Email:
pratyanell@gmail.com
Intripid
Intripid
Intripid
(Formerly Travana)
(Formerly Travana)
(Formerly Travana)
Revolutionizing Travel Planning from the Ground Up—AI-Powered Itineraries for Smarter, Seamless Adventures.
Revolutionizing Travel Planning from the Ground Up—AI-Powered Itineraries for Smarter, Seamless Adventures.
Impact
Impact
75% User Satisfaction Rate
40% Enhanced Product-Market Fit
500+ Itineraries in first week of launch
4+ Investment Offers
75% User Satisfaction Rate
40% Enhanced Product-Market Fit
500+ Itineraries in first week of launch
4+ Investment Offers
My Role
My Role
Founding UX Designer
Founding UX Designer
Team
Team
UX Designers, Software Developer, Product Manager
UX Designers, Software Developer, Product Manager
Tools
Tools
Figma, Miro, Sketch, Adobe Suite
Figma, Miro, Sketch, Adobe Suite
Duration
Duration
March, 2023 - April, 2024
March, 2023 - April, 2024
Context
Context
Last year, my friend and I went to Miami for Spring Break with a group of 10. As travel lovers, we spent hours researching and planning optimized itineraries. While the places were great, we missed the best times to visit, and rain forced us to change our outdoor plans. With limited time for research, the trip became chaotic, and we knew there had to be a better way to plan.
Last year, my friend and I went to Miami for Spring Break with a group of 10. As travel lovers, we spent hours researching and planning optimized itineraries. While the places were great, we missed the best times to visit, and rain forced us to change our outdoor plans. With limited time for research, the trip became chaotic, and we knew there had to be a better way to plan.
Problem Statement
Problem Statement
How might we create a way to streamline trip planning process to reduce cognitive overload by leveraging existing LLMs? The challenge is ideating the app's algorithm, understanding technical feasibility, and ensuring generated itineraries balance guidance with user freedom while making sure the experience is intuitive, engaging and fun, as travel should be.
How might we create a way to streamline trip planning process to reduce cognitive overload by leveraging existing LLMs? The challenge is ideating the app's algorithm, understanding technical feasibility, and ensuring generated itineraries balance guidance with user freedom while making sure the experience is intuitive, engaging and fun, as travel should be.
Solution
Solution
We designed a platform that helps the users as their own personalized travel planning assistant. Users can plan and manage multiple trips, decide the kind of trip and vibe they are going for in each trip, get calibrated itineraries that can be customized to their liking, coordinate, communicate and track activity with friends.
We designed a platform that helps the users as their own personalized travel planning assistant. Users can plan and manage multiple trips, decide the kind of trip and vibe they are going for in each trip, get calibrated itineraries that can be customized to their liking, coordinate, communicate and track activity with friends.
Research
Research
Our research involved multiple phases. We began by first doing a competitor analysis and talking about what was different about our vision.
Our research involved multiple phases. We began by first doing a competitor analysis and talking about what was different about our vision.
User Research
User Research
We wanted to learn from our users:
How DOES a user want their trip to be?
What does a perfect itinerary mean?
How can someone predict the kind of trip a user wants to take?
Has anyone tried to realize this wish into reality before?
Wait a sec.. do all users want someone else to do their planning for them like we do?
We wanted to learn from our users:
How DOES a user want their trip to be?
What does a perfect itinerary mean?
How can someone predict the kind of trip a user wants to take?
Has anyone tried to realize this wish into reality before?
Wait a sec.. do all users want someone else to do their planning for them like we do?
We wanted to learn from our users:
How DOES a user want their trip to be?
What does a perfect itinerary mean?
How can someone predict the kind of trip a user wants to take?
Has anyone tried to realize this wish into reality before?
Wait a sec.. do all users want someone else to do their planning for them like we do?
Market Research and Competitor Analysis
Market Research and Competitor Analysis
Mapping Survey Results with Qualitative Interviews
Mapping Survey Results with Qualitative Interviews
Ideate and Define
Ideate and Define
After our extensive user research, we were stuck with some key themes and patterns we noticed. This gave us a direction to brainstorm the main pain points we wanted to address and what our solutions would be. We realized from here that the scope of the app can be too huge and narrowed down the minimum viable product.
After our extensive user research, we were stuck with some key themes and patterns we noticed. This gave us a direction to brainstorm the main pain points we wanted to address and what our solutions would be. We realized from here that the scope of the app can be too huge and narrowed down the minimum viable product.
Travana could have
Travana MVP should have
Strategy and Design
Strategy and Design
Our primary design strategy was to
Foster user freedom and choice
Make interactions intuitive and pleasant
Include enough points in the flow where user preferences could be collected and used to optimize results.
Our primary design strategy was to
Foster user freedom and choice
Make interactions intuitive and pleasant
Include enough points in the flow where user preferences could be collected and used to optimize results.
After having a list of actionable features to work on, we started devising the user-flows through white boarding and sketching.
After having a list of actionable features to work on, we started devising the user-flows through white boarding and sketching.
Key Model Parameters to improve the accuracy of AI generated itineraries
Key Model Parameters to improve the accuracy of AI generated itineraries
From the insights rom user research, we made a list of parameters that the algorithm is going to be prompted with based on what users actually care about -
From the insights rom user research, we made a list of parameters that the algorithm is going to be prompted with based on what users actually care about -
White Boards
White Boards
Information Architecture
Information Architecture
I built a comprehensive information architecture spanning 15+ touchpoints across the application.
I built a comprehensive information architecture spanning 15+ touchpoints across the application.
Low fidelity Sketches
Initial Screens- "Start New Trip" Feature
Initial Screens- "Start New Trip" Feature
User Testing
User Testing
We conducted a usability test with 5 users to validate our flows and ease of task achievement. We tested out two different layouts and interactions to find the most effective
We conducted a usability test with 5 users to validate our flows and ease of task achievement. We tested out two different layouts and interactions to find the most effective
Test Summary
5 Users
6 Performance tasks
Testing Method: In-Person
Testing Parameters: Time and Task Performance,
Think out loud
Tested for: Ease of interactions, flow
User Tasks:
User Tasks:
Flows Tested:
Flows Tested:
Testing Results
Testing Results
Insights
Insights
The stop first layout was overwhelming with too many pictures, a lot was happening.
The timeline based layout was clear and effective.
Hard to find the "GO" option on the layout focused on the stops.
Map first layout was efficient because it gave a direct picture of where the user would go at first glance.
Summary based layout has information users don't find very beneficial.
Easy to transition into "GO Mode" through the map focused layout.
The stop first layout was overwhelming with too many pictures, a lot was happening.
The timeline based layout was clear and effective.
Hard to find the "GO" option on the layout focused on the stops.
Map first layout was efficient because it gave a direct picture of where the user would go at first glance.
Summary based layout has information users don't find very beneficial.
Easy to transition into "GO Mode" through the map focused layout.
Design Decisions
Design Decisions
Itinerary layout: Flow-2
Day-wise itinerary: Flow-1
Map layout: Flow-2
Itinerary layout: Flow-2
Day-wise itinerary Flow-1
Map layout: Flow-2
Looking for a design upgrade? Let's chat!
Drop by to say hi!
2026 Designed by Pratya Nellore on Framer
Looking for a design upgrade? Let's chat!
Drop by to say hi!
2026 Designed by Pratya Nellore on Framer
Visual Design and Branding
Visual Design and Branding
The vision was to create an experience that resonated with different destinations, travelers and vibes. For me, my friend (the product owner) and the rest of the team, travel was serene and was harmonious to the feeling of "Nirvana".
Mood-Board
NIRVANA
Bliss
Ecstasy
Worry-free
Freedom
Beaches
Mountains
Cities
Logomarks and Branding elements
Logomarks and Branding elements
Style Guide
Style Guide
TRAVANA
Fun
Innovative
Edgy
Next-Gen
Warm
Inviting
Enthusiastic
Reliable
High Fidelity Screens
High Fidelity Screens
Start new trip instantly using the floating action button.
Start new trip instantly using the floating action button.
"I don't want a one-size-fits-all itinerary. I want my trip to be highly customized to my needs and moods. I want to discover new places and get an authentic feel of the location"
— User
"I don't want a one-size-fits-all itinerary. I want my trip to be highly customized to my needs and moods. I want to discover new places and get an authentic feel of the location"
— User
Tell Travana how you like your trips by selecting some preferred places.
Tell Travana how you like your trips by selecting some preferred places.
"It's hard to collaborate with my friends in real time while we are traveling together. We are a spontaneous group, our itinerary changes with us and it takes effort to keep up and coordinate."
— User
"It's hard to collaborate with my friends in real time while we are traveling together. We are a spontaneous group, our itinerary changes with us and it takes effort to keep up and coordinate."
— User
Travana generates personalized itineraries that the user and the group can access together. Use the dynamic navigation to find friends, coordinate rest stops and more.
Travana generates personalized itineraries that the user and the group can access together. Use the dynamic navigation to find friends, coordinate rest stops and more.
Prototype
Impact
4+ Investment Offers
500+ Early Sign Ups
75% User Satisfaction
40% Increased Product Market Fit
Key Learnings
Key Learnings
When delving into a completely untapped area in tech and designing for it from scratch, it is important to have constant check-ins with dev experts to determine feasibility and constraints.
Learning to design for an AI product was an interesting challenge. LLMs can be so useful yet, pretty resource heavy in terms of pulling data. Strategizing the product to ensure it is feasible yet effective was a good brain workout.
A strong research phase will drive a strong product.
When there are dead-ends in brainstorming among the team, leave it to the users.
A curious and open minded team is fundamental for a good product.
Being able to determine when to take control and when to let your team steer the ship is an important skill to master as a lead.
When delving into a completely untapped area in tech and designing for it from scratch, it is important to have constant check-ins with dev experts to determine feasibility and constraints.
Learning to design for an AI product was an interesting challenge. LLMs can be so useful yet, pretty resource heavy in terms of pulling data. Strategizing the product to ensure it is feasible yet effective was a good brain workout.
A strong research phase will drive a strong product.
When there are dead-ends in brainstorming among the team, leave it to the users.
A curious and open minded team is fundamental for a good product.
Being able to determine when to take control and when to let your team steer the ship is an important skill to master as a lead.
Looking for a design upgrade? Let's chat!
Drop by to say hi!
2026 Designed by Pratya Nellore on Framer