Voice User Interface

Belo

2 Months

Brand

Airbnb (not partnered)

Mobile Voice User Interface
Television Voice User Interface
UI UX Design
Design Research

Team

5 Personal Contribution

Design

Nina Gao
Shelley Tao
Claire Chen
Carol Auh
Shafiqah Zulfikar

User Research
Concept Developement
Prototyping
Video Creation

Belo is a voice UI project for Airbnb brand (not involved as a client) that focusses on crafting a seamless smart trip virtual assistant for users who use Airbnb as their primary travel app. Belo serves as both a communication channel and provides for hands free assistance for users

JUMP TO VIDEO

Background

Current concerns

- Lack of a standardized form of communication between the hosts and guests.

- Difficulty in navigating to certain Airbnb locations that are located in remote areas.

- Having to meet with the host and collect the keys after tired, long journeys.

- Language and cultural barriers between hosts and guests.

- Difficulty in sharing responsibility and information between all the guests when traveling in big groups.

Value Mapping

These user concerns were derived after conducting several interviews with guests who use Airbnb often, the major concerns were then mapped to understand how important it was to address the concern along with its relevance to VUI.

Stakeholder Mapping

While looking at user concerns, In parallel we also looked at the different stakeholders that we were looking to cater to. In the following map you can see the stakeholders who are most affected in the inner circle and move outwards as they reduce in importance.

Journey Map

We framed a journey map to highlight all the major touch points that our target user would touch base with during the trip with Airbnb. For each otuch point we looked at the pain points to be resolved, the VUI key interaction states and the modalitites.

Existing
User Flow

Opportunity Areas

Taking forward the pain points that were identified in the journey map, the next step was to look into the opportunity areas for each touch point which further helped in establishing the key features of the virtual assistant.

Step 1 : Mapping the touch points

Step 3: Deriving opportunity areas to work with

Step 2: Identifying the pain points for the touch points

Project Goal

How might we....

Provide a seamless and dependable voice virtual assistant for airbnb guests to access from the app as well as the smart TV at the Airbnb residence to avail instant and continous support during the trip.

Concept Video Explaining Key Features of the VUI

VUI Vision

Key Features

VUI Solution

Fetch address and direct to navigation app

Provide basic instructions from the host when guests arrive at the Airbnb

Facilitate group decision-making

Share information among guests

Answer questions for the guest on behalf of the host

Broadcast instructions and house rules

Suggest local “Airbnb Experiences” for the guests

Storyboard

The storyboard was created in order to craft the story/narrative of the concept. This aims to highlight all the solution use cases with the key features being given extra importance in each scenario. The following are the major use cases :

Use Case 1. Sharing trip details with all the members of the group using the VUI immediately after the booking is confirmed - Mobile App

Use Case 2. Requesting for a early check in after the VUI helps the user to review flight details - Mobile App

Use Case 3. VUI helps guest by providing additional navigation details when requested - Mobile App

Use Case 4. Smart TV VUI welcomes the guest with basic instructions from the host and helps with specific questions that the user wants to as the host. - Smart TV

Use Case 5. The Smart suggests and recommends places for the guests to visit by providing details and sending the details to the users phone.

Virtual assistant
Identity

Inclusive

Thoughtful

Straightforward

In order to develop the identify of the virtual assistant, we decided that the design values of the VUI would be inclusive (gives a sense of belonging), thoughtful ( hospitable and polite ) and straight forward ( needs to be a valuable timely support ).

Logo Colors

Logo Typography

Motion Clips

Virtual assistant name and logo

1. The name of the assistant is derived from the original Airbnb logo called Belo which means belonging.

2. The reason for inheriting the existing name is because the virtual assistant is meant to be an element that enumerates a sense of accessibility and support

3. We did not want the logo to just be another logo for airbnb itself, instead we wanted it to entail characteristics of 'voice' and 'assistance'

4. The logo looks like a person who welcomes guests at a concierge thereby reflecting characteristics of assistance

5. In order to follow the existing design language of airbnb, the logo has only only flowing lines and closed loops with no sharp edges.

Motion states

Key Interaction States

Idle

Confirmation

Error

Welcome

Listening

Exit

Speaking

Motion States Matrix

Positive

Passive

Idle

Welcome

Listening

Deactivation

Confirmation

Speaking

Active

Error

Negative

Characteristics
of voice

Various voices with different pitches and modulations were tested to find one that would be suitable for Belo. While testing it was evident that we needed a voice that emulates a sense of hospital ability and reliability through its pauses, tone and modulations. The voice also had to be vibrant, charming and easy to listen to while mimicking humanity.

Reliable

Hospitable

Humanly

Belo Voice

00:00 / 01:20

Wireframing

VUI Integration

Mobile VUI Components

Television VUI Components

Onboarding
with Belo

Intention : Get users accustomed and introduce them to their new virtual assistant

Benefit : Users are aware of how, when and why they can use Belo the virtual assistant through out their trip

Working : As soon as the users reservation gets confirmed on the app, they are introduced to a set of onboarding screens that asks the user permission to access the microphone

Sharing Trip
Details

Intention : Larger groups that are travelling together can communicate with each other about changes to the trip etc

Benefit : The reservation owner need not constantly communicate with the host and guest everytime that there is a change in the plan.

Working : As soon as the users reservation gets confirmed the user can share the trip invite to their friends who are travelling with them

Requesting
Early Check-in

Intention : Guests can ask questions to Belo instead of having to contact the host ( for example when requesting for an early check in )

Benefit : Reduces the delay in waiting for a reply from the host and also reduces the need to reach out and disturb the host for multiple requests

Working : A few days before the start of the trip the user can make changes to their trip by asking Belo to contact the host and make the necessary changes

Navigation
Support

Intention : Guests can get additional directions to the exact location of their stay and ask about detals such as parking facility etc

Benefit : In certain remote locations, it is hard to navigate to the exact address without external help from another person such as the host

Working : Before starting the trip, the user can ask Belo for the exact address to a certain part of the house and Belo will redirect you to google maps with the exact address

Welcoming
Guests

Intention : Guests are welcomed to their new home with a friendly welcome message from the host that is displayed on the smart TV

Benefit : Guests don't miss out on the concierge experience that they receive in hotels

Working : The smart TV will welcome guests by displaying the basic house rules which eliminates any confusion that the guest may have about the house

House Keeping
Support

Intention : Guests can get immediate support from Belo at anytime of the day

Benefit : Guests can ask Belo questions instead of having to reach out to the host each time

Working : When a user asks a question about the house, Belo will fetch answers from a data base of answers based on previously asked frequent questions or extra information that the host has added

Smart
Suggestions

Intention : Provide guests with the best experience at the new vacation spot by giving them smart suggestions

Benefit : Guests get smart assistance without having to reach out for it, this helps them have an overall smoother vacation

Working : Based on the location of the home, Belo will suggest experiences based on the distance preferred for the guests to engage with. In addition, send experience details via text

Learning and
Reflection

1. Design considerations to be aware of when designing for voice interfaces
2. The impact of voice, tone and speech in a design feature
3. Ways to design icons which have motion and their implication on the way the user percieves the design
4. Benefit of using explainer videos to pitch your concept and its features to audiences

5. A lot of video editing skills!

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