Activity for relevant users
Assign activities to specific friends, ensuring that only those participating will see it on their itinerary, keeping the schedule relevant and uncluttered for others who may be doing different activities or traveling separately.
Managing expenses
Real-time currency converter
One of the key upgrades is the ability to convert currencies quickly, making it easier for users to handle payments, e,g using PayLah! instead of the local cash currency. Or without exiting the app to convert. Real-time currency updates ensure users don't need to worry about fluctuations.
Data at a glance
We introduced a spreadsheet that allows users to sort expenses by group or individual, trip date range, and categories. These filters are incredibly helpful for organizing expenses and ensuring clarity. Quick insights, like identifying the most spent category or the highest spender, offer users a snapshot of their spending patterns.
Settlement feature
The "Simplify Balance" feature minimizes the number of repayments among the group, streamlining the settlement process. For full transparency, users can view detailed breakdowns of who paid for what, settle expenses, and even use custom splitting options to ensure fairness throughout the trip.
