As U.S. travel and hospitality industries continued to be among the worst hit by the health crisis, the Expedia Group sought to simplify user experience in travel in an effort to capitalize on the pandemic in all of its major markets. As a Sr. User Experience Designer at Expedia during this time, I had the exciting opportunity to spearhead the creation of a revolutionary Smart Forms library aimed at streamlining the booking process for customers while providing tenants with a flexible and efficient tool for collecting essential information. This project was a crucial step in enhancing the overall user experience and ensuring a seamless, quick, and intuitive form-filling process.

The research phase began with an extensive exploration of user behaviors and pain points across various Expedia Group platforms, including Expedia, Hotels.com, and VRBO. User interviews, usability studies, and analytics data were employed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the diverse user base. A particular emphasis was placed on conducting a detailed audit of these sites to identify commonalities and unique challenges.

Building on the insights gathered during the research phase, a meticulous planning stage ensued. This involved defining the scope of the library, setting clear goals, and establishing key performance indicators to measure success. Clear objectives were defined, including the creation of a Smart Form that could be seamlessly integrated across all Expedia Group tenants, products, and relevant checkout modules. Collaboration frameworks with Expedia Group companies were established, ensuring a cohesive approach and consistency in user experience.

The design phase focused on crafting an intuitive and user-centric Smart Form interface. Iterative wireframing and prototyping were performed to align with the needs of diverse Expedia Group platforms. During this stage, collaborative design workshops were conducted with representatives from Expedia, Hotels.com, and VRBO to incorporate brand-specific elements while maintaining a unified design language.

Regular feedback loops were established with Expedia, Hotels.com, and VRBO teams, addressing unique challenges and optimizing the Smart Form for each platform's requirements. Rigorous testing cycles were conducted to identify and address any usability issues.

Results and impact:

Throughout the project, a collaborative approach was maintained with Expedia Group companies, including Hotels.com and VRBO. Regular communication channels were established to gather insights and ensure the Smart Forms library was tailored to the unique requirements of each platform while maintaining a cohesive user experience.

The implementation of the Expedia Smart Forms library yielded measurable improvements in both user experience and operational efficiency. Customers experienced a 30% reduction in average form completion time, decreasing from 3 minutes to 2 minutes. This simplification contributed to a 25% decrease in form abandonment rates, enhancing overall customer satisfaction.
On the tenant side, the configurable Smart Forms enabled streamlined data collection, reducing manual processing errors by 20% and improving booking efficiency by 15%. The project also increased tenant satisfaction scores by 10 points on internal surveys and reduced support tickets related to form usability by 40%, demonstrating the value of the enhanced experience. These metrics underscore the project's success in simplifying form-filling for customers and optimizing information collection for tenants.