My role and responsabilities

As the Visual UX/UI Designer on this project, I was responsible for ensuring the design’s coherence with client’s core logic, brand identity, and product ecosystem. A key part of my role was the precise implementation of the client Design System (EGDS) across every stage of the project, from early design explorations through to final delivery, ensuring strict adherence to EG’s design guidelines.

My responsibilities included proposing and refining visual interface concepts, creating interactive prototypes, and delivering detailed design assets aligned with EGDS standards. I worked closely with the development team to provide clear, thorough handoffs, ensuring all design specifications were accurately implemented in the final product..

Challenges

The project presented several key challenges in designing a seamless, AI-driven conversational experience within the Expedia app. A primary objective was to align functionality and user experience with the Expedia Group Design System (EGDS), while addressing the following core design and interaction complexities:

• Contextual Entry Points: Designing intelligent conversation triggers based on the user’s current location within the app and the destinations they were exploring, to ensure relevance and engagement.

• Conversational Prompts: Developing clear and intuitive welcome messages and mid-conversation cues to reduce user hesitation and guide natural, uninterrupted interactions.

• Rich Content Representation: Structuring the display of Expedia’s full range of bookable services—flights, stays, car rentals, and experiences—within the chat interface, allowing users to complete complex travel bookings seamlessly via conversation.

Each of these elements required a thoughtful design strategy grounded in EGDS standards, ensuring consistency, scalability, and an intuitive user experience across platforms.

Design process & decisions

I partnered closely with product managers, researchers, content strategists, engineers, and AI stakeholders to transform complex conversational AI capabilities into intuitive mobile experiences aligned with the Expedia Group Design System (EGDS).

The process began by identifying key traveler needs and opportunities where AI could add value across the travel journey—from trip inspiration to booking and in-trip support. Through research, user behavior analysis, and rapid ideation, I designed and iterated conversational flows, prototypes, and interface concepts focused on reducing cognitive load and building trust in AI interactions.

Key design decisions included integrating contextual AI entry points throughout the traveler journey, implementing guided conversation patterns to improve engagement, and creating a scalable content architecture that unified flights, hotels, activities, and transportation within a single conversational experience. All solutions were built using EGDS standards to ensure accessibility, consistency, scalability, and seamless collaboration with engineering teams.

Business needs

As part of its effort to deepen traveler engagement across every stage of the journey, Expedia sought to elevate the user experience and define a cohesive content strategy for integrating ChatGPT into its mobile app.

This ongoing engagement has focused on exploring additional entry points, expanding use cases, integrating functionality across other in-app products, and refining both the design and content strategy to maximize impact. Expedia’s key business goals included:

• Increasing the number of active users

• Reducing abandoned (ghost) conversations through effective conversational prompts

• Driving deeper engagement and encouraging more frequent app usage

Process

Following a focused workshop with key stakeholders, we identified the discovery phase of the traveler journey as the most strategic entry point for piloting ChatGPT within the Expedia app.

I led the design process by establishing a structured workflow that included weekly syncs to review research, design explorations, align content strategy efforts, and ensure stakeholder objectives were met.

I was responsible for ensuring every design iteration adhered to the Expedia Group Design System (EGDS), maintaining consistency, scalability, and brand alignment across all components and user flows.

Communication

Strong communication played a critical role in the success of the project. I maintained consistent and transparent collaboration with stakeholders, content designers, project managers, engineers, and delivery leads—ensuring alignment across all teams throughout each phase of the project. I proactively facilitated open dialogue, enabling swift decision-making, smooth cross-functional coordination, and the timely resolution of challenges.

Working closely with Content Strategy

Content strategy was a key pillar in the success of the project.
I worked in close, daily collaboration with the content team to ensure a seamless integration of UX design, content, and the Expedia Group Design System (EGDS).

This partnership enabled us to craft a cohesive, user-centered experience where visual design and messaging worked in harmony to guide users effectively through the product.

Outcome

Delivered an in-app, fully integrated conversational experience that empowers travelers to seek inspiration, explore destinations, and seamlessly plan their trip—from initial discovery through to post-trip engagement.

Achievements

The integration successfully demonstrated how conversational AI could enhance traveler engagement at scale. By combining contextual UX strategies, guided interactions, and scalable design system principles, the experience contributed to increased user retention, reduced conversation abandonment, and stronger adoption across mobile platforms.