Met at a hostel
The Traveler with
Trust Issues
Has read 27 reviews before ordering fries.
MEET THE TRAVELLER
MEET THE TRAVELLER
Nico is my best friend. Which is wild, because we travel nothing alike.
He’s the kind of traveler who’s not really in it for the “travel.”
He once said, “Basically when I’m traveling, I just do the same things I do on a weekend… just in a different city.”
And honestly? That checks out.
He’s not into itineraries, alarms, or hustling to “see everything.”
He likes good food, long walks, slow mornings, and maybe a few beers by sunset. it’s a vibe.
Our styles couldn’t be more different.
I want to squeeze the city. He wants to let it breathe.
Nico is my best friend. Which is wild, because we travel nothing alike.
He’s the kind of traveler who’s not really in it for the “travel.”
He once said, “Basically when I’m traveling, I just do the same things I do on a weekend… just in a different city.”
And honestly? That checks out.
He’s not into itineraries, alarms, or hustling to “see everything.”
He likes good food, long walks, slow mornings, and maybe a few beers by sunset. it’s a vibe.
Our styles couldn’t be more different.
I want to squeeze the city. He wants to let it breathe.
It’s not about being picky. It’s about being right.
Elina’s the kind of traveler who won’t settle for “pretty good.” She’ll cross-check reviews, flip through food photos, and Google Street View the entrance — all before stepping inside. She’s got a sixth sense for spotting a 4.6+ gem in a sea of tourist traps, and she’s not afraid to use it.
That’s the thing: she doesn’t complain after. She does the work before. Because once she’s in, she’s all in — no grumbling, no regrets, just someone who knows she picked well.
She’s not indecisive. She’s just verifying.
WHAT SHE NEEDS
WHAT SHE NEEDS
I didn’t want more choices. I just wanted the right one.
Most travel tools help you pick based on time, price, or class. But no one tells you where the good side is—the side with the cows, castles, or sun spilling across the valley. If you don’t already know the route (or live on train forums), you’re guessing.
The problem isn’t bad design.
The problem is that most apps assume the journey doesn’t matter—only the destination does.
But for someone like me, the view is the point. And right now, that part is completely left to chance.
I didn’t want more choices. I just wanted the right one.
Most travel tools help you pick based on time, price, or class. But no one tells you where the good side is—the side with the cows, castles, or sun spilling across the valley. If you don’t already know the route (or live on train forums), you’re guessing.
The problem isn’t bad design.
The problem is that most apps assume the journey doesn’t matter—only the destination does.
But for someone like me, the view is the point. And right now, that part is completely left to chance.
Elina didn’t need help finding places.
She needed help deciding which ones deserved her.
Sure, she could slap on a 4.5+ filter. But then what? Scroll through a dozen tabs, try to read between the lines of reviews, figure out which 4.7 actually feels right?
She didn’t want to hunt. She wanted to be convinced.
SHE WANTED Something that scanned the reviews and showed her the patterns LIKE what really stands out and what people quietly warn about.
Because she doesn’t like planning.
She just hates regret.
UX CHALLENGE
UX CHALLENGE
Design a travel feature that helps people choose the best side—for views, not just time or price.
Design a travel feature that helps people choose the best side—for views, not just time or price.
Design an interface that helps high-verifying travelers build trust faster without feeling rushed or losing control.
WHAT I DESIGNED
This isn’t about finding hidden gems.
It’s about skipping the duds.
Elina doesn’t need suggestions. She needs reassurance.
Here’s how it works:
set your bar. Toggle for reviews.
Tap into a place to see what the reviews really say. 2–3 top takeaways.
Tap “Convince Me More” for a quick pitch.
TRUST SCORE FOR QUICK decisions.
YOU DON’T WANT TO PLAN. YOU JUST WANT VIBES.
INSTEAD OF A FULL APP EXPERIENCE, THIS ONE STARTS WITH A GENTLE NOTIFICATION.
“HEY, WANT A FEW LOW-EFFORT IDEAS FOR TODAY?”
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:
YOU GET A DAILY NOTIFICATION—JUST ONE. NO PRESSURE.
TAP IF YOU WANT. IGNORE IF YOU DON’T.
IT OPENS INTO 2–3 CALM, CURATED SUGGESTIONS:
MAYBE A QUIET PARK. A COFFEE SPOT. A PLACE TO SIT BY THE WATER.
It’s not a to-do list. It’s a feel-like-it list.YOU CAN SHUFFLE, CHANGE YOUR MOOD, OR TURN IT OFF ENTIRELY.
IF YOU DO NOTHING, IT’LL TRY AGAIN TOMORROW. MAYBE.
YOU DON’T WANT TO PLAN. YOU JUST WANT VIBES.
INSTEAD OF A FULL APP EXPERIENCE, THIS ONE STARTS WITH A GENTLE NOTIFICATION.
“HEY, WANT A FEW LOW-EFFORT IDEAS FOR TODAY?”
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:
YOU GET A DAILY NOTIFICATION—JUST ONE. NO PRESSURE.
TAP IF YOU WANT. IGNORE IF YOU DON’T.
IT OPENS INTO 2–3 CALM, CURATED SUGGESTIONS:
MAYBE A QUIET PARK. A COFFEE SPOT. A PLACE TO SIT BY THE WATER.
It’s not a to-do list. It’s a feel-like-it list.YOU CAN SHUFFLE, CHANGE YOUR MOOD, OR TURN IT OFF ENTIRELY.
IF YOU DO NOTHING, IT’LL TRY AGAIN TOMORROW. MAYBE.
This could grow into:
Vibe filters
Let the app adjust picks based on your current mood—adventurous, relaxed, social, solo. Same smart logic, just a different tone.“What Did I End Up Choosing?” history
A quiet little timeline that tracks where you went, what you pinned, and what made the final cut. Helpful for memory and future recommendations.
BUT THE CORE IDEA STAYS HONEST:
Build trust quickly, without overwhelming the traveler.
Just enough information, always on your terms.
This could grow into:
Vibe filters
Let the app adjust picks based on your current mood—adventurous, relaxed, social, solo. Same smart logic, just a different tone.“What Did I End Up Choosing?” history
A quiet little timeline that tracks where you went, what you pinned, and what made the final cut. Helpful for memory and future recommendations.
BUT THE CORE IDEA STAYS HONEST:
Build trust quickly, without overwhelming the traveler.
Just enough information, always on your terms.
This could grow into:
A “DO NOTHING TODAY” BUTTON
CHILL CHECK-INS – “WANT TO PAUSE FOR A FEW DAYS?”
“REPEAT THIS VIBE TOMORROW” TO STAY IN A FLOW
BUT THE CORE IDEA STAYS HONEST:
give the peaceful traveler just enough and only if they want it
KEY SCREENS: WIREFRAMES
KEY SCREENS: DESIGNS
DESIGNERS NOTES
DESIGNERS NOTES
DESIGNERS NOTES
I didn’t want more choices. I just wanted the right one.
Most travel tools help you pick based on time, price, or class. But no one tells you where the good side is—the side with the cows, castles, or sun spilling across the valley. If you don’t already know the route (or live on train forums), you’re guessing.
The problem isn’t bad design.
The problem is that most apps assume the journey doesn’t matter—only the destination does.
But for someone like me, the view is the point. And right now, that part is completely left to chance.
I didn’t want more choices. I just wanted the right one.
Most travel tools help you pick based on time, price, or class. But no one tells you where the good side is—the side with the cows, castles, or sun spilling across the valley. If you don’t already know the route (or live on train forums), you’re guessing.
The problem isn’t bad design.
The problem is that most apps assume the journey doesn’t matter—only the destination does.
But for someone like me, the view is the point. And right now, that part is completely left to chance.
I designed for someone precise.
Elina’s not browsing. She’s verifying. And the real challenge wasn’t showing her what’s good, it was earning her trust fast, without asking her to compromise.
Every part of this flow is about reducing decision fatigue. A slider that filters the noise. Convincer lines that cut through review overload. A Trust Score that feels less like an algorithm and more like a vibe check.
This wasn’t about building another list of top-rated places. It was about designing a system that feels like it already did the reading for you.
Because people like Elina don’t need help finding places. They just need a little help believing them.