UX Case Study

SeaFeast

Sailing Hostesess App

About The Project

SeaFeast is a digital platform designed to support freelance sailing hostesses in managing multi-day sailing trips with ease. 


The goal was to replace fragmented tools like recipe generators, spreadsheets, and handwritten notes with a unified, context-aware app that helps them organize trips, plan meals, and collect guest preferences.

Unlike most multi-user apps, SeaFeast takes a single-primary-user approach: only the hostess downloads and uses the full app. Guests do not onboard or create accounts. Instead, they receive a tokenized link (via WhatsApp or email) that lets them fill out a one-time preference form tied to a specific trip.

This structure simplifies complexity and mirrors real-world behavior, where only the hostess needs powerful tools, while guests just share basic input.

Responsibility

  • UX Research

  • UX Desing

  • User Testing

Tools

  • Figma

  • Zoom

Problem Statement

Sailing hostesses face unique organisational challenges:

  • - Limited storage and cooking space

  • - Dietary restrictions across group members

  • - High expectations from guests

  • - No dedicated tools to collect or manage all this information

Hostesses were stuck cobbling together workflows using WhatsApp, Google Forms, and notes — inefficient and error-prone.
SeaFeast introduces structure by offering a trip-based planning flow that connects guest input, menu planning, and provisioning.

Goals

  • - Create a mobile- first tool tailored specifically for sailing hostesses

  • - Keep the app simple, boat - friendly and offline - aware where possible

  • - Enable planning of meals and provisioning based on real data

  • - Allow hostesses to collect structured guest input without guest onboarding

Design Process

Competitor Analysis

My research uncovered a gap in sailing apps, particularly in ones aiding crew members. While apps like Navily and Navionics serve sailors/skippers with features like anchorages and weather forecasts,  there are no apps providing assistance or tools tailored to the unique responsibilities of hostesses aboard sailing vessels.

Existing apps offer fragmented tools like recipe generation (SuperCook), messaging (WhatsApp, Viber), and money tracking (GoodBudget), but none comprehensively address hostess needs, leading to juggling between multiple apps.

Target Audience

Primary

Freelance or contracted sailing hostesses (new or experienced)

Secondary

Charter companies managing crews

Tertiary

Guests who interact with the platform through shared forms or updates.

User Research

User research aims to comprehend user behaviours, needs, and motivations through observation techniques, task analysis, and various feedback methodologies. My approach involved employing two research methods: qualitative and quantitative analysis. For the qualitative aspect, I conducted interviews with 4 individuals employed as hostesses in Croatia's sailing industry during the summer season. Meanwhile, in the quantitative research, I administered a survey to a sample of xy participants.

Qualitative Research

Interviews

Participants

Four hostesses working in the sailing industry.
Each interview lasting approximately 15-20 minutes.

Interview Questions

Through interviews, my aim was to gain a comprehensive understanding of the hostesses' experiences in the sailing industry and the specific challenges they face in their roles, like meal planning, guest communication, overall organisation etc. Additionally, I wanted to identify any difficulties or inefficiencies they encounter in their current methods of trip management and explore potential areas for improvement to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Lastly, by asking about their typical day or week during a sailing trip and inviting any additional suggestions or experiences they wished to share, I aimed to gather holistic insights that could inform the development of a tailored solution to address the unique needs of hostesses in the sailing industry.

Quantitative Research

Survey Questions

Through interviews, my aim was to gain a comprehensive understanding of the hostesses' experiences in the sailing industry and the specific challenges they face in their roles, like meal planning, guest communication, overall organisation etc. Additionally, I wanted to identify any difficulties or inefficiencies they encounter in their current methods of trip management and explore potential areas for improvement to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Lastly, by asking about their typical day or week during a sailing trip and inviting any additional suggestions or experiences they wished to share, I aimed to gather holistic insights that could inform the development of a tailored solution to address the unique needs of hostesses in the sailing industry.

Poll

I also conducted short poll to gather insights into the desired features for the app, including messaging and photo sharing with guests, updating preference lists, recipe generation, expense tracking, sailing tips and reminders, guest briefing tips, task management with a to-do list, and organised work weeks with access to specific week-related data.

Insights

Through the remote interviews, I gained a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies of their daily and weekly routines, encompassing everything from initial guest contact to provisioning and the sailing trip itself.
Hostesses expressed concerns about the overall feeling of stress during the trip, which encompassed challenges such as sleeping conditions, living with different people, and potential conflicts with the skipper and other crew members.

Through the survey questions, I aimed to gain insights into various aspects of the hostess's role on sailboats or catamarans. This includes understanding their experience level, communication methods with guests, challenges in provisioning and managing guest expectations, current provisioning processes, menu creation methods, and any time-consuming or challenging aspects. Additionally, I sought to explore the potential benefits of interactive planning through a digital platform, the hostess's role in assisting the skipper during sailing tasks, their comfort level with using digital tools, and their perspectives on the integration of technology to enhance efficiency.

Aspects of menu creating and information gathering hostesses find time consuming.

Poll of desired features in the app:

6 out of 6 hostesses

  • expressed desire to update preference list

  • found the features for money and budget tracking, as well as those offering sailing tips and reminders/ assistance to the skipper to be useful.

  • expressed interest in having ability to create a to - do list.

90.9 %

(10 out of 11)

hostesses think that integrating technology would significantly enhance their efficiency.

5 out of 6 hostesses

  • found a recipe generation feature based on filled preference list useful.

  • found the function offering guest briefing tips useful.

These insights revealed a strong demand for digital tools that support better organization and trip management. While communication was initially explored, the final focus centered on features that simplify planning, reduce manual tasks, and help hostesses stay in control of each trip from start to finish.

*These poll results reflect early feedback on feature desirability. While several hostesses expressed interest in communication and photo-sharing tools, I made a conscious decision to focus the MVP on core planning features (preferences, meals, grocery lists, and budgeting). This allowed the app to stay lean, purpose-driven, and avoid overlapping with apps hostesses already use day to day (e.g. WhatsApp).

Pain Points

  • No dedicated tool for sailing hostesses to manage trips

  • Workflow is scattered across apps like WhatsApp & spreadsheets

  • New hostesses lack structure; experienced ones waste time juggling tools

  • Boat life needs a flexible, mobile-friendly system

  • Preferences, meals, and budgets aren’t connected in one place

Solutions

  • All-in-one platform built specifically for freelance hostesses

  • Guest preference form → AI recipe suggestions → Grocery list

  • Tools for to-dos, sailing tips, briefings, and budget tracking

  • Structured, repeatable weekly planning — even offline

  • Saves time, reduces stress, and improves the guest experience

User Persona

Name:

Age, sex:

Education:

Location:

Antonia

24, female

Faculty of Tourism, student

Split, Croatia

Goals:

Antonia, a 24-year-old Tourism Management student, grew up near the coast, fostering her love for sailing. Recently trained as a hostess for sailboats and catamarans, she sees this summer job as a chance to turn her passion into profit. Excited yet nervous, Antonia looks forward to learning and adapting while immersing herself in Croatia's stunning sea.:

Quote:

“Cultivating unforgettable experiences at the sea while delivering exceptional hospitality is more than a job for me. Sailing as a hostess allows me to blend my passion for the sea and adventure with my dedication for creating memorable moments for guests. It’s not just about sailing - it’s about turning trips into lifelong memories! “

Motivations:

-Blending a passion for sailing with meaningful, well-paid work

-Delivering great guest experiences while continuing to grow professionally

-Making the most of the season to enjoy more flexibility year-round

Background:

Antonia is a 24-year-old Tourism Management student from Split, Croatia. Growing up by the coast, she developed a deep love for the sea and adventure. Recently certified as a sailing hostess, she’s about to begin her first season working aboard sailboats and catamarans. While she’s excited by the opportunity to blend hospitality with her passion for the sea, she’s also feeling overwhelmed by the many responsibilities — from guest communication and provisioning to keeping the trip organized in a dynamic environment.

Frustations:

-Managing stress and constant multitasking during trips

-Handling diverse responsibilities while navigating unpredictable situations

User Journey

Persona: Antonia

Goal: To navigate her sailing trips effectively

Information Architecture

Sketches / Low-fidelity Wireframes

Key Features and Flows

High Fidelity Screens

Home Dashboard

The hostess lands on a personalized dashboard after logging in.
It provides quick access to everything she needs to manage her season:

  • Overview of upcoming trips

  • Calendar with working trips

  • Access to saved recipes and (grocery) lists

  • Shortcut to the Quick Meal Ideas tool

  • Reusable Preference List Template

  • Access to Briefing Tips and Sailing Tips

  • To- do List

It’s designed to reduce friction and give her control without needing to dig through menus — whether she’s planning a trip or making a quick meal decision on the spot.

Trip Workspace (My Trips)

SeaFeast is built around the way hostesses actually work — one trip at a time. Each week is treated as its own workspace, containing everything needed for smooth planning:

  • Guests Preferences (submitted via a shared form)

  • Recipes (generated based on a submitted form)

  • Grocery List (based on selected meals + guest requests)

  • Budget Tracker (to manage provisioning spend)

Two ways to generate recipes

SeaFeast includes two recipe generation tools — one for structured trip planning, and one for spontaneous inspiration.

1.Quick Recipe Tool

From the home screen, the hostess can enter ingredients she has on board and get instant AI-powered meal ideas. Filters like “no oven” or “vegetarian” help tailor results.

2.Trip- based Recipe Generator

After guests submit their preferences, the hostess can generate meal suggestions tailored to group size and dietary needs — then select which meals to use in that trip.

Smart Grocery List

After the preference list recipes are generated , a grocery list is generated automatically.
 It includes:

  • All ingredients from selected meals

  • Drink/snack requests from the guest form

  • Editable quantities + manual item additions

Everything is grouped by category (Drinks, Produce, Pantry, etc.) and saved inside the trip.

Calendar View

A monthly visual overview of working weeks and personal tasks.
 Trips appear as color-coded blocks; tapping them jumps directly into the trip workspace.
 Tasks like “buy sunscreen” or “remind skipper” can be added to specific dates.

Budget Tracker

Each trip includes a built-in budget tracker to help hostesses stay financially organized.
They can log expenses by category, track their remaining balance in real-time, and add receipts or notes per purchase.
This lightweight tool gives a clear overview of what's been spent vs. what's left — without needing spreadsheets or separate apps.

Style Guide

Color Palette

Typography

Iconography

Lucide Icons

SeaFeast uses the Lucide icon set, chosen for its clean, 2px-stroke design and pixel-perfect consistency. Built on a 16×16 grid, the icons align perfectly with SeaFeast’s minimalist, mobile-friendly UI and were easily customized to match the app’s color palette.

Illustrations

The illustrations used in the SeaFeast app are based on the AzureLine illustration pack from Pixels Market. Each illustration was carefully adapted and customized to align with the app’s interface, ensuring a consistent tone and seamless integration with the SeaFeast color palette.

I chose a minimal, duo-tone style to avoid visual overload, especially given that the app handles complex functional flows. These soft, lightweight visuals bring character to the interface without competing with content — helping reduce cognitive fatigue for users navigating trip planning under real-world pressure.

Key Takeaways

SeaFeast is a trip planning and provisioning tool built specifically for freelance sailing hostesses. The app replaces fragmented workflows like WhatsApp, spreadsheets, and printed forms with a single, trip-based workspace. From collecting guest preferences and generating AI-based recipes to creating editable grocery lists and tracking expenses, the platform is designed to reflect how hostesses actually work — one trip at a time. A clean interface, simple illustration style, and mobile-first design reduce friction in what is already a demanding work environment. Additional tools like briefing templates, calendar planning, and a quick recipe generator round out the experience, all while keeping guests off the platform to maintain focus and control.

Looking ahead, SeaFeast has the potential to evolve into a full hospitality coordination platform. While Phase 1 is designed for hostesses, future iterations could introduce role-based dashboards for charter companies and trip bookers, job boards for staffing, and even light guest feedback features — without requiring guest accounts. This B2B shift opens doors for monetization through licensing, premium job listings, and partnerships with provisioning services. By staying focused on clarity and user needs, SeaFeast balances simplicity with scalability, offering both immediate value and long-term growth potential.