Trippy
Building a Local-First Discovery & Booking Ecosystem from Zero to One
My Role
Lead Product Designer
Product Strategy
End-to-End UX/UI
Design System
User Research
Beta Testing
Team
C-level Executives
Technical Team
Marketing Team
Timeframe
2024 - 2026 (Ongoing)
Tools
Figma
Github
Notion
OVERVIEW
Trippy is an AI-powered travel platform designed to bridge the gap between "tourist-trap" planning and authentic local discovery. As the lead UX designer, I led the product from a blank canvas to a high-fidelity beta, transforming a fragmented planning process into a consolidated experience for Hong Kong locals and travelers.
PROBLEM
Fragmented, Tourist-Centric Planning
Travel planning today is a "Frankenstein" workflow. Users juggle Instagram for inspiration, Google Maps for navigation, and spreadsheets for scheduling.
For Hong Kong locals, this is particularly frustrating because existing platforms fail to surface:
AUTHENTICITY
Recommendations are often generic and tourist-heavy.
FLEXIBILITY
Rigid 5-day itineraries don't match the need for short, spontaneous weekend outings.
CONTEXT
Tools lack "vibe-based" discovery (e.g., "Where is a good date spot near me right now?").
PROBLEM
Fragmented, Tourist-Centric Planning
Travel planning today is a "Frankenstein" workflow. Users juggle Instagram for inspiration, Google Maps for navigation, and spreadsheets for scheduling.
For Hong Kong locals, this is particularly frustrating because existing platforms fail to surface:
SOLUTION
The All-In-One Travel Companion
Trippy streamlines the entire travel lifecycle by consolidating discovery, community, and booking into one seamless journey. By treating every part of your trip like a modular "Playlist," we replace fragmented app-hopping with a single, intuitive platform.
AUTHENTICITY
Recommendations are often generic and tourist-heavy.
FLEXIBILITY
Rigid 5-day itineraries don't match the need for short, spontaneous weekend outings.
CONTEXT
Tools lack "vibe-based" discovery (e.g., "Where is a good date spot near me right now?").
REFLECTION
End to end design
Building Trippy taught me that great travel experiences aren't about adding more features—they’re about removing the noise. As the sole lead designer, I had to take the high-anxiety chaos of planning and distill it into a modular "playlist" that feels as intuitive as listening to music.
This role wasn't just about the pixels; it was a constant masterclass in collaboration. I worked closely with our CEO and CFO to align the vision with business goals, coordinated daily with the tech team to ensure my designs were feasible, and managed expectations across all our stakeholders to keep the project moving forward.
This project pushed me to balance AI automation with human agency, ensuring the technology handles the heavy lifting while the user stays the author of their own adventure. I’m walking away with a new standard for simplicity: if a tool doesn't turn a complex task into a single, effortless tap, it’s not finished yet.
CORE COMPONENTS
Design System
The design system for Trippy is a comprehensive toolkit that ensures consistency and efficiency across all user interfaces. It includes a set of reusable components, style guidelines, and design patterns that maintain a cohesive look and feel throughout the app.
EMPATHY INTERVIEWS & BETA TESTING FEEDBACK
Instant TripList
We analyzed feedback from over 200 beta testers to identify friction in the travel planning process and validate our curated "vibe-based" discovery model.
200+
active participants joined the
beta launch
50
in-depth interviews
were conducted to
identify UX friction
52.8%
day 1 retention
rate recorded
during the
testing period
RESEARCH & STRATEGIC INSIGHTS
Iterative Evolution
I mapped out every user flow and refined the wireframes through multiple iterations, simplifying the navigation based on direct feedback and usability testing.
LLM Driven Travel
Itinerary Generator
Interactive community
Simple Design
Summary
Triple Korea is our gold standard for high-integration planning. Built-in route navigation eliminates the need to exit the app for Google Maps. Triple keeps users in-app by managing reservations natively.
LLM Driven Travel
Itinerary Generator
Interactive community
Simple Design
Summary
Real-time 'Google Docs-style' collaboration for groups. However, broken booking UX—users are often redirected to external 3rd-party sites, breaking the mobile experience.
LLM Driven Travel
Itinerary Generator
Interactive community
Simple Design
Summary
Trip.com, Klook, Tripadvisor, and Agoda all suffer from information overload and identity crisis. Agoda's AI Review Summarization reduces due diligence time but UI is cluttered. Tripadvisor's booking features are hidden within content.
Instant TripList
Instantly discover the best local spots tailored to your mood. Customize your quick-access themes and dive into community-vetted recommendations with a single tap.
AI Generated TripList
The "Playlist" for Places: Transform your preferences into a complete, actionable journey. Let the AI handle the logistics and build modular itineraries while you maintain full creative control.
Community Hub
Connect with travelers to share insights and coordinate adventures. This space allows you to tap into local knowledge or find companions for your next excursion with ease.
Let's collaborate & create something together!
I'm always up for a chat, especially about design related topics : )
Let's collaborate & create something together!
I'm always up for a chat, especially about design related topics : )
Trippy
Building a Local-First Discovery & Booking Ecosystem from Zero to One
My Role
Lead Product Designer
Product Strategy
End-to-End UX/UI
Design System
User Research
Beta Testing
Team
C-level Executives
Technical Team
Marketing Team
Timeframe
2024 - 2026 (Ongoing)
Tools
Figma
Github
Notion
OVERVIEW
Trippy is an AI-powered travel platform designed to bridge the gap between "tourist-trap" planning and authentic local discovery. As the lead UX designer, I led the product from a blank canvas to a high-fidelity beta, transforming a fragmented planning process into a consolidated experience for Hong Kong locals and travelers.
PROBLEM
Fragmented, Tourist-Centric Planning
Travel planning today is a "Frankenstein" workflow. Users juggle Instagram for inspiration, Google Maps for navigation, and spreadsheets for scheduling.
For Hong Kong locals, this is particularly frustrating because existing platforms fail to surface:
AUTHENTICITY
Recommendations are often generic and tourist-heavy.
FLEXIBILITY
Rigid 5-day itineraries don't match the need for short, spontaneous weekend outings.
CONTEXT
Tools lack "vibe-based" discovery (e.g., "Where is a good date spot near me right now?").
COMPETITOR’S ANALYSIS
Before diving into the design phase, we began by breaking down the problem into key pain points. We then selected and evaluated popular travel planning and booking platforms apps to understand how they addressed these issues.
LLM Driven Travel
Itinerary Generator
Interactive community
Simple Design
Summary
Triple Korea is our gold standard for high-integration planning. Built-in route navigation eliminates the need to exit the app for Google Maps. Triple keeps users in-app by managing reservations natively.
LLM Driven Travel
Itinerary Generator
Interactive community
Simple Design
Summary
Real-time 'Google Docs-style' collaboration for groups. However, broken booking UX—users are often redirected to external 3rd-party sites, breaking the mobile experience.
LLM Driven Travel
Itinerary Generator
Interactive community
Simple Design
Summary
Trip.com, Klook, Tripadvisor, and Agoda all suffer from information overload and identity crisis. Agoda's AI Review Summarization reduces due diligence time but UI is cluttered. Tripadvisor's booking features are hidden within content.
*Only key insights are shown for simplicity.
RESEARCH & STRATEGIC INSIGHTS
01 — INITIAL APPROACH
Consultant Mode
"Verified local experts could curate spots for a fee"
HIGH BARRIERS
Verification processes, resume requirements — too much friction for consultants to join
TECHNICAL DEBT
Two-sided marketplace payment infrastructure would delay MVP by months
SLOW TO SHIP
Complex overhead preventing us from validating core assumptions
PIVOT
Strategic Shift
02 — STRATEGIC SHIFT
Community
"Reddit-style crowdsourcing for real-time authenticity"
LOW FRICTION
Anyone can contribute instantly — "Is it raining in Sai Kung now?" gets answered in real-time
HUMAN LAYER
Achieves the same authenticity goal through community trust, not payment processing
SHIP FASTER
No marketplace overhead means we can validate core assumptions immediately
OUTCOME
Same authenticity goal,
70% less complexity
, and validated in
weeks instead of months
WIREFRAMES
Iterative Evolution
I mapped out every user flow and refined the wireframes through multiple iterations, simplifying the navigation based on direct feedback and usability testing.
EMPATHY INTERVIEWS & BETA TESTING FEEDBACK
Instant TripList
We analyzed feedback from over 200 beta testers to identify friction in the travel planning process and validate our curated "vibe-based" discovery model.
200+
active participants joined the beta launch
50
in-depth interviews were conducted to identify UX friction
52.8%
day 1 retention rate recorded during the testing period
SOLUTION
The All-In-One Travel Companion
Trippy streamlines the entire travel lifecycle by consolidating discovery, community, and booking into one seamless journey. By treating every part of your trip like a modular "Playlist," we replace fragmented app-hopping with a single, intuitive platform.
REDUCE FRICTION
We make finding hidden gems as easy as adding a song to a playlist.
END APP HOPPING
Consolidate discovery, community, and booking into one ecosystem.
SUPPORT LOCAL CONTEXT
Prioritize "vibes" (Dating, After Work) over traditional landmarks.
Instant TripList
Instantly discover the best local spots tailored to your mood. Customize your quick-access themes and dive into community-vetted recommendations with a single tap.
AI Generated TripList
The "Playlist" for Places: Transform your preferences into a complete, actionable journey. Let the AI handle the logistics and build modular itineraries while you maintain full creative control.
Community Hub
Connect with travelers to share insights and coordinate adventures. This space allows you to tap into local knowledge or find companions for your next excursion with ease.
CORE COMPONENTS
Design System
The design system for Trippy is a comprehensive toolkit that ensures consistency and efficiency across all user interfaces. It includes a set of reusable components, style guidelines, and design patterns that maintain a cohesive look and feel throughout the app.
REFLECTION
End to end design
Building Trippy taught me that great travel experiences aren't about adding more features—they’re about removing the noise. As the sole lead designer, I had to take the high-anxiety chaos of planning and distill it into a modular "playlist" that feels as intuitive as listening to music.
This role wasn't just about the pixels; it was a constant masterclass in collaboration. I worked closely with our CEO and CFO to align the vision with business goals, coordinated daily with the tech team to ensure my designs were feasible, and managed expectations across all our stakeholders to keep the project moving forward.
This project pushed me to balance AI automation with human agency, ensuring the technology handles the heavy lifting while the user stays the author of their own adventure. I’m walking away with a new standard for simplicity: if a tool doesn't turn a complex task into a single, effortless tap, it’s not finished yet.
Triple Korea is our gold standard for high-integration planning. Built-in route navigation eliminates the need to exit the app for Google Maps. Triple keeps users in-app by managing reservations natively.
Let's collaborate & create something together!
I'm always up for a chat, especially about design related topics : )