TakeOff
Take off is a website that provides centralised visa information, making the search for accurate data more time efficient and stress free. Users can refrain from incurring last minute changes to their itinerary which results in additional cost and related stress.
Product Experience
Problem Space
Problem Statement
How might we make visa information more accessible for travellers so that it is more centralised, cost and time efficient?
Problem Background
We live in a world that is dynamic and ever-evolving. Visa policies and requirements of nations are in constant flux due to evolving relationships between countries. Meanwhile, it is painstaking to keep up with endless visa regulations, especially for those with passports carrying numerous visa restrictions. Locating and understanding the most relevant information to obtain a visa has become a cumbersome and overwhelming task. It is especially difficult to filter through the required information, given the diverse residency and citizenship statuses of individuals.
Research Insights
User Pain Points
Users holding passports that bear an array of visa restrictions often have to spend hours to identify visa information that pertains to them. This process adds a layer of stress as the information are spread out and some websites are not reliable
Supporting Data
33.3% of our participants encountered disruptions in their travel plans, necessitating flight rescheduling
Feedback
The results suggest that there is a need for centralisation and personalisation of visa information given the different residency and citizenship statuses of travellers.
Landing on the Solution
Based on our target users’ pain points, we knew we wanted to work on the following features:
- Have a verified checklist of all necessary documentation needed
- Have a system where user can input residency and citizenship status
- Have a list of resources of where to find necessary documentation
- Have an input option for the itinerary of the user to provide necessary transit details.
- Have hidden rules regarding travelling to regulated areas. Eg: Schengen States.
Explanation of Solution
After we showcased the prototype, we received a lot of valuable information and the use of a checklist and a questionnaire were tremendously helpful to them.
User Flows/Mockups:
https://www.canva.com/design/DAF0MjXjVus/eFM61PY9Hld7J58vKA2ztQ/edit?utm_content=DAF0MjXjVus&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton
Future Steps
Can this product be partnered with travel agencies or corporate teams?
Partnering with travel agencies will allow people to be more aware of this platform. Corporate teams can use this platform to schedule ahead for their employers and prevent any travel obstacles.
How will continuous updates of information work in real time?
Explore how AI can be instrumental in updating the necessary information for my solution in real time and I would enjoy working with a team to develop my vision.
Images
Learnings
Product Manager Learnings:
Anu Nath
Throughout this program I have been fortunate enough to hone in some key learnings, one how vital persuasive storytelling is, in order to peak our users' interest and get them invested. 2. A pro-type and a problem space is nothing without user research. Researching is the bread and butter to defining a solution that our customers would want to use and 3. This is my first time curating a mockup and this has been an amazing learning curve.
Designer Learnings:
Designer Learnings:
Jo Sturdivant
- Adapting to an Established Team: Joining the team in week 6 of 8 was challenging, as I had to quickly adapt to existing workflows, dynamics, and goals. This mirrors real-world situations where you often integrate into teams mid-project, and flexibility is essential.
- Work-Blocking for Efficiency: With only two weeks to complete the project, I learned the importance of a structured work-blocking system. This approach allowed me to manage my time effectively and meet deadlines under pressure.
- Making Data-Driven Design Decisions: Unlike my past projects, I had to rely on research conducted by others. This was a valuable experience in using pre-existing data to guide design decisions, helping me focus on the core insights without starting from scratch.
Developer Learnings:
Developer Learnings:
Vanady Beard
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As the back-end developer, I learned how important it is to create efficient and reliable systems that support the entire application. This experience also taught me the importance of optimising the database and ensuring the backend is scalable and easy to maintain.
Developer Learnings:
Stephen Asiedu
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As a back-end developer, I've come to understand the importance of being familiar with various database systems and modules. This knowledge enables me to build diverse applications and maintain versatility in my work. I've also learned that the responsibility for making the right choices rests on my shoulders, guided by my best judgement.
Developer Learnings:
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Developer Learnings:
Maurquise Williams
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- Process of Creating an MVP: Developing a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) taught me how to focus on delivering core functionalities balancing between essential features and avoiding scope creep.
- Collaboration in a Real-World Tech Setting: This experience taught me how to collaborate efficiently in a fast-paced tech environment, keeping the team aligned and productive, even while working remotely across time zones.
- Sharpening Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills: This experience honed my ability to think critically and solve problems efficiently. By tackling challenges and finding quick solutions, I sharpened my decision-making and troubleshooting skills in a dynamic, real-world setting.
Developer Learnings:
Jeremiah Williams
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All in all this experience was very awesome I learned that in coding with others being transparent is key
Developers Learnings:
Justin Farley
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I learned how important communication is when working with a team. Communication provides understanding, advice, ideas, and much more. While working with the product team, I’ve found that communication keeps everything flowing smoothly. Working with a team also showed me that every member brings something different to the table and we all have to work together in order to align and meet our end goal.