UX writing > iOS widget
While at Vrbo, I got the chance to create and launch an iOS widget in just three weeks. Here’s how I did it.
Get to work
Goal: create a high-value iOS widget in three weeks and get featured in the App Store
Back in 2020, my team got word that Apple would be debuting a new iOS feature called “widgets” in the fall. We were told that if we submitted a high-quality widget before the deadline, we could be featured in the App Store as one of the first apps to offer widgets. I partnered with a PMM, PM, dev, and ux designer to create and build a Vrbo widget in just over three weeks. We used the iOS widget design guidelines from Apple as our starting point, but the content was totally up to us.
Widget opportunities
User feedback indicated that Vrbo didn't do a lot to build excitement leading up to a trip. We knew from extensive generative research and journey map exercises that the time leading up to a trip was often more exciting than the trip itself. We also knew that travelers reported frustration around locating trip details during their trip planning phase. We saw some opportunities.
Opportunity 1: increase brand loyalty and excitement with a trip countdown
Opportunity 2: reduce friction around content discovery by surfacing relevant trip details based on how many days away their trip is
Opportunity 3: encourage collaboration with Trip Boards and increase sign ups
Messaging touchpoints
Once we nailed down our opportunities, I started planning our messaging strategy.
Mapped out the existing traveler touchpoints (marketing + system)
Paired with devs, product, and legal to determine which data is available to us to surface in widgets
Aligned with product marketing to identify marketing/brand opportunities