Start from one sentence
A mission statement says in a few words what the product is for. It keeps you on track when the project gets bigger and every new idea looks important. This is the one for the travel app in the book:
A smart, user-friendly travel planning app that helps people discover inspiring destinations and organize their trips effortlessly.
Look at the competitors
Collect screenshots of real travel apps on mobile, tablet and desktop, and write your notes next to them. You are looking for what works, what you want to do better and what nobody does yet.
Some questions to guide you:
- Navigationis it clear where you are and where you can go?
- Hierarchywhat catches your eye first?
- Calls to actionare the main buttons easy to find and to understand?
- Personalisationcan people save or adapt what they see?
- Pain pointswhere did you get stuck or confused?
Then the moodboard
A moodboard collects photos, colours, type, interface details and keywords that give the project its tone. Don't aim for a perfect board. Drop in everything that feels right and let it settle while the project grows.
Try it
- Write the mission statement of your travel app in one or two sentences.
- Make a section called Competitors and paste screenshots from three travel apps.
- Add a sticky note under every screenshot with one thing that works and one that doesn't.
- Make a second section called Moodboard with photos, four colours and a type pairing.
Remember
- A mission statement keeps the project on track.
- Competitors show you what users already expect.
- Weak spots in other apps are your opportunities.
- A moodboard sets the tone before any screen.