Airbnb Group Booking & Split payment
Airbnb Group Booking & Split payment
Airbnb Group Booking & Split payment
Eliminate the friction of splitting payments and let groups collaborate effectively
Eliminate the friction of splitting payments and let groups collaborate effectively
Eliminate the friction of splitting payments and let groups collaborate effectively
Fall 2023
1,220 words
7 min read
Disciplines
UI/UX Design
User Research
Motion
Tool
Figma
Adobe Premiere
Elevenlabs
Airbnb Split Experience
Airbnb Split Experience
Airbnb Split Experience
Group travel should be exciting, not stressful. Yet every group trip starts the same way: one person books everything upfront, then spends weeks awkwardly chasing friends for money. This was designed to eliminate this friction by letting groups collaborate on selecting property and splitting payments seamlessly within the existing booking flow.
Group travel should be exciting, not stressful. Yet every group trip starts the same way: one person books everything upfront, then spends weeks awkwardly chasing friends for money. This was designed to eliminate this friction by letting groups collaborate on selecting property and splitting payments seamlessly within the existing booking flow.
Group travel should be exciting, not stressful. Yet every group trip starts the same way: one person books everything upfront, then spends weeks awkwardly chasing friends for money. This was designed to eliminate this friction by letting groups collaborate on selecting property and splitting payments seamlessly within the existing booking flow.
CHALLENGE
Airbnb is not built for group travelers
Airbnb is not built for group travelers
Airbnb is not built for group travelers
Inefficient payment
Inefficient payment
Inefficient payment
Users have to spend significant amount of time splitting the payments with group members.
Users have to spend significant amount of time splitting the payments with group members.
Users have to spend significant amount of time splitting the payments with group members.
Time-Consuming
Time-Consuming
Time-Consuming
To communicate which property is the best fit takes too long using outside Airbnb chat.
To communicate which property is the best fit takes too long using outside Airbnb chat.
To communicate which property is the best fit takes too long using outside Airbnb chat.
Solution?
Solution?
Solution?
Group travel hub
Group travel hub
Group travel hub
The hub lets users share favorite properties and vote where to go.
The hub lets users share favorite properties and vote where to go.
The hub lets users share favorite properties and vote where to go.
Integrated payment system
Integrated payment system
Integrated payment system
Integrated payment system
Users can use payment system to easily split the cost between group members.
Users can use payment system to easily split the cost between group members.
Users can use payment system to easily split the cost between group members.
HOW MIGHT WE
How might we enable seamless collaboration on property selection and payment splitting within the group?
How might we enable seamless collaboration on property selection and payment splitting within the group?
How might we enable seamless collaboration on property selection and payment splitting within the group?
While Airbnb makes it easy to find and book amazing places, the experience falls apart when multiple people need to book a trip and even split costs. As of now, one person takes the entire financial burden upfront, then faces the uncomfortable task of collecting money from friends later.
While Airbnb makes it easy to find and book amazing places, the experience falls apart when multiple people need to book a trip and even split costs. As of now, one person takes the entire financial burden upfront, then faces the uncomfortable task of collecting money from friends later.
While Airbnb makes it easy to find and book amazing places, the experience falls apart when multiple people need to book a trip and even split costs. As of now, one person takes the entire financial burden upfront, then faces the uncomfortable task of collecting money from friends later.
SOLUTION
Payment exploration
Payment exploration
Payment exploration
Payment process consists of: Group hub and Payment options
Payment process consists of: Group hub and Payment options
Payment process consists of: Group hub and Payment options
Group Hub
Group Hub
Group Hub
Group hub lets you chat with group members and see property collections.
Group hub lets you chat with group members and see property collections.
Group hub lets you chat with group members and see property collections.
Split option
Split option
Split option
With split "pay with group" option, users can easily split payments with group members.
With split "pay with group" option, users can easily split payments with group members.
With split "pay with group" option, users can easily split payments with group members.
Smart splitting
Smart splitting
Smart splitting
With smart splitting, users can split the payment evenly, by nights, or cusotm percentages.
With smart splitting, users can split the payment evenly, by nights, or cusotm percentages.
With smart splitting, users can split the payment evenly, by nights, or cusotm percentages.
Process
Process
Process
The Process tab lets users keep track of payments. It indicates how long it is left in order to secure the reservation.
The Process tab lets users keep track of payments. It indicates how long it is left in order to secure the reservation.
The Process tab lets users keep track of payments. It indicates how long it is left in order to secure the reservation.
PROJECT GOAL
Create a new system for Airbnb that allows group travelers to book properties and split payments with ease.
Create a new system for Airbnb that allows group travelers to book properties and split payments with ease.
Create a new system for Airbnb that allows group travelers to book properties and split payments with ease.
Product strategy
Product strategy
Product strategy
Faster coordination
Faster coordination
Faster coordination
Faster coordination
Automate what can be automated
Automate what can be automated
Automate what can be automated
Quick communication
Quick communication
Quick communication
Quick communication
All group members have access to the same collaborative space
Flexible payment
Flexible payment
Flexible payment
Flexible payment
Evenly, night stayed, or custom percentages
Evenly, night stayed, or custom percentages
Evenly, night stayed, or custom percentages
User journey
DESIGN SOLUTION
Split Payment
Split Payment
Split Payment
An integrated split payment system lets users keep track of who paid and who didn't. When splitting the payment itself, users have the option to split evenly, by nights, or custom percentages.
An integrated split payment system lets users keep track of who paid and who didn't. When splitting the payment itself, users have the option to split evenly, by nights, or custom percentages.
An integrated split payment system lets users keep track of who paid and who didn't. When splitting the payment itself, users have the option to split evenly, by nights, or custom percentages.
FINAL DESIGN
Final Design
Final Design
Final Design
Payment process consists of: Group hub and Payment options
Payment process consists of: Group hub and Payment options
Payment process consists of: Group hub and Payment options
Group Hub
Group Hub
Group Hub
Group hub lets you chat with group members and see property collections.
Group hub lets you chat with group members and see property collections.
Group hub lets you chat with group members and see property collections.
Split option
Split option
Split option
With split "pay with group" option, users can easily split payments with group members.
With split "pay with group" option, users can easily split payments with group members.
With split "pay with group" option, users can easily split payments with group members.
Smart splitting
Smart splitting
Smart splitting
With smart splitting, users can split the payment evenly, by nights, or cusotm percentages.
With smart splitting, users can split the payment evenly, by nights, or cusotm percentages.
With smart splitting, users can split the payment evenly, by nights, or cusotm percentages.
Process
Process
Process
The Process tab lets users keep track of payments. It indicates how long it is left in order to secure the reservation.
The Process tab lets users keep track of payments. It indicates how long it is left in order to secure the reservation.
The Process tab lets users keep track of payments. It indicates how long it is left in order to secure the reservation.
TAKEAWAY
Takeaway
Takeaway
Takeaway
As my first proper UX project, it challenged me to design for group dynamics rather than individual users. What started as a "split payment" idea just to take a burden off of one user evolved into a comprehensive solution addressing social, communication, and financial challenges.
Designing for groups required a deep understanding of the reasons behind late payment and poor communication inside groups, which naturally led me to thinking of experience designs that cover all demographics of users.
Balancing simplicity and functionality was one of the most challenging tasks to overcome. Ensuring that group formation, collaborative selection, and payment splitting worked seamlessly together required constant validation of the user flow throughout the design process.
This feature could fundamentally change group travel planning by removing coordination burden from individuals, encouraging more group trips and ultimately creating better shared experiences. The best design solutions don't just improve interfaces - they improve relationships.
Group travel should be exciting, not stressful. Yet every group trip starts the same way: one person books everything upfront, then spends weeks awkwardly chasing friends for money. I designed an integrated group booking and split payment system for Airbnb that eliminates this friction by letting groups collaborate on property selection and split payments seamlessly within the existing booking flow.
Now what?
As my first proper UX project, it challenged me to design for group dynamics rather than individual users. What started as a "split payment" idea just to take a burden off of one user evolved into a comprehensive solution addressing social, communication, and financial challenges.
Designing for groups required a deep understanding of the reasons behind late payment and poor communication inside groups, which naturally led me to thinking of experience designs that cover all demographics of users.
Balancing simplicity and functionality was one of the most challenging tasks to overcome. Ensuring that group formation, collaborative selection, and payment splitting worked seamlessly together required constant validation of the user flow throughout the design process.
This feature could fundamentally change group travel planning by removing coordination burden from individuals, encouraging more group trips and ultimately creating better shared experiences. The best design solutions don't just improve interfaces - they improve relationships.
Group travel should be exciting, not stressful. Yet every group trip starts the same way: one person books everything upfront, then spends weeks awkwardly chasing friends for money. I designed an integrated group booking and split payment system for Airbnb that eliminates this friction by letting groups collaborate on property selection and split payments seamlessly within the existing booking flow.
Now what?
As my first proper UX project, it challenged me to design for group dynamics rather than individual users. What started as a "split payment" idea just to take a burden off of one user evolved into a comprehensive solution addressing social, communication, and financial challenges.
Designing for groups required a deep understanding of the reasons behind late payment and poor communication inside groups, which naturally led me to thinking of experience designs that cover all demographics of users.
Balancing simplicity and functionality was one of the most challenging tasks to overcome. Ensuring that group formation, collaborative selection, and payment splitting worked seamlessly together required constant validation of the user flow throughout the design process.
This feature could fundamentally change group travel planning by removing coordination burden from individuals, encouraging more group trips and ultimately creating better shared experiences. The best design solutions don't just improve interfaces - they improve relationships.
Group travel should be exciting, not stressful. Yet every group trip starts the same way: one person books everything upfront, then spends weeks awkwardly chasing friends for money. I designed an integrated group booking and split payment system for Airbnb that eliminates this friction by letting groups collaborate on property selection and split payments seamlessly within the existing booking flow.
Now what?
