E-Commerce Responsive Website for B&B in Accra, Ghana
Client
B&B Accra, Ghana
Deliverable
MVP Version Responsive Website
Role
UX/UI Designer
Timeline
1,5 weeks
Project Brief
The project centers on enhancing the online presence of a luxury Bed & Breakfast in Accra, Ghana. Rooted in a commitment to local culture, the B&B provides affordable and comfortable accommodation in a non-touristic Accra community. Beyond its unique location, the B&B boasts special additional services, catering to travelers seeking an authentic cultural experience. To attract these visitors and streamline their booking journey, the design team crafted a user-friendly and responsive e-commerce website. This platform prioritizes an intuitive experience across devices, ensure a stress-free and enjoyable booking experience for both the B&B guests and its owners.
Understanding our client’s business
The project initiation involved extensive desk research into the client's business and competitive landscape. Our clients, an enterprising couple in their 30s, manage a recently established B&B in Accra, driven by a personal connection to Ghana. Clear project objectives, scope, and requirements were then defined, fostering alignment within the team and with the client. A thorough feature comparison matrix showcased the B&B's strengths, including luxurious accommodations, quality amenities, affordable pricing, additional services, and a unique local experience. Weaknesses identified encompassed a lack of online visibility and potential challenges in location. Further insights were gathered through interviews with key stakeholders, and to delve deeper, the team conducted user interviews for primary research, aiming to understand customer expectations in online accommodation bookings.
Insights from multiple perspectives
To gain a holistic view on the customer expectations and needs, we conducteed in-depth Interviews with potential customers. These provided valuable insights into the B&B's operations and challenges. By analyzing data, we identified key opportunities to address online presence, location challenges, and cater to customer needs. This comprehensive understanding formed the foundation for developing an effective solution.
The Design Challenge
“Organized travelers to Accra, Ghana seek to book their stay with additional services at Accra Impala B&B directly with the owners.”
From Insights to Persona
Leveraging our research, we crafted a customer persona: Kwame Mensah, the Organized Explorer. Planning a family trip to Accra, Kwame seeks reliable and affordable accommodations with readily accessible information. This persona guided our transition into the ideation phase.
From Research to Features
With Kwame's seamless booking experience in mind, we used the MoSCoW method to translate research insights into actionable features. We prioritized Must-Haves that streamline his journey: Effortless accommodation & service booking management with a reservation overview and a communication form with property managers. This ensures initial design focuses on functionalities crucial for his journey. Emergency booking cancellation, FAQs, and customer testimonials, though valuable, will be considered in later stages.
Integrating Information
Kwame's Ghanaian adventure begins with the little story about Accra Impala, right on the homepage menu. This personal touch sets the stage for a memorable stay. In the "Our Amenities" section, captivating photos showcase the property's unique features, while detailed a description bring them to life. Beyond the accommodation, "Services" reveals a range of enriching experiences, from cultural excursions to airport transfers, all available for seamless booking.
Informed by user research, the "Happy Path" user flow in this user-centric design facilitates effortless date selection, browsing and booking of unique services like airport transfers and cultural experiences, and secure Bank Payment transactions. A confirmation message finalises the booking, ensuring a smooth and stress-free experience for guests.
Site Map
Mid-Fidelity design
A Modern Ghanaian Style
This style tile embodies the Accra Impala B&B's unique blend of quality and Ghanaian charm. Inspired by the vibrant colours and textures of Ghanaian art and nature, the palette features warm to cool contrasting Primary Colours, reflecting the country's diverse landscapes. The Impala Lily, Ghana's national flower, also finds its way into the design, echoing the logo and reinforcing the B&B's local identity.
Style Tile
Hi-Fidelity Design: Desktop
Integrating Customers Feedback
During user and usability testing of the mid-fidelity MVP prototype, participants followed the "Happy Path" user flow, tasked with completing key actions like booking accommodations and services.
While having achieved a 100% success rate, user feedback was invaluable. Their insights helped to identify areas for improvement and optimise the user experience further. The feedback was implemented in the high-fidelity design:
Dates selection: Refined dates selection for airport transfers, improving clarity of the user interface.
Clear Section Naming: Renamed sections for better understanding.
Reinforced success: Introduced a semantic green colour to convey successful booking completion clearly.
Building on the desktop experience, the website was adapted for seamless interaction across tablet and mobile devices. Key elements from the user flow were carefully selected and optimized for each screen size, ensuring a consistent design language while prioritizing functionality on smaller screens.
