VOICE EXPERIENCE
Alexa, Pack My Bags
Designing for the invisible interface, helping users travel with Contiki.
OVERVIEW
Simplifying Travel
Contiki, a leader in youth travel, collaborated with FX Digital to explore how voice technology could bring new ways for travelers to connect. Since their main audience—18 to 35-year-olds—frequently use voice assistants, they developed the "Pack My Bags" Alexa skill. This tool helps young travellers pack, with a focus on sustainability and tailored suggestions for different destinations and climates. The skill includes packing lists, sonic branding, visual elements, and a bespoke CMS for easy updates. Launched at the World Travel Market in 2019, the skill earned 5-star Amazon reviews and won the IAC Award for Best Travel Voice Skill or Action.
RESULTS
IAC Winner
Best Travel Voice Skill Or Action
Webby Nominee
Best Branded Voice Experience
87%
5 star reviews
About Contiki
Contiki, started in New Zealand in 1961, is a popular travel company that creates fun and unforgettable trips for people aged 18-35. For almost 60 years, they’ve been leading the way in travel by constantly bringing fresh ideas to the table. Contiki offers a variety of trips around the world, aimed at helping young travelers explore new cultures and experiences. Known for their dynamic and youthful brand, Contiki focuses on creating well-connected, exciting, and environmentally conscious travel solutions.
Roles & Responsibilities
ROLE
Lead Product Designer
FX Digital, digital agency specialising in:
Smart TV applications
Web and mobile app design and development
Voice experiences
PROJECT COMPOSITION
Project team:
Designer
Engineer
Stakeholders:
FX Digital Directors
Contiki Marketing
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Developing a voice-forward UX process for the agency
• Crafting sample dialogues
• Conducting Wizard of Oz (WOZ) testing
• Prototyping in Voiceflow
• Collaboration to ensure alignment with Alexa's capabilities and constraints
PROBLEM STATEMENT & STRATEGY
Leveraging Voice
Contiki sought to explore new user interactions and drive innovation within the industry by leveraging voice technology. With a reputation as early adopters of emerging technologies, Contiki recognised the opportunity to launch the first travel skill on the Amazon Alexa marketplace. We saw this as an opportunity to introduce users to new, innovative interactions that could enhance their experience with the brand and provide real value. The challenge was to create a user-friendly, accurate, and engaging voice skill within a limited R&D budget and a four-week deadline.
GOALS
• Drive innovation within the travel industry through voice technology
• Win an award
• Enhance brand experience and engagement
CHALLENGES
• Short timeline with which to create, test and develop a skill
• No existing voice UX skills or defined methodology within the business
STRATEGIC APPROACH
• Leverage user insights to create meaningful, personalised interactions aligning with Contiki's brand innovation goals.
• Designing a simple, intuitive interface using natural language processing for effortless interactions while maintaining Contiki's brand tone of voice
DESIGN PROCESS & DECISION-MAKING
Research and Insights
Our process began with comprehensive user research targeting Contiki's 18-35 demographic. We sent out surveys and interviews with Contiki’s existing and potential customers. Surveys revealed users would see value in using voice technology for travel packing assistance with a growing interest in sustainable travel. Follow-up interviews provided deeper insights into these needs and pain points.
We also researched the best performing content on Contiki's publisher site Six-Two, which provided valuable data on the most popular travel destinations and content preferences among the target demographic. This combined analysis confirmed the potential for a voice-forward device application. This led us to create the "Pack My Bags" skill, focusing on practical travel tips and sustainability.
Script Development and Validation
Collaborating closely with Contiki for feedback and input, we developed scripts tailored to the most sought-after travel destinations they offer. These scripts were carefully designed to offer practical packing tips tailored to each location's unique climate, activities, and cultural factors.
Supporting Contiki’s "Contiki Cares" initiative, which focuses on eco-friendly travel, we made sure the "Pack My Bags" voice skill encouraged sustainable packing. The skill recommends eco-friendly products, such as ocean-safe sunscreen, and advises against single-use plastics.
Our process began with situational design and drafting sample dialogues to mimic real user interactions. Using Voiceflow, we built and refined the conversation flows step by step, making sure the user experience was smooth. To gather feedback on how well the skill worked, we used Wizard of Oz (WOZ) testing and made adjustments based on what we learned from users.
One of the technical challenges we faced was ensuring Alexa could accurately recognise destination names, especially those with common names like Paris. We tackled this by manually checking and tweaking the responses, working closely with the development team to create custom solutions. This helped us ensure that Alexa accurately identified destinations and made the skill function better overall.
Solution and Execution
After wrapping up the UX phase, we identified some great opportunities to make the skill better. First, we added sonic branding, incorporating Contiki's podcast jingle to boost brand recognition. We also added visual elements, making the skill compatible with smart speakers featuring screens and Fire TV. Plus, we made it more convenient by adding email integration, so users can get their packing lists sent directly to their inbox, making it easy to plan and keep track of things.
The "Pack My Bags" Alexa skill acts as a virtual travel buddy for Contiki’s audience, providing personalised packing tips based on where they’re going, the season, and the type of trip. It gives users custom packing lists to make sure they're fully prepared for their adventures. On top of that, the skill encourages sustainable packing by suggesting eco-friendly products, in line with Contiki’s focus on environmentally conscious travel.
Outcomes
The "Pack My Bags" skill made its debut at the World Travel Market 2019, quickly catching attention for its innovative approach to travel preparation. It earned 5-star reviews on Amazon, indicating strong user satisfaction and engagement. The skill also won the IAC (Internet Advertising Competition) Award for Best Travel Voice Skill or Action.
The skill not only helped Contiki stand out in the travel industry but also showed how voice technology can improve the travel experience for young, tech-savvy travellers. By focusing on what users really want; convenience, personalisation, and sustainability, it achieved both user satisfaction and industry recognition. This project set the stage for Contiki’s future innovations in voice tech, with plenty of room to grow and further enhance the travel experience.
RESULTS
87%
5 star reviews
Best Branded Voice Experience
IAC Winner
Best Travel Voice Skill Or Action
Webby Nominee
“Chloe is an exceptional product designer and led complex projects here at FX… Chloe holds herself to high standard and her influence positively impacted and lifted the standards of the team… Very professional, really cares about her team and producing great work.”
Tom Smith
Creative Director
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