BALANGAY: Navigating Innovation Through Design Thinking Approach for a Boat Reservation and Booking System

A system for boat reservations and booking is pivotal for monitoring passengers, boat capacities, and cargo limits, effectively aiding in overbooking prevention and cargo tracking. Developed through an iterative approach facilitated by the Design Thinking Process, it ensures a user-centric UI/UX design. The process encompasses five phases: empathizing, defining, ideating, prototyping, and testing. In the empathizing phase, extensive research and interviews were conducted to gain insights into users’ main challenges and requirements. A designed and developed mock-up of a mobile application that would aid tourists and passengers in making boat reservations was presented. The UI addresses the identified pain points and offers innovative solutions for the visualization and design of the mobile application, enhancing the overall experience. It plays a significant role in tourism advancement and improving the travel experience for all stakeholders involved. The study showcases cargo and passenger tracking. The application’s user interface components were tested for usability, revealing that 90% of its features were user-friendly and clear. Employing a user-centered approach, the “Balangay” application successfully meets users’ needs, providing an efficient, transparent platform for boat reservations while ensuring maritime safety.