Hi-BnB
An AI-powered assistant enhancing guest and host experiences through seamless communication, personalized recommendations, and smart property management.
Problem Space
Problem Statement:
“How might we provide an integrated, AI-driven concierge service that enhances the guest and host experience by streamlining trip planning, communication, and local discovery?”
Problem Background:
Since the rise of Airbnb as a global platform, guests and hosts have faced challenges in communication, trip planning, and property management. Guests often rely on external apps for local recommendations and itineraries, while hosts struggle with repetitive inquiries and inefficient check-in processes. These pain points create a fragmented experience, leading to frustration and missed opportunities for both parties.
Research Insights
User Pain Points:
- Guests:
- 70% of guests use 3+ apps for trip planning.
- 60% report frustration with fragmented travel experiences.
- Frequent issues with check-in details (e.g., passcodes, key locations).
- Hosts:
- 100% of hosts face communication challenges.
- 50% spend 2+ hours daily responding to inquiries.
- 40% struggle with pricing optimization.
Supporting Data:
- Conducted user interviews with 15 guests and 5 hosts.
- Analyzed competitor platforms (e.g., Booking.com, TripAdvisor).
- Created user personas and journey maps to identify key pain points.
Feedback:
- “I wish there was a way to get all my trip details in one place without switching between apps.” – Guest
- “Responding to the same questions over and over is exhausting. I need a better way to communicate with guests.” – Host
Landing on the Solution
Based on our target users’ pain points, we knew we wanted to focus on the following features:
- For Guests:
- Personalized local recommendations and itinerary management.
- 24/7 AI chatbot support for FAQs and issue resolution.
- Automated check-in/check-out assistance.
- For Hosts:
- Automated messaging to handle repetitive inquiries.
- Smart pricing insights and cleaning alerts.
- Proactive notifications for guest requests and property issues.
Explanation of Solution
The Airbnb AI Concierge is a smart assistant designed to revolutionize the travel and hosting experience. It integrates seamlessly into the Airbnb app, offering:
- AI-Powered Local Recommendations: Tailored suggestions for accommodations, attractions, and dining based on guest preferences.
- Itinerary Management: An in-app itinerary builder with navigation integration.
- Automated Check-in/Check-out: Location-based notifications and digital key access.
- Smart Pricing Insights: AI-driven recommendations for dynamic pricing adjustments.
After showcasing the prototype to users, we learned that:
- Guests appreciated the personalized recommendations and seamless check-in process.
- Hosts valued the time saved through automated messaging and proactive alerts.
User Flows/Mockups
- Wireframe:
- User Flow:
- Mockups:
- Full Prototype:
Future Steps
- Conduct usability testing with guests and hosts to refine the prototype.
- Explore partnerships with local businesses to enhance the recommendation engine.
- Add advanced features like voice chat and real-time language translation.
- Scale the solution to other vacation rental platforms.
Images
Learnings
Product Manager Learnings:
Maureen Osauzo
Co.Lab was a transformative experience for me. I learned how to conduct user research, create high-fidelity mockups, and develop a product that addresses real-world pain points. This project taught me the importance of user-centered design and the power of AI in solving complex problems. I’m excited to continue refining the Airbnb AI Concierge and exploring new ways to innovate in the travel industry.
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.