Destiny Dennis

Product Management PORTFOLIO P R E P A R E D BY D E S T I N Y D E N N I S Professional Background I am a Music Executive, music curation expert specialized in creating avenues for the growth of African music. Currently, I am a Music Editor and Content Operations Executive at Boomplay Nigeria (11/2022). In this position, I assist music streaming services in creating a great user experience and increasing brand recognition. Prior to this role, I was a Customer Support Officer at Boomplay Nigeria (1/2022), where I am proficient in customer and artiste relations with expertise in related roles. Motivated to directly and efficiently address customer concerns head-on. I received my Bachelor of Science Degree in Biochemistry from Ambrose Alli University in 2018. Abstract * Solution: Booking.com is creating an app for short stays that can be booked by the hour. * Task: My role is to research the potential of this product, and create the app with the aim of achieving the customer’s needs and market needs. * Action: Through market research, customer interviews, and assumption mapping, prototype ideation, I used the MSCW and T-shirt method for features prioritization, created user stories. * Research: Through online market research and having had conversations with potential customers, it seems that the market in Nigeria is limited, so I would recommend going for a test market to be sure of the full acceptability of the product by the larger market. This will allow Booking.com to test the idea with real users in the market, before investing and spending resources to build a fully developed product. Case Study This case study was carried out as part of EntryLevel’s Product Management Program. For the program, I was tasked to introduce a new online product for Booking.com in Nigeria. Booking.com is an online travel agency that facilitates flights and hotel accommodations worldwide. The new product is a hotel micro stays, which allows customers the flexibility of booking hotels by the hour without staying a full night. The case study reports the product strategy I created, which includes defining and validating customer problems/solutions, prototype ideation, formulating user stories, also determining and prioritizing features to be created. Portfolio Outline TABLE OF CONTENTS • • • • • • • • • • • Professional Background Abstract Case-Study Problem Statement Assumption Mapping – Risk Importance Graph Market Validation User Interview Summary – Key Findings MVP Strategy Priotization and Estimation Effort / Value Map Conclusion Problem Statement PROBLEM FOR [Tourists or anyone looking for temporary housing or lodging for a short period of time] WHO HAS [needs flexibility, affordability, and a convenient location] SOLUTION Hotel Micro-Stay App That is a mobile app developed in collaboration with Booking.com that allows users to search for and book various sorts of temporary accommodations or housing. . UNLIKE [other Hotel Micro-Stay App, my product is unique because it is affordable and convenient]. The app allows users to make reservations, and deliver excellent service. GOAL We’ll know this is true when users prefer using the Hotel Micro-Stay App over other competitors. Assumption Mapping Importance - If we get this wrong, how likely will we fail? (0 – 10) Risk - How much do I really know about this? (0 – 10) 1. Will users want to download and use this App? 6 0 2. The primary users will be in urban areas. 2 6 3. Users will prefer an app-based payment procedure that is both seamless and safe for booking. 4 5 4. The users are comfortable with using technology for booking accommodations. 6 0 5. Users want an app that offers micro-stay booking options. 7 3 6. Users want an app that offers reliable, affordable micro stays without committing to a full day’s rate. 7 3 7. Users want an app with instant booking confirmation for quick decisionmaking. 5 3 Assumptions Prioritising Assumptions Risk Importance Graph Unknown 0 Users want an app with instant booking confirmation for quick decisionmaking. The users are comfortable with using technology for booking accommodations . Will users want to download and use this App? Users will prefer an appbased payment procedure that is both seamless and safe for booking. Users want an app that offers reliable, affordable micro stays without committing to a full day’s rate. Users want an app that offers microstay booking options Not Important 0 10 Important The primary users will be in urban areas X Axis - Importance Y Axis - Risk 10 Known Market Validation Target Market: For users who are awaiting transit or who have a fast paced lifestyle. It might be a daunting process to arrange or search for hotels with micro-stays. Demographics: Users with various income levels, who are between ages 24-65. Geography: The market launch for this product is in Nigeria. TAM can be used worldwide. Growth Rate: According to research online, The global online travel market is valued at USD 475 billion, then the global tourism industry is measured to reach a CAGR of ~3.86% between the year 2023 - 2030. Also, the number of international tourist arrivals worldwide is calculated to be 429 million. Psychographic info: Users who have a fast-paced lifestyle, and want to rest awaiting transit, exploring possibilities to make the most of their time while juggling work and leisure activities. Behaviors: Users who are awaiting transit or who like to travel and use online travel apps. Competitors Hotelsperhour.com, Planetofhotels.com, Agoda.com, Wakanow.com User Interview Summary Questions 1. Can you relate to a recent situation or time in which you needed a short stay for a few hours without staying a full night but couldn’t find one? Interviewee 1 Yes, I needed a few hours for a prayer session with friends but could get airbnb which was a day at the minimum. Interviewee 2 Interviewee 3 Yes, that’s when I lost the key to my house and needed a short stay Yes, my brothers wedding 2. What were your difficulties with this experience you had? First difficult was securing an apartment to accommodate everyone. The second was getting an appropriate checking time besides 12 noon Couldn’t get a place to stay close to the place the wedding was suppose to take place I needed a short stay but couldn’t find one nearest to me or on google map and when I did, it was not conducive nor comfortable 3. What is the objective of your stay, leisure, work, or something else? A short retreat. Wedding A place to escape or relax for a while (leisure) 4. What do you think about the idea of researching and booking micro-stay hotels through a mobile App? A micro-stay hotel or apartment can come in handy when I and my friend need to have private short retreats to bond or have brief community retreats It’ll be fantastic That will be a great idea. An app I can use with my friends 5. Do you have any reservations or concerns about using a new App for micro-stays? The ability to check in as at when due without any friction whatsoever from previous occupants No, I’ll like to see how it works I have a few reservations, it is a want, not a need, google at least shows the nearest hotels but it’s good to have a designated app to show comfortable and affordable short stay 6. If booking.com offered such an App for a short stay would you use it? Yes I would use it as it fits a need I currently have. I’ll give it a trial Yeah Key Findings What key insights did you generate from the interviews 01 Diverse Scenarios for Short Stays: Objectives of Short Stays: Users have reported having needed brief stays in a variety of circumstances, such as for a prayer meeting, to attend a wedding, and in response to unforeseen events like misplacing their keys. These various circumstances demonstrate the wide diversity of requirements for micro stays. The users' list of reasons for short visits includes getaways, weddings, and recreational activities. This demonstrates that micro stays can accommodate needs other than leisure or employment. 02 Interest and Enthusiasm for Micro Stay App: 03 Users have a favourable attitude about the concept of using a mobile app to browse and reserve micro-stay hotels. They recognize the significance of having a platform specifically designed for locating acceptable short-term lodging for socializing, leisure, and community events. Reservations and Concerns: 04 Users express worries about the hassle of arriving at the proper time without encountering any problems from prior occupants, and some reluctance given that neighboring hotels are already displayed on existing sites like Google Maps. However, they also value the idea of a special app for convenient and inexpensive overnight stays. These findings highlight the need for a specialized micro stay app that tackles the issues users encountered, gives comfortable options, and provides a streamlined booking experience for a variety of purposes, ranging from private retreats to event attendance. Minimum Viable Prototype Assumptions Success Criteria 1. Users want an app that offers micro-stay booking 60% of respondents should validate this options. 2. Users will prefer an app-based payment procedure that is both seamless and safe for booking. 70% of respondents should validate this 3. Users want an app that offers reliable, affordable 70% of respondents should validate this micro-stays without committing to a full day’s rate. Prototype Strategy I figured it would be better to take advantage of the already existing Booking.com product and use a landing page prototype. Which introduces the micro stay feature with a video. Finding Users 1. Through online groups, and forums related to travel and accommodation. 2. Another method is running pop-up ads about the microstay feature using the Booking.com platform, other ads can be via Google, Facebook, or Instagram. Affinity Map Search for Micro-stays. I want good micro-stay services. I want to be able to search for micro-stays around me. I want a micro-stay close to my business meetings. As a user, I want to know the amenities or services available in micro-stay hotels. As a traveler, I want to be able to search for varieties microstay options when I travel. As a user, I want recommendations for micro-stays when I need them. As a user, I want to compare varieties of micro-stay options, to make quick bookings. I want easy payments options. I want to be able to edit my reservation. As a user, I want different seamless payment options that are easy for me. Users want to be able to change or edit reservations easily., in case of changes in plans Feature Map User Needs Features I want to be able to search for micro-stay hotels around me. • A Search function (locationbased search). • Personalised recommendations. • Flexible easy bookings. I want good micro-stay services. I want easy payment options. • Show hotel amenities and services function. • Multiple Payment options. • • Secure Payment Platform. Proof of verifications of micro stays. • Accept different currencies. I want to be able to edit my reservation. • Easy Edit tools. • Set reminders/ Notifications. MSCW Framework On Features Goal: Online Micro-Stay Platform For Booking.com Must Could Features that are necessary for users to book micro-stays. Features that could serve a slightly important role but are not very important. Should Won’t Features that add good value to the product. Features that are not needed for this product at this time but could be reconsidered in the future. MSCW Framework on Features User Needs Features Search for Microstays. • A Search function (location-based search). • Personalised recommendations • Flexible easy bookings. I want good microstay services. I want easy payments options. • Show hotel amenities and services function. • Multiple Payment options. • • Secure Payment Platform. Proof of verifications of micro stays. • Accept different currencies. I want to be able to edit my reservation. • Easy Edit tools. • Set reminders/ Notifications. Must Features that are necessary for users to book micro-stays. Should Features that add good value to the product. Could Features that could serve a slightly important role but are not very important. Won’t Features that are not needed for this product at this time but could be reconsidered in the future. mnn T Shirt Effort Estimation SIZE FEATURES S • Easy Edit tools. • Show hotel amenities and services function. • Set reminders/ Notifications. M • Secure Payment Platform. • Accept different currencies. • A Search function (location-based search). • Multiple Payment options. L • Flexible easy bookings. • Personalised recommendations • Proof of verifications of micro stays. Effort Value Map MVP Features Value vs. Effort Map High Value A Search function (location-based search). Show hotel amenities and services function. Personalised recommenda tions Secure Payment Platform. Easy Edit tools. Multiple Payment options. Flexible easy bookings. Proof of verification s of micro stays. Low Effort High Effort Accept different currencies. Set reminders/ Notificatio ns. X Axis – Value Y Axis - Effort Low Value Users Stories A Search Function As a [Music Director and producer], I want to [be able to search for short stays close to the location of my production.], So I can [ easily book short stays for my crew members during production] Show Hotel Amenities and Service Function As a [Traveller], I want to [easily find a short stay with good amenities and services], So I can [conveniently relax and freshen up before my meeting. ] Easy Edit Tools As a [Traveller ], I want to [be able to edit my booking reservations ], So I can [easily make changes before I decide to travel.] Secure Payment Platform As a [Traveller ], I want to [be able to make secure and seamless payment transaction], So I can [easily book a short stay without being scammed and less stressful payment process.] Multiple Payment Options As a [Business Traveller], I want to [to be able to have multiple payment options], So I can [easily choose the options that are convenient for me to make payments. ] Conclusion Through online market research and having had conversations with potential customers, it seems that the market in Nigeria is limited, so I would recommend going for a test market to be sure of the full acceptability of the product by the larger market. This will allow Booking.com to test the idea with real users in the market, before investing and spending resources to build a fully developed product. Through a detailed process of validating this new product carefully with market research and customer research, we will be able to save time, and resources, and create products that the Nigerian market needs. Also through user stories and value/effort maps, it ensures the team creates and prioritizes features based on the most effective the product total can provide. This plan is essential to create a good foundation for the team and effective execution of the product. Thank You