Sailo mobile app
Sailo is a global boat rental and yacht charter marketplace that connects boat owners, charter companies, and renters.
Sailo’s inventory of powerboats, sailboats, luxury mega yachts and catamarans spans 3 continents, over 50 countries and 500 locations across the globe.
Background
Currently, boat renters and owners do everything through the website. For a while, this was okay, but with increasing competition, Sailo's customers started switching to other services that had mobile apps, offering a much more seamless, easy, and mobile-friendly rental experience.
Team
Project manager
2 UX/UI designers
Mobile developer
Back-end developer
QA
My role
Users research;
User flows & Wireframing
UI design
Usability testing
Design system
Users research
Objective
I conducted in-depth interviews with Sailo's key personas, specifically boat renters and boat owners. Despite their different roles, their problems turned out to be similar. The main findings are detailed below.
Key users pains
Managing booked boats can only be done on the website, which significantly limits the convenience and mobility of booking management.
Communication often shifts to third-party messengers, such as WhatsApp, causing booking information to be scattered across different platforms and leading to confusion.
Key users needs
Easy and quick to book a boat or manage a booking.
Quick and convenient communication between the boat owner and renter.
Clear payment methods with guaranteed security.
UX stage
Userflows & Wireframes
I created user flows and wireframes for the Sailo project to clarify the user journey and design layout early on. User flows outlined the steps users take, ensuring a smooth experience, while wireframes provided a blueprint for the layout, helping us plan and iterate efficiently.
Usability testing and discussion with team
Key stages in iterating solutions were usability testing and team discussions. During team discussions, I presented several options, gathered feedback from managers and developers, and then chose the most optimal solution from both business and development perspectives. Then I tested this solution with users and made iterative changes based on feedback.
Onboarding
We wanted to create not just a useful onboarding experience that highlights the app’s main benefits, but also to add an element of emotion. That’s why we included attractive illustrations that captivate users and convey a relaxing mood.
Boat searching
We aimed to make searching for and selecting a yacht as convenient and flexible as possible. In addition to basic search functionality, we added yacht recommendations for popular locations among our users. We also introduced a map search feature to simplify the booking process for users looking to reserve a yacht at a specific shore.
Boat booking
Booking a boat is a complex process involving a lot of information about the boat, conditions, booking options, additional services, and payment methods.
Thus, refining this flow was a significant challenge with many iterations. It was crucial for us to make the process as smooth and transparent as possible, ensuring that users feel in control and are well-informed about all the details.
Bookings management
The main goal of managing bookings was to minimize the need for users to contact Sailo's support team. To achieve this, we provided users with all the transparent information about their orders, as well as potentially necessary features such as order cancellation and direct contact with the boat owner. This approach reduced the workload on Sailo's support team, as users can now handle most tasks quickly, conveniently, and independently.
Chats
Previously, it was common for renters to call support asking for the boat owner's contact details to clarify and negotiate various details, as there were so many nuances that support staff struggled to manage the communication. Additionally, clients sometimes continued to communicate directly with the boat owner and booked boats bypassing Sailo.
Therefore, it was crucial to ensure direct communication between renters and boat owners, which led to the implementation of a chat feature.
Boat owner app
Equally important was the interface for boat owners.
Just like renters, we provided them with all the necessary functionality, including adding their boats, managing bookings, and chatting with renters.
Design system
I’ve created standardized reusable components and styles that streamline the development process and future design updates.
Main lessons learned
Involving stakeholders in the design process at the earliest opportunity is essential. The client should be an active participant, not just an observer. This approach greatly facilitates their understanding of the design team's decisions.
Team dynamics play a crucial role, and if someone displays toxic behavior, addressing it promptly is essential. Working cohesively as a team is vital, and any disruptions should be addressed to maintain synergy.
