Splacer
Discover and Book Unique Spaces
Website + Webapp
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Splacer is a marketplace, founded by 2 architects, where people can discover and book event spaces. Splacer aims to reimagine use of space, build a community and create a more sustainable model of urban life. As the UX/UI Designer in the startup I aspired to create the best user experience as well simple and slick UI to make even the more complicated and intimidating processes easy and delightful.
As part of my job I had to deeply understand the product goals, which involved ongoing in-depth consultations with the Director of Product, CTO and Founders, maintain clarity on our goals and also constantly consult with developers and understand their capabilities and the technical constraints. Along with the Director of Product we went from the initial concept stages, through wireframes exploring different approaches, and onto design. I was responsible for ongoing tweaks and enhancements to meet the needs and even exceed the expectations of our users.
Designed at the startup Splacer | 2016 - 2017
Mapping the Marketplace - UX Challenges
One of the major UX hurdles have always been the process of finding and booking the right space. Keeping the two sides of the marketplace in mind - Event Organizers and Space Owners - we were constantly sketching and mapping the user flows, looking for new ways to tackle miscommunication and answer their needs. We kept A-B testing and brainstorming while asking the same basic question: How do we get the Organizer from the Home page to a focused search and to booking with a Space Owner who's willing and available to host?
Sketching the user timeline of Event Organizers and Space Owners, the booking flow and the questions that set it in motion.
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Exploring spaces
Home -> Search -> Space page
The search for the right space is the essence of this product. When creating the Search categories, filters and the Space page, our goal was to take the users on the quickest route to contacting the right Space Owner - no questions left unanswered.
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Communication Issues
Contact host -> Messaging
Monitoring our users at this point in the timeline, we identified contacting a Space Owner/Host as the most sensitive spot in the whole flow. Most conversations reached a dead end, leaving the Organizer with no leads and feeling frustrated. We created a few alternative flows and experimented with different ways of helping the Organizers with their search even before they reach that dead end.
Sketching multiple ways for offering users more space options - "blind" opt in vs. giving users a choice.
Prototyping and Testing
Incorporating our new "Space Matching Service" into the "Contact host" flow had to be clear and simple. Ruling out options like "blind" opt in and pre-checked checkboxes, we decided on keeping the Contact form and our new 'service' as seperate steps. We kept rethinking the flow and redesigning the Contact form and the "Space Match" emails that would follow. Our main concern was letting the users know exactly what they're signing up for and keep them in the loop.
Above: Final designs for "Contact host" and the space matching flow, later branded as "Space Scouter"
Below: An option for a "Searching for matching spaces" animation that would play in a fixed loop
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Booking a space
Quote -> Book
Product Timeline and Emails
Event Organizers vs. Space Owners
Every step in the user flow triggers an email, From messaging to confirmation, we had to make sure the user knows what to do now and what to expect next. Establishing the product timeline and emails that are sent accordingly, their content, timing and design, was a challenging puzzle that kept changing and evolving.
Becoming a Splacer host
Landing page -> Listing -> Live space
One of my major projects was creating the automated listing process of spaces to the marketplace, from clicking on the "List your space" button to listing to going live and geting bookings.
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Landing page: Explaining the benefits
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Listing the space: Getting all the information
The main UX challenge was transforming old Google Forms, that were used to collect information from Space Owners, into a simple and friendly flow. Working with Operations and our Community Managers, I took apart and rebuilt the listing process, making sure we ask the right questions in the right order. Taking into consideration Space Owners feedback, we examined issues like the pricing methods, listing multiple venues and more.
The questions in the original Google form were divided into sections according to three levels of data: basic details, space page setup and booking info.
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Leaving it up to the user
Updating a live space
Educating the users
Making sure the users understand and make the most out of the platform. Conveying a simple and clear message through product update emails, online courses and Intercome messages in the online product itself, using GIFs, animations and illustrations to tell a simple story.
Product update email
Keeping the message short, clear and engaging
Intercom messages in the online product
Getting the message to the users at the most relevant moment
Online courses
Where the users can learn how make the most of the product
Mobile view
Increasing product availablity and repsonse rate
Making Splacer responsive and available on mobile is key to the marketplace's success. User experience in a product like this relies on the response rate of both sides, Space Owners and Event Organizers. Every step of the product had to be crafted with mobile view in mind, making the search, messaging and booking quick and simple to nevigate through.
