We worked with search.ch to expand their service by integrating Swiss leisure activities as part of their offering.
The task was to create a user-friendly and informative platform that allows users to discover and be inspired by the wide range of activities that are available in their own backyard.
Designing a leisure platform that is flexible enough to serve data from many different sources e.g. MySwitzerland, GoCamping, Schweizmobil, and potentially additional ones in the future, into one coherent, user-friendly platform.
Challenges included harmonization of different data formats, for example, the information available for a camping site is quite different from the data available for a mountain bike trail. Unifying this into a clear information architecture and offering it in an easily browsable overview, and of course, all this optimized for mobile as well as desktop devices.
To design this, we had to first gain an understanding of what users expect from a platform for leisure activities. We needed to know how they usually would go about discovering new activities, e.g. if the activity or the location is more important. In what scenario and on what device would they access it?
Through user testing, using methods such as interviews, and card sorting, we have found that users want to be inspired first and then find a suitable activity from a wide range of choices.
By displaying the results on an interactive map with suitable filters and a free text search, we offer the user a wide range of options for finding suitable activities. We also learned the power of landing pages with curated sections of activities targeted at specific user groups, e.g. activities for families.
The user-centric approach allowed us to design a service that meets the needs of users and adds value to the business.
A well-thought-out information architecture informed by insights about what is important to the users, combined with a simple, clear design is essential for the success of a platform.
The simple design and clean structure contributed to the aesthetics, but more importantly, improved the user experience by keeping the cognitive load at bay.
The leisure service provides a good foundation, not only for the content offered there today but also for additional types of leisure and activity-related content of the future.
