Expedia Group
Internship

Improving the native experience
of bottom sheets

expedia

PROJECT CONTEXT

Over the summer of 2023, I worked as User Experience (UX) Designer Intern at Expedia Group. I worked in Expedia’s Design System team and my project was to add “grabber” component to the native experience of bottom sheets. The core aim of this project was to conceptualize, design, and integrate a 'grabber' component into the native bottom sheet experience. This design endeavor primarily targeted improvements in intuitiveness, accessibility, and consistency in user experience with other popular applications.

BACKGROUND

Bottom sheets are a popular UI component, especially in mobile applications. They provide users with a seamless way to access additional content without navigating away from the current screen. However, the previous designs lacked an intuitive way to resize these sheets, leading to a break in user experience and accessibility issues.

OBJECTIVES

  • Intuitive Resizing: Simplify the resizing process of the bottom sheets to ensure even first-time users can effortlessly navigate
  • Enhanced Accessibility: Ensure the design is accessible for all users, including those with disabilities.
  • Consistent UX: Consistent UX: Align the design with existing popular application experiences, ensuring users don't feel a disconnect or learning curve when encountering our bottom sheets.

DESIGN PROCESS

I will not be able to share Expedia’s component creation process, governance strategy and documentation template, but I can share a few of my responsibilities, challenges and what I did to reach my goal. 

CORE LEARNINGS
& GROWTH

Deep Dive into Design Systems

  • Experience: First-hand experience with a comprehensive design library and active involvement with the design systems team.
  • Growth: Cultivated a robust understanding of design systems, their underlying principles, and their vital role in achieving consistency and scalability in product design.

Practical Application of Accessibility

  • Experience: Worked in an environment where accessibility is a priority, aligning designs with the guidelines set by WCAG to cater to users with varied impairments.
  • Growth: Developed a heightened sensitivity towards inclusivity in design, ensuring that the digital experiences I create are universally accessible.

Cross-functional Team Collaboration

  • Experience: Engaged with a diverse team of professionals from different domains.
  • Growth: Sharpened my collaborative skills, learning the significance of diverse perspectives in enhancing design quality and the importance of effective communication in a multifaceted team settin

Contribution Beyond Designing

  • Experience: Expanded my contributions beyond just design, playing an active role in documentation.
  • Growth: Recognized the importance of thorough documentation in the design process, ensuring that ideas are well-communicated and can be replicated or revisited in the future.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Accessibility is Non-negotiable: Ensuring products are designed for everyone, regardless of their impairments, is not just a guideline—it's a responsibility.
  • Value of Design Systems: These aren’t just tools but foundational assets that guide consistency, efficiency, and scalability in design.
  • Team Synergy: Working in a cross-functional team underscored the notion that the best designs are often the result of collective input and collaboration.

CONCLUSION

This internship was more than just a professional experience—it was a transformative journey that expanded my horizons in UX design. With each challenge, I evolved; with every collaboration, I learned, and with every design, I grew. Today, I stand confident as a designer and a design thinker, ready to harness my enhanced skills to create experiences that resonate, engage, and include.