Launched an app UX training program that resulted in 17 designers being upskilled to design across app and web. This helped catalyze a philosophy of designing cross-platform within the company, which also enabled human capital cost savings, a more cohesive user experience, and helped ensure that Expedia meets customer demands that are shifting more towards native mobile apps.

Launched an app UX training program that resulted in 17 designers being upskilled to design across app and web. This helped catalyze a philosophy of designing cross-platform within the company, which also enabled human capital cost savings, a more cohesive user experience, and helped ensure that Expedia meets customer demands that are shifting more towards native mobile apps.

I first joined Expedia as its native app UX director, managing all of my org's native app UX designers.

Resource constraints

There were not enough app UX designers to keep up with the demands of Expedia's customer base, which was increasingly shifting towards using native apps.

When a top company initiative required even more app UX designers, I saw my UX design team being stretched thinner than ever. Yet in a year impacted by COVID, it was not feasible for me to hire in order to close the resource gap.

The beginnings

I came up with the idea of an app UX training program that could take advantage of the fact that my org had many more web designers than app designers. I brought in one of my team members who was well-respected for their app skillset, and together we laid the foundation for the app UX training program.

I first joined Expedia as its native app UX director, managing all of my org's native app UX designers.

Resource constraints

There were not enough app UX designers to keep up with the demands of Expedia's customer base, which was increasingly shifting towards using native apps.

When a top company initiative required even more app UX designers, I saw my UX design team being stretched thinner than ever. Yet in a year impacted by COVID, it was not feasible for me to hire in order to close the resource gap.

The beginnings

I came up with the idea of an app UX training program that could take advantage of the fact that my org had many more web designers than app designers. I brought in one of my team members who was well-respected for their app skillset, and together we laid the foundation for the app UX training program.

App UX principles

In order to provide a solid foundation for the app UX training to be built on top of, two senior app UX designers put together app UX principles that illustrated Expedia's approach to app UX.

App UX principles

In order to provide a solid foundation for the app UX training to be built on top of, two senior app UX designers put together app UX principles that illustrated Expedia's approach to app UX.

Turning the principles into checklists

The two designers made it easy for all who are designing for native app, especially the app UX trainees, to ensure they followed the app UX principles. They turned each principle into a card with an associated checklist:

Turning the principles into checklists

The two designers made it easy for all who are designing for native app, especially the app UX trainees, to ensure they followed the app UX principles. They turned each principle into a card with an associated checklist:

App source files

In order to train web designers, the app UX designers needed to have a standardized view of the baseline app UX experience. Over the course of several weeks, the designers meticulously assembled source files across iOS and Android, noting discrepancies in the UX.

App source files

In order to train web designers, the app UX designers needed to have a standardized view of the baseline app UX experience. Over the course of several weeks, the designers meticulously assembled source files across iOS and Android, noting discrepancies in the UX.

Here is a snapshot of the App Lodging source file, for example:

Here is a snapshot of the App Lodging source file, for example:

We also came up with a simple process for keeping the source files updated so that the app UX training program could be more turnkey. Though the process required a lot of manual updating initially, we were able to shift it towards taking a pattern library approach:

We also came up with a simple process for keeping the source files updated so that the app UX training program could be more turnkey. Though the process required a lot of manual updating initially, we were able to shift it towards taking a pattern library approach:

Buddy system

We didn't have the bandwidth to develop a formal classroom training program given that we already had too few app UX designers. So I came up with the idea to pair app UX design trainers with their trainees according to their mutual problem area or time zone. This lean approach worked well, as app UX trainers were able to review their trainees' work closely. The app UX trainers also provided sign off on their trainees' designs.

Shipping in the real world

Our app UX training ensured that trainees shipped their app UX designs in the real world. This provided trainees with the satisfaction of seeing their work published, and also benefitted our org's need for more app UX design support at the same time.

Impact

Over the course of its first quarter of existence, the app UX training program trained an initial batch of 12 designers who all shipped app UX projects. After that, more web designers continued to be trained in app UX. This made our org more resilient and able to adapt to customer needs. We will continue to transform our org by training more designers over time.

Partially thanks to the contributions of the app UX trainees, our native app experience achieved 26% higher revenue than desktop, and our app transaction share is 33% (41% increase from LY share of 23%). Our app customers are more highly engaged, and more likely to make repeat visits to Expedia.

The app UX training program has received interest from CX leaders across Expedia Group. It even inspired web designers on my team to launch a web UX training program, underscoring the idea of unlocking more human capital efficiency.

By demonstrating that designers could design across app and web, we also supported the case for our cross-functional partners to invest in a new technology approach called Server Driven UI that enabled us to create designs once and scale them across all platforms (app, mobile web, and desktop). This enables us to truly do more with less.

Buddy system

We didn't have the bandwidth to develop a formal classroom training program given that we already had too few app UX designers. So I came up with the idea to pair app UX design trainers with their trainees according to their mutual problem area or time zone. This lean approach worked well, as app UX trainers were able to review their trainees' work closely. The app UX trainers also provided sign off on their trainees' designs.

Shipping in the real world

Our app UX training ensured that trainees shipped their app UX designs in the real world. This provided trainees with the satisfaction of seeing their work published, and also benefitted our org's need for more app UX design support at the same time.

Impact

Over the course of its first quarter of existence, the app UX training program trained an initial batch of 12 designers who all shipped app UX projects. After that, more web designers continued to be trained in app UX. This made our org more resilient and able to adapt to customer needs. We will continue to transform our org by training more designers over time.

Partially thanks to the contributions of the app UX trainees, our native app experience achieved 26% higher revenue than desktop, and our app transaction share is 33% (41% increase from LY share of 23%). Our app customers are more highly engaged, and more likely to make repeat visits to Expedia.

The app UX training program has received interest from CX leaders across Expedia Group. It even inspired web designers on my team to launch a web UX training program, underscoring the idea of unlocking more human capital efficiency.

By demonstrating that designers could design across app and web, we also supported the case for our cross-functional partners to invest in a new technology approach called Server Driven UI that enabled us to create designs once and scale them across all platforms (app, mobile web, and desktop). This enables us to truly do more with less.

Designers trained

Designers trained

Projects shipped

Projects shipped

App transaction share

App transaction share

33%

33%

App Revenue > Desktop

App Revenue > Desktop