Defining the Roadmap for Conversational AI ‍

As part of a strategic initiative, a global travel platform sought to understand the real-world utility of their newly launched conversational AI. The goal was to move beyond the novelty of the tech and understand its actual place in a traveler’s complex planning process.

The challenge was to identify how users integrate AI into their trip-building workflows. To establish a product vision for future enhancements, the client needed to see where the technology provided value and where it created friction in the high-stakes world of travel.

Structured Lab Exploration  

We designed our research to capture the nuances of AI interactions, moving from high-level context to granular product functionality. 

• Contextual Discovery: We explored users’ typical planning habits to uncover the underlying needs and pain points that drive behavior.
• Competitive testing: We evaluated existing AI tools to identify industry gaps and opportunities to address unmet needs.
• Usability Testing: By observing live interactions with AI, we mapped mental models and captured the natural language patterns that define a seamless experience.

Unearthing Opportunities for AI Advancement

‍The study provided a strategic bridge between current AI capabilities and future product development. We managed all logistics from recruiting a diverse spectrum of AI users to livestreaming sessions, ensuring the client could witness these interactions and collaborate in real time. 

We translated these sessions into actionable recommendations, identifying places where AI provided value and delight for travel planners.Through Topline Reports and Video Clips that captured specific moments of friction or delight, the client gained evidence and empathy needed to refine their long term product vision.

The Bottom Line

In the rush to implement AI, the most important question isn't "can we build it?" but "where does this provide value?" Innovation only sticks when it aligns with the existing mental models of the traveler and solves a problem they already have.

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