Plan it Itinerary App
UX: Fest SLO Designation: Second Place
24 Hour UX design challenge where groups had to create an App with incorporation of AI, to help a user get from A to B more efficiently. Our Team: Jake Crock, Nic Murphy, Grayson Dougherty, and Daniel Gur
Skills
Visual Design UI & UX Design
Industries
AI Itinerary
Date
January 2025 | 24 hours
Overview
Overview
Plan-it makes it easy for group chats to plan trips by basing most of our interactions in iMessage, with only one member of the group chat needing to download the app. With our Ai incorporation, recommendations for activities are based on the users interests, making it easy to decide on where to go. Plan-it suggestions can be dragged directly into the itinerary or sent to the chat for friends to vote on.
Problem Statment
Young people have a hard time planning trips with their friends due to conflicting schedules, differences in budget, and overall travel preferences. From planning a trip to another country to just going out for dinner and drinks, it can be difficult to bring an idea into fruition and “get it out of the group chat.” Currently, the process makes it hard to spontaneously plan trips and get everyone in a friend group on the same page. Sometimes, one person in the group has to take on the responsibility of planning the entire trip. How might we... Overcome the challenges of taking a group trip out of the idea stage and into real life?
Survey Answers
We conducted a survey of Cal Poly students to understand the pain points of group trip planning. The results showed: 50% of students struggle with planning group trips, 65% are dissatisfied with existing methods, and 90% use iMessage for coordination. This confirmed the need for a solution that integrates directly into iMessage.
Competitor Analysis
We analyzed three travel planning apps—Troupe, TripIt, and Wonderlog—based on key criteria: itinerary customization, collaborative planning, and integrated booking. While TripIt and Wonderlog lead in ratings (4.8 stars with 273k reviews), they focus heavily on itinerary management and syncing features. Troupe allows basic trip setup and friend invites but lacks broader reach and ratings. None fully meet our criteria of user's problems and all-in-one planning and booking, indicating a gap Plan-it is designed to fill.
Target Audience
Our ideal users are tech-savvy college students and young professionals aged 18-25 who are passionate about travel but frequently struggle with the hassle of organizing group trips. They rely on familiar tools like iMessage for everyday communication, yet find that coordinating plans often falls through due to the absence of a dedicated organizer or clear consensus. This audience seeks a simple, collaborative solution that streamlines planning, making travel effortless and more enjoyable.
Problem Statment
Young people have a hard time planning trips with their friends due to conflicting schedules, differences in budget, and overall travel preferences. From planning a trip to another country to just going out for dinner and drinks, it can be difficult to bring an idea into fruition and “get it out of the group chat.” Currently, the process makes it hard to spontaneously plan trips and get everyone in a friend group on the same page. Sometimes, one person in the group has to take on the responsibility of planning the entire trip. How might we... Overcome the challenges of taking a group trip out of the idea stage and into real life?
Survey Answers
We conducted a survey of Cal Poly students to understand the pain points of group trip planning. The results showed: 50% of students struggle with planning group trips, 65% are dissatisfied with existing methods, and 90% use iMessage for coordination. This confirmed the need for a solution that integrates directly into iMessage.
Competitor Analysis
We analyzed three travel planning apps—Troupe, TripIt, and Wonderlog—based on key criteria: itinerary customization, collaborative planning, and integrated booking. While TripIt and Wonderlog lead in ratings (4.8 stars with 273k reviews), they focus heavily on itinerary management and syncing features. Troupe allows basic trip setup and friend invites but lacks broader reach and ratings. None fully meet our criteria of user's problems and all-in-one planning and booking, indicating a gap Plan-it is designed to fill.
Target Audience
Our ideal users are tech-savvy college students and young professionals aged 18-25 who are passionate about travel but frequently struggle with the hassle of organizing group trips. They rely on familiar tools like iMessage for everyday communication, yet find that coordinating plans often falls through due to the absence of a dedicated organizer or clear consensus. This audience seeks a simple, collaborative solution that streamlines planning, making travel effortless and more enjoyable.
Problem Statment
Young people have a hard time planning trips with their friends due to conflicting schedules, differences in budget, and overall travel preferences. From planning a trip to another country to just going out for dinner and drinks, it can be difficult to bring an idea into fruition and “get it out of the group chat.” Currently, the process makes it hard to spontaneously plan trips and get everyone in a friend group on the same page. Sometimes, one person in the group has to take on the responsibility of planning the entire trip. How might we... Overcome the challenges of taking a group trip out of the idea stage and into real life?
Survey Answers
We conducted a survey of Cal Poly students to understand the pain points of group trip planning. The results showed: 50% of students struggle with planning group trips, 65% are dissatisfied with existing methods, and 90% use iMessage for coordination. This confirmed the need for a solution that integrates directly into iMessage.
Competitor Analysis
We analyzed three travel planning apps—Troupe, TripIt, and Wonderlog—based on key criteria: itinerary customization, collaborative planning, and integrated booking. While TripIt and Wonderlog lead in ratings (4.8 stars with 273k reviews), they focus heavily on itinerary management and syncing features. Troupe allows basic trip setup and friend invites but lacks broader reach and ratings. None fully meet our criteria of user's problems and all-in-one planning and booking, indicating a gap Plan-it is designed to fill.
Target Audience
Our ideal users are tech-savvy college students and young professionals aged 18-25 who are passionate about travel but frequently struggle with the hassle of organizing group trips. They rely on familiar tools like iMessage for everyday communication, yet find that coordinating plans often falls through due to the absence of a dedicated organizer or clear consensus. This audience seeks a simple, collaborative solution that streamlines planning, making travel effortless and more enjoyable.
Progress
Task Flow
We were hyper focused the task flow, as it is our main driving different. We decided to focus on two primary solutions; AI-driven suggestions and iMessage integration.
Low Fidelity
Mid Fidelity
Progress
Task Flow
We were hyper focused the task flow, as it is our main driving different. We decided to focus on two primary solutions; AI-driven suggestions and iMessage integration.
Low Fidelity
Mid Fidelity
Progress
Task Flow
We were hyper focused the task flow, as it is our main driving different. We decided to focus on two primary solutions; AI-driven suggestions and iMessage integration.
Low Fidelity
Mid Fidelity
Prototype and Mockup
Only Playable on Computer
Game Controls
Prototype and Mockup
Only Playable on Computer
Game Controls
Prototype and Mockup
Prototype and Mockup
Working on Plan-it was an incredibly rewarding experience. After a grueling 24-hour challenge, our team made it to the finals and won second place at UX Fest SLO 2025. This reinforced the importance of user-first thinking and the value of creative solutions.
The Video Game
Only Playable on Computer