Airbnb Tribe
Specialist Diploma in User Experience and Product Design
Digital Product Design
A D&AD Brief: How can Airbnb help to turn digital connections into meaningful IRL experiences for Gen Zs?
​
​A group project done as part of my Specialist Diploma in User Expereince and Digital Product Design for the module Digital Product Design. Role: Research, Ideation, Graphic Design, Motion Design, User Interface Design, User Experience Design.
UI Design, Digital Product Design
The loneliness epidemic
For those aged 16-24, they have been impacted by the pandemic during their formative, growing up years. Due to lockdowns and strict socialising rules imposed during the pandemic period, many of these Gen Zs are forced to be confined within their homes with just their digital devices to connect with the rest of the world. No more in-person meetings and hangouts, just phone and video calls, to social media platforms.
This resulted in loneliness becoming a huge issue for the Gen Z population. However, having and being able to form in-person connections are vital for this group of growing young adults as they learn to navigate social life, get to meet people and learn more about themselves and others. Growing up under these circumstances resulted in many superficial relationships with their friends whilst negatively impacting their ability to socialise in real life.
Proto Persona
Key Findings and Insight
Feature Hypothesis Statement
1
I believe an increase in accommodation bookings and user retention will be achieved if Gen Zs are able to successfully find and connect with other travellers/locals who share similar interests with an AI engine that recognised individuals with common interests.
2
I believe more deep and rewarding connections will be achieved if Gen Zs are able to explore unique experiences and meet new people with a curated organised trip that they can sign up for and embark as a group of strangers.
Proposed Feature Solution
How can Airbnb provide a platform that encourages Gen Zs to move away from their social bubbles and get to know each other better in order to form more meaningful in-person connections, especially for those who need more time to warm up to others?
A modern twist to making friends online
“Add a Friend” IRL
with
Bump to join a Tribe & make new friends!
Utilising the functionality of Nearby Interaction, users would be prompted to ‘Bump’ with one another to make new friends and form a Tribe together! Bumping helps to encourage in-person connections as users have to be in close physical proximity in order for the bump to be successful.
Make a Tribe Pact,
spend time together
Rome is not built in a day, and so are friendships! Deeper bonds take time to be forged, which is why Tribe Pacts serve to provide more opportunities for members to meet up again and spend more time together. Once part of a Tribe, members can decide as a Tribe and lock in a Pact to embark on your next adventure together, to reinforce friendships and form deeper connections with each other.
Within each Tribe, members will gain access to a shared calendar displaying the travel dates/periods of all members, to make it easier for everyone to narrow down a common date within the Tribe for their next adventure together! Members can pick from a curated list of activities to embark on, based on their shared interests. Discounts are also presented as an incentive to help encourage Tribes to form Pacts!
Get to know each other better through
Prompt Quizzes
With a designated number of Tribe members in close proximity, any member can initiate Prompt Quizzes from the Tribe’s homepage. These prompt quizzes are a series of questions randomly generated by the app/platform with the help of AI, and served to all members to answer. Prompt quizzes aims to help break the ice, function as conversation starters, or even just allowing fellow travellers 
to get to know each other’s quirks and anything in between!
Back to the Brief
Tackling Gen Z’s loneliness epidemic
Platform to meet strangers over similar interests
Encourage deeper bonds through recurring meetups
Equip with conversation starters
Encourage IRL meetups
Many ways to meet more people
Designing around Gen Z’s travelling behaviour
Discounted activities
Chatting platform to help users warm up before meeting other travellers
Function that allows them to plan ahead
Curate and recommend unique Experiences just for them
Aligning with Airbnb’s business strategy
Integration of AI to curate Experiences, travellers and Tribes
Catering to more Gen Zs
Fostering connection amongst users
Leveraging Experiences
Going back to the roots of Airbnb: Travel Like a Human