Digital Platform and Gamification for Social Innovation 

UX/UI and Engagement Strategy for Airbnb 
17th December 2018 

DBT 416 Planet and Society 

 
Instructors:​ Massimo Ingegno 
 
Team member:  
Butsakan Nuankaew  
Kamolkarn Subboonruneg  
Korn Worawatthanabancha  
Nawin suwanna-adth 
Naviya Khamluerit  
Palita Visanuyothin  
Punjapat Kroongjit  
Pattarawarin Predprink  
Piyatida Sawatchai  
Pornchita Parichatnon  
Prancharee Teerachitkul  
Wasin Pattamaprapanon 
 

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_____​Executive summary​______________________ 
UX/UI and Engagement Strategy for Airbnb 
 
The purpose of this project is to explore the customer  of improving customer engagement and loyalty program. User’s 
loyalty program called ‘superguest program’. With the aim to  behavioral, goals, motivations, and needs are critical factors in 
increase the number of retaining a customer, the key operating  analyzing the target market and users. With a clear target 
strategy is implemented under the concept of reciprocity  customer segment, in the second stage “ Define” the current 
marketing strategy throughout rewarding special offer to an  navigation service system is used to identify the problem and 
existing customer.    customer interaction by using a customer journey map. The third 
A​i​r​b​n​b​,​ ​I​n​c​.​ is a company that operates online  stage “ Ideation” is implemented to pinpoint a various usable and 
marketplaces and hospitalities service via websites and mobile  possible solution. Lastly, after clearly defined the solution, 
application. Saving budget, convenient location, and unique  Wireframe is used to determine the leak hole and possible 
experience is key success factors that push Airbnb into reaching 2  mistakes in term of its function, usability, utility for end-user 
million listing across more than 190 countries. The level of  during the testing process. 
customer loyalty was reflected by 62 %, 49.6 million out of 80  By implementing the Superguest program in the best case 
according to Expanded Ramblings (2008), rating very satisfied  scenario, the total revenue generated by the Superguest customer 
with their stay and high likelihood to repeat using Airbnb service  retention program is equivalent to $7.2 billion. Meanwhile, 
in the next 12 months. Nevertheless, many Airbnb users expect a  throughout satisfying current Airbnb customer needs the 
reciprocal output towards their loyal practice. Due to the  expected outcome will be presented in the improvement rate of 
increasing and high market rivery, the importance of customer  electronic word of month. The result will be reflected through the 
retention becomes another considering key success factors for  gross amount of new customer segment accounted for $ 1.7 
sustainable business growth.  million. Hence, by ratifying the Superguestprogram, the rate of 
“Emphasize” stage is used to discuss in the first designing  customer retention and the number of new customers are two 
processes since understanding customer need is the foundation  measurable impacts from the Superguest program. 

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_____Table of Contents______________________  
 
 
1. Design problem/opportunity: 4 
1.1 S​ DGs addressed   
1.2 Primary and Secondary research   
- Problem Analysis 
- Case Studies   
- Summary of experts and users 
2. Platform Design 8 
2.1 Value Proposition 
2.2 Platform Architecture 
2.3 Data-informaed Design 
2.4 Openness and rules 
 
3. UX/UI and Enagement Strategy 14 
3.1 UX Research  
3.2 UI Design 
3.3 Gammification/Engagement Strategy 
 
Conclusion 24  
 
Reference 26 
  
Annexes 27 

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__​Design Opportunity​: S​ DGsAddressed​________________   

       
   
   
   
   
  Airbnb have expanded their accommodation 
  offering with a new service allowing users the option 
Cities are hubs for ideas, commerce, culture, science,  to book “immersive” travel experiences, which 
productivity, social development and much more. At their  includes city tours, peer reviews and 
best, cities have enabled people to advance socially and  recommendations, as well as meet with locals. Local 
economically.  travel experiences are about going beyond the usual 
Many challenges exist to maintaining cities in a way that  touristic sites and allowing for deeper and more 
continues to create jobs and prosperity without straining  meaningful travelling. Experiences allow travelers to 
land and resources. Common urban challenges include  immerse themselves in local cultures, traditions and 
congestion, lack of funds to provide basic services, shortage   ways of living while supporting local communities. 
of adequate housing, declining infrastructure and rising air 
pollution within cities. 

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__​Design Opportunity​: P​ roblem analysis​_______________ 

​Information about the client’s challenges 
 
 
 
● Photo of place and facilities available on the   
platform does not match with real place 
● Host does not respond to the guest  
● EX.Unable to confirm and contact 
● Accidental cancelling booking 
● Can’t enter to the room when arrived 
● Difficult to find a key 
● The host change place without notify the guest 
 
 
Additional requirement from Survey/Interview 
● Convenience to make appointment (Pick up the keys)  
Ex. Guest can have an appointment with intermediary to pick up keys 
● Pick up service 
● Promotion, Discount 
● The photo has to match with the real place 
 
 
 
 

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___​Design Opportunity​: C​ ase studies​________________ 
To retain loyalty’s customers  
 
Sometimes a brand inspires loyalty not through tactics and systems, but through what they 
stand for. 
TOMS has built their entire business model around making the world a better place. "TOMS has 
integrated old-fashioned, for-profit entrepreneurship with new-wave, bleeding-heart 
philanthropy." 
The way they do this is in their "One for One" policy. For every pair of shoes that are purchased, 
they give a pair to people in need, thus far donating over 60 million pairs of new shoes. 
 
 
Opportunity 
Opportunity to retain the customer loyalty by reciprocation through giving special 
offer for the customer who use airbnb service. Impressing them by give them the best 
experience about their experiences in every aspect like ​Hygiene​ ​Appearance​ ​Service 
Convenience​ ​Facilities​ and ​make customers feel they belong to Airbnb. 
 

 
 
 

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__​Design Opportunity​:s​ ummery of expert and user interview​__ 
 
It wasn’t differentiated enough and didn’t have enough community involvement so customer doesn’t feel belong to Airbnb. 
 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
Hotel owner      
Mr. Tanakrit R.    Airbnb user   Airbnb host 
Customers only come on high-season  Mr. Tanin S.    Miss Sarah B.   
so, to retain customer he treat  He had trouble with host did not  The guests that booked their room 
customer by ​response fast, keep contact  responses their booking confirmation  denied to take responsibility of broken 
with customer and give them  photo of place and facilities available on  glasses so she had to pay by herself and 
memorization and recognition of your  the platform does not match with real  did not want to provide room for rent 
hotel by extraordinary service.  place.  anymore.  
     
     
     
   
   

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_​Platform Architecture​: ​Value propositions​___________ 

 
Value creation ​that meets the needs of the company. It is caused by two components: the creation, the design, the observation 
or the reasoning. 
The design is divided into  
1. Products, services generated from the needs of customers.  
2. Satisfaction to add value to the service. 
3. Solving problems to make the service more comfortable and create a better experience. 
 
The field of observation and information is divided into. 
1. Satisfaction only in useful points. To make people feel attractive, expect and get something beyond expectation. 
2. Behind the requirements, which are in part. Social and emotional. 
3. Things that need fixing, things that you do not want or things you do not want to see, such as risk or obstacle is something 
that everyone is trying to avoid. 

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__​Platform Architecture: C​ ore interaction​______________ 
 
 
Host: A
​ way to increase income by using their own homes, 
exchanging ideas, cultures, and creating opportunities for 
more travelers. 
Guest: I​ t is considered an ideal choice for traveling and 
relaxing. More local access and can design the trip all the time. 
Especially spend less money on accommodation 

1. Creation:​ one producer who creates value. 

2. Consumption:​ one consumer, who consumes value. 
3. Curation:​ to ensure the right consumers consume it, you need 
some form of curation. 

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__​Platform Architecture: D​ ata Inform-Design​__________ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The data that platform collects are the likelihood of using Airbnb again in next 12 months and the result 
is 62% are very likely to use again, 24% are likely, 11% are somewhat likely and 3% are somewhat unlikely or 
unlikely. Moreover it collects the data of satisfaction with last Airbnb stay and the result is 57% are very 
likely , 32% are likely , 6% are somewhat likely and 5% are somewhat unlikely or unlikely.  
  

__​Platform Architecture: O
​ pen Rules​_____ _____  
 
The diagram shows that the platform’s openness first will 
free for first time’s host and guest because we want to 
invite them to join our platform and have reliability from 
cafe, restaurant, advertiser and adventure place so we get 
commission from them. 
 
 
 

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__​Platform Architecture: P​ artner & stakeholder​__________ 

 
Social media:​ For advertising on social and who log in by these will get a promotion. 
  - Wongnai: deal with Wongnai and get where is the best restaurant around there 
  - Mcdonald, KFC: get a promotion when you show a receipt from   
Cafe:​ you will know where is cafe around, also will get promotion 
Place:​ deal with them about reserve in Airbnb app you will get a special discount or get VIP zone (can buy or can do activity first 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

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__​Platform Architecture: M
​ onetisation Strategy​__________  
 
Throughout implementing the Superguest program, the expected resulted is to 
increase the customer retention rate in which leads to driving an increasing 
profitability from the customer. By looking through this figure closely, 15 
million out of 49.6 million guests requested and gave the support towards the 
super guest program. With an average annual spending per person $240(1 trip 
per year), there will be 3.6 billion revenue generated from this program. While 
calculating the best case scenario ( 2 trips per year), 7.2 billion will be the 
expected return from project investment. 
 
In addition, not only does the direct impact from an investment 
profound only through the existing customer, but by improving the existing 
customer satisfaction there will also be an increasing word of mouth 
recommendation from old to a new customer. By referring from 15 million hosts who gave the support towards Superguest 
program, the base case scenario can be calculated through 80% of host recommending Airbnb service to one of their friends. 
Therefore, giving 60% of new host coming from recommendation reflects over 7.2 million new users, generating revenue 
equivalence to $1.7 million. Thus, by endorsing the Superguest program the impact is clearly shown through an improvement in 
customer retention rate and acquiring a new customer. 
 
 
 
 

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__​Platform Architecture: U​ X/UI analysis​__________  
 
6.7 UX/UI analysis: ​describe the c​ urrent experience of the users​ (format:screenshots of the app. or website, and text to highlight 
problems) jeng 
 
     
Easy to login by simple  Searching is   
graphic design and  complicated, you  Clear information to 
words.   cannot search the  explain payment 
Have a other channel  available date at the  details by showing 
for sing in  same time of search  the calculation 
  location.   
   
 
   
     
     
    You can see the price 
Easy to understand    for booking 
about what you want to  Have big picture with 
You can talk to the 
explore by having   clear information 
owner of the home 
the catagories of  of the room 
, bed ,bathroom, which  for the  
feature and topic 
allow user to select    
 
   
 
   
 
 

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_​UX/UI and Engagement Strategy​______________ 
: ​UX Research & UI Design​__ 
  Tier1 ​ ​is the most important business metrics​ -> R
​ etain customer 

  ● Increasing number of superguest 

● Number of superguest 
● Monthly active superguest user 
 

Tier2 ​less important, but might impact tier 1 indirectly -> I​ ncrease 
 
quantity of customer 
 
  ● Monthly active users 
● Revenue increase 
  ● New customer 
 

 
 
     

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Personas     
     
     
     
     
       
   
     
   
 
 
       
     
 
Bob, ​Budget traveller (28)  Kam​, Home abroad​ (35) 
 
Cindy​, Airbnb advocate​ (40) 
   
A graphic designer in Thailand who like  A​ salesperson in Thailand, who often 
in stay in good location with low price.   A USA teacher who like to help 
other and gain new knowledge  moves to other places, due to her job. 
Goal​: Get information about traveling in  Goal:​ She needs accommodation that 
and experience from traveling 
several countries and want to know  makes her feel like home, also 
about what he can do at that place. 
Goal​:​ She wants to find new 
comfortable facilities. 
experiences with the activities  
Want​:​ the achievement of booking the  Want: l​ ook for a residential to stay 
wants to make people live better 
cheapest price    
 
Want​: meaning to stay and travel 
 
     
     
     
     
     
 
   
   
 

15
    
 
 
 
 
   
     
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Kim Mi Sun, 
Arm​, Socializer​ (25)  Adventurer​ (38) 
  Photographer from 
An influencer on social media  South Korea. He always 
in Thailand. He is a friendly  takes care of himself. He 
person who loves to share his  loves adventure and 
experience with another  traveling, for instance, 
people.  trekking the forest. 
Goal​:​ He needs to share his  Goal​:​ He needs to find 
experiences with other people  challenging activities 
from new places or another  with new people. 
country.  Want​: new experience 
Want​: Intern place for holiday   and unseen place  
   
 
 
   
 

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Pain points: 

“​Customer doesn’t feel belong to Airbnb”  

Airbnb still loses to traditional hotels for some of the following reasons: 
- Limited Amenities 
- Checkin/Checkout Hassles 
- Inconsistency of Deliverables 
- No Advantages for Loyal Customers 

Storyboard  

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Desired Actions & UI Design  

1. ​Discover : Visti Airbnb application and wedsit 

● Provide Ads in another website like Facebook and ads in the App 
store. The post contain the content that motivate user follow their 
motivation and interest. For example, comparing price for budget 
traveler, unique place for adventurer, several home picture for 
home aboard seeker and Airbnb content for Airbnb advocate. 

2. ​Onboarding 

● Tutorial -​ >​ Follow the step -​ >​ Offer superguest ad. on the last page  
● Search ​->​ Room/Experiences for Super Guest only, with lock sign  
● Booking ​->​ It will be locked for the general guests , which they cannot book the rooms that is only for superguest 
● Click on Super Guest banner (Located nearby Airbnb Plus feature) 
● Watch the videos about Superguest program to collect points  
 

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 3. ​Scaffolding  

● Popup to smart phone/tablet notification on Lock screen  

● If visit Airbnb website or application again, by send them weekly newsletters on Email (Discount, Offer) 
● Popup for book the room -​ >​ “Wait! we don’t want you to miss this!”  
● Payment confirmation will be sent to e-mail / Rewards pop up, shows point remaining of the guest (Tab bar style) 
● Achieve points for Superguest requirement ​->​ Superguest confirmation status popup  

UI for Superguest interface  Requirements and rewards  Superhost matching 

feature 

4. E
​ ndgame  

● Beyond premium by providing Discount code with username (e.g. S

​ unpunjapat code​),  
● Unlock​ all available superguest offer  
○ Special offer​ → General guest cannot see the preview   
○ Special content​ from Superhost  
○ Superhost/Superguest matching​ (add personal information)  
■ Add more detail (Joint experience) 
■ Social responsibilities 

Supergues influencer review  

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__​UX/UI and Engagement Strategy: ​UI Design​_____  

○ Using the Facebook ads for the target customer by the c​ ontent that motivated in each persona​. 

Discovery 

● CD3 -​ Motivate user to check out at our platform by phases and pictures of their interests  
● CD6 -​ Motivate user by make them feel exclusive 

Onboarding 

● CD2 - ​The guests have to achieve the request by watching videos, after that 
they will get the rewards, which is the points 
● CD7 - ​Encourage the curiosity by not providing the full information of the features, only unlocking 
Superguest program, and they will find out more 

Scaffolding 

● CD3 - E
​ ncourage and convince the user by the curious and empowering sentences from  the 
notification  
● CD4 - ​After achieving the required points, the users have to complete quests, which will 
encourage them to feel like that points belong to them 
● CD8 - ​Notify them of losing the features that they have chances to get in  

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Endgame 

● CD1 -​ Encourage the guests to join more exclusive activities, where they can make the impact on the 
society 
○ CD4 -​ Provide the chance of the features that only Superguests belongs to it (e.g. username code)
 
○ CD6 - ​Encourage them to have the community among Superhost and Superguest by their events, 
engagement , relationship, with the limited number of members 
○ CD7 - ​Surprise them with the features that only Superguest can access to it and it is a big reward 
that is worth earning  

Include in this section your facebook ads (Discovery phase) and what you’d advice your client to roll out the new 
program (launch strategy). 

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 __​Conclusion​________________________________  

    
  
In conclusion,the superguest program has launch by based on the main purpose which is aims to retain customer loyalty which will 
beneficial to the company in the long term.The increasing number of customer retaining is resulting from the reciprocation that was 
special offer given to the customer who use airbnb service.The creation of this program is based on personalize factor of customers 
which using the persona type to divided the type of customers into five type of the customers which are include home abroad 
seeker,budget traveler,Airbnb advocate,Socializer,Adventure traveler.The responses customer needs in order to retain the customer 
loyalty has to follow these five users personas types which has completely different needs and personalize factors.  
 
The superguest program customer responses can be summarized by the motivations of each users types and the impact that the 
users will acquire by using superguest program which are following by budget traveler whose will directly obtain several privilege 
from superguest program because the superguest program is offer them a discounts and promotion start from the discover phase 
until the end of the service that matching with their motivation which only require low cost and convenient location to booking. 
 
The Airbnb advocate personas types are the users who are require meaning to stay which the superguest program can directly 
offers the Airbnb advocate by give the meaning experience between Airbnb and the guest by the first priorities reward on the 
scaffolding phase that will give a meaning of feel belonging to Airbnb as a part of the company. 
 
Home abroad seeker is motivated by places that give the sense of home and a proper detail for a personal decision.The superguest 
program can provide the choice of resident for them to make a decision and matching with their needs.The more choice and higher 
quality residents on superguest program will give a positive impact on the more frequencies of using Airbnb because home abroad 
seekers are a users whose require multi home and travel on purpose in the long duration. 
 
The socializer is influenced by social factor and the interaction between host and guest which create social interaction on the 
superhost matching feature on the scaffolding phase.Moreover in the superguest program the socializer can influence and 
encourage the others user to interested in the community among superhost and superguest by engagement relationship with the 

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 limited number of members by create an interest content which can motivate other user to interact with the content by exchange 
their experience or sharing the content through social media which can lead people who are not an Airbnb user to join Airbnb. 
 
The others users personas type is the adventure users who are seeking for the new and excited experience that potentially 
requiring specialized skills and physical exertion.Thus the superguest program can provide them a local experience that are 
including physical activities and cultural exchange or interaction and lastly the engagement with the nature.The users can acquire 
accomplishment to reach the superguest and also the reward with locked feature which will be unlocked by the time they achieve 
requirement which response to adventure users that will motivate them to continuing using airbnb super guest program frequently. 
 
The engagement strategy in this project is focusing on long term engagement by launching the superguest program which can be 
divided into four phase that are including discover onboarding scaffolding end game respectively.In each phase there are a strategy 
that was determine to ​creating a sustainable interaction with the user that is a significant challenge for the design process since 
revenues are depending on users drawing continuous value from a service instead of just an initial purchase. 
 
Firstly,in the discover phase is base on the business metrics aiming to  
superguest increasing rate that was affected by increasing numbers of people registration rate which the number of the Airbnb 
member increase can affect directly to superguest increasing rate which are the business objectives in tier1 and tier2 
respectively.The feature on discover phase has trigger the users to click on the advertisement to get an information and access to 
Airbnb application. 
 
Secondly,in the onboarding phase the user will obtain more information and detail during using Airbnb application.The 
objective of an onboarding phase is to give the user to learning on the process of using the tools on Airbnb and also introduce the 
superguest program to the users.The users will interact with the host directly with the host status feature.In this phase to 
strengthen the interaction between host and superguest that can trigger the users to have satisfaction on convenience and short 
duration during booking confirmation.  
 
Thirdly,the scaffolding phase is aiming to increase frequencies of using Airbnb by giving the users a task to complete by 
achieve the superguest reward to give the user the sense of curiosity on reward achievement and ownership of the reward which 
lead to avoidance of losing points.The impact of this phase is the successful in customer retention due to the frequencies of the 
users using Airbnb more often because the users obtain the task to unlock superguest feature in this phase lead to the collecting 

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point duration achieve the task.Moreover there are a superhost matching feature which has ​an objective of superhost matching is to 
convert an online to offline activity by creating the premium communities that allow the superhost and supergust having the same 
interest doing an activities together. By the time that superhost and superguest are matched, we will offer and local experience for 
superguest and superhost .This will increase the level of trust and retention rate between guest and host since bring an online to 
offline relationship will allow both side to share memorable experience together.   
 
Lastly,the endgame phase has objective to give the customer to sharing their experience on social media or the other 
online platform to spread the information that attract to people who are not Airbnb member.​Giving the opportunity for the users to 
be the influencer that can write or create content that give the review about their experience and others user can save and follow 
the influencer then share their content on social media or online platform given the social impact on the place that was shared 
online has the increasing number of people visits which lead to the economic benefits on revenue that these community will earn in 
long term. 
 
The project potential stakeholder or partnership is grab taxi due to the customers that grab taxi acquired and pick up to Airbnb 
residential there is a benefits on the grab company and Airbnb because the customer will transport easier and more safety 
throughout the trips which lead to economics benefits both side.Moreover the guest will feel safe start from transport to the 
residentials until the end of the trips. 
 
Overall,The superguest program is create to retain customer loyalty which will beneficial to the company in the long 
term.​Earning a customer’s loyalty is important for any business and one of the best ways to do so is through a loyalty program.The 
successful customer loyalty program lead to more profitability due to the customers are in the life cycle that make them have more 
frequencies on using the service of the company.During the process to the results Airbnb super guest program is focus on the 
beneficial of the company in the long term by setting the criteria based on the user experience and interface method that correlate 
with design process that gather the data from research and analysis to response customer needs. 

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__​Reference​________________________________​
​ :  
Including books, articles and websites (hyperlinked). 
Local experiences 
https://medium.com/@USAIDLENS/how-the-new-local-experiences-platform-on-airbnb-benefits-local-communities-in-jordan-1b
0571e582e3 
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/airbnb-launches-trips-tours-and-experiences-with-local-experts/ 
 
Nomadic, Matt (2017) ​Defining Budget taveler 
https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/defining-a-budget-traveler/  
 
Herbert, Wells​ (​2018​) What You Need To Know As a Budget Traveller 
http://www.romsdal-adventure.com/need-know-budget-traveller/  
 
Sarah Bryant, Joseph Morris, Elisa Morrison, Sofie Uhlending (2017), Airbnb Analysis Marketing Plan 
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5939ec90bebafba046b767eb/t/5ab1bc8c758d46f2165bbd45/1521597586753/Airbnb+Final+P
roject.pdf   
 
Copyright Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN (2017), ASEAN Tourism Marketing Strategy 2017-2020 
https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/ASEAN_Tourism_Marketing_Strategy_2017-2020.pdf  
 
definitions net (2018), Definitions for adventure travel 
https://www.definitions.net/definition/adventure+travel  
 
 
 
 

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__​Annexes​________________________________

 
​ Octalysis Framework (above), Canva Template(below) 

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