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Redesign

I partnered closely with UX researchers to analyze the testing results, map behavioral failure points, and understand the mental models guests were bringing to the app. The problem wasn't one surface — it was a systemic IA issue that had compounded over time.

From there, I moved through multiple navigation frameworks at low-to-high fidelity, assessing each against the core usability goals: make Trips immediately findable, and make every navigation element self-explanatory without needing exploration.

Cross-functional working sessions with product, engineering, content, and the Design Systems team ensured the solution was both technically feasible and extensible — the new patterns would need to scale beyond this feature and become part of Turo's broader design language.

Follow-up usability tests validated the redesign before launch, confirming both quantitative improvement in task success and qualitative shifts in how guests talked about the app.

Both views show the same Turo car search results page — the moment a guest is deciding whether to book. The only change is the navigation bar at the bottom. Before, tab labels were ambiguous and icons were inconsistent, leaving guests unsure where their trip lived. After the redesign, each icon is immediately self-explanatory and task-oriented.

The redesign required evaluating dozens of icon directions — Search, Trips, Messages, Host, and Profile each went through multiple rounds of exploration. The spec sheet below captures the full progression: initial icon audit, updated Search/Messages/Profile icons, deep Trips icon explorations (from literal roads to abstract motion), and Host icon alternatives tested for clarity with new and experienced hosts alike.