Rakuten Travel global launch

The project

A new platform for international travelers booking Japan

In 2022, Rakuten Travel launched a new platform targeting international travelers booking accommodation in Japan. I joined as one of the lead UX/UI designers, working across web desktop, web mobile, and iOS app on a large cross-functional team.

My two primary contributions: co-leading moderated usability testing across all three platforms before launch, and owning the coupon and promotions redesign end-to-end, from research through to final designs and click-test validation.

The Challenge

Validating for a global audience under a real constraint

With launch approaching, we needed to validate the product met a minimum usability bar for an international audience unfamiliar with Rakuten's ecosystem. We set a SUS target of 70 as the bar for release approval.

One area stood out as a particular risk: the coupon and promotions experience. Rakuten's coupon system is central to its value proposition, but the existing implementation was complex – multiple promotion types, eligibility rules, multi-room scenarios, and payment restrictions all interacting in ways that were hard to follow.

Usability testing

17 users, 3 platforms, one clear problem

We ran moderated usability testing with 17 English-speaking users across all three platforms remotely via Zoom, sessions lasting 30-60 minutes each. No participants were blocked from completing the core booking task. But coupons emerged as the most widespread friction point, with 11 out of 17 users confused by how promotions worked and whether they had been applied:

"I'm not certain what this means, what this is referring to — 'You have additional eligible coupons for $305'."

— Participant 12, Desktop

"Why is it 30% off but the room's cheaper. I'm a little confused."

— Participant 11, Desktop

SUS scores exceeded our target of 70 across all three platforms, clearing the bar for release:

Redesigning the coupon experience

Solving a backend problem through design alone

As sole designer on this workstream, I redesigned how promotions were acquired and applied at two key touchpoints: the hotel details page and Booking Step 1.

Because the backend couldn't change, the entire solution had to come from clarity — better hierarchy, clearer state management, more transparent pricing logic. I designed across multiple states and scenarios — single vs multi-room, none applied vs one vs multiple applied, direct promotions vs coupon codes — iterating from first to final designs on both iOS and web desktop, validated through Figma prototypes and click-tests.

Results

Launched and cleared every target

What I learned

Designing within constraints is often more interesting than designing without them. The coupon backend couldn't change, which meant the entire solution had to come from clarity – better hierarchy, clearer state management, more transparent pricing logic.

Seventeen users, two tasks, thirty minutes each – that was enough to surface every significant issue and prioritise fixes before launch. Fast, focused testing beats elaborate research when you're working against a deadline.