Clean glassmorphism effect element
We redesigned the planning canvas using a clean glassmorphism design system that provides subtle depth and hierarchy..
Completion rate
59%
up from 38% in the first quarter
Avg session length
14 min
2.3x longer than before
Return rate
47%
doubled from 22%
Group itineraries
2.1x
more likely to complete
The Problem & Challenge
We redesigned the planning canvas using a clean glassmorphism design system that provides subtle depth and hierarchy..
I love planning trips in theory. In practice, the app gave me a blank canvas and I closed it. It felt like homework before the vacation even started.
Research & Discovery
Conducted 22 diary studies to understand planning behavior. Discovered people plan in bursts, not single sessions. Designed a modular card-based canvas with smart grouping and a persistent progress rail. Validated with usability testing across mobile and desktop.
Planning happens in bursts, not single sessions
Travelers added a flight one day, a hotel three days later, and restaurants the week before. The app treated each session as independent, losing context between them.
A blank canvas is intimidating
The empty itinerary state had no structure, no suggestions, and no sense of progress. Travelers did not know where to start.
Progress was invisible
There was no indicator of how complete an itinerary was. Travelers could not tell if they were nearly done or just beginning.
Journey map — where it broke
- 01New itineraryBlank canvas; no template or starting point.
- 02Add flightManual entry; no auto-fill from confirmation emails.
- 03Add hotelNo map context; hard to judge location.
- 04Add activitiesOverwhelming list with no grouping by day.
- 05Share with groupNo collaborative editing; only a static link.
- 06Return next dayNo resume cue; context lost between sessions.
Design & Iteration Process
Each phase below presents the options we weighed, the tradeoffs, and the decision we made. Design is choosing between imperfect alternatives.
Replace the blank canvas with a day-grouped card layout. Each card is a draggable, editable unit — flight, hotel, activity — with auto-grouping by date.
- Free-form infinite canvasFlexible, but intimidating and hard on mobile.
- Day-grouped card layoutChosenStructured; less freeform but far calmer.
- Wizard-style step flowGuided, but breaks burst-based planning.
The Solution & Key Features
Launched a calm, modular planning workspace with auto-grouping, collaborative editing, and a progress rail that celebrated completion.
Day-grouped canvas
A blank infinite canvas with no structure or grouping.
Cards auto-grouped by day, draggable, with map context.
Spotlight · Travelers start planning in under 30 seconds instead of abandoning.
Progress rail
No indication of how complete the itinerary was.
A calm vertical rail that fills as you add cards, with gentle milestones.
Spotlight · Completion rate rose 54% — travelers could see the finish line.
Collaborative editing
A static share link; companions could only view.
Live multi-cursor editing so the whole group plans together.
Spotlight · Group itineraries are 2.1x more likely to be completed.
Burst-aware resume
Context was lost between sessions; returning felt like starting over.
A return state that restores the exact card you were editing.
Spotlight · Return rate doubled — planning in bursts finally felt supported.
Outcome & Measurable Impact
It finally feels like the app understands how I actually plan — a little bit at a time, with my friends, over a few days.
Lessons learned
- A blank canvas is a design failure when the user does not know where to start.
- Progress visibility is the cheapest retention lever in a planning product.
- Designing for burst-based behavior means persistence is a feature, not a detail.
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