Puffin pilot

A game-changer for travel planning. creating a fun identity and some screens for a travel app. Focus on offline mode, lightness and simplicity!

Role

Designer

Time

2025

Environments

iOS / Android, Figma

Areas

Identity & UX UI

Puffin pilot

A game-changer for travel planning. creating a fun identity and some screens for a travel app. Focus on offline mode, lightness and simplicity!

Role

Designer

Time

2025

Environments

iOS / Android, Figma

Areas

Identity & UX UI

Puffin pilot

A game-changer for travel planning. creating a fun identity and some screens for a travel app. Focus on offline mode, lightness and simplicity!

Role

Designer

Time

2025

Environments

iOS / Android, Figma

Areas

Identity & UX UI

PuffinPilot mockups of the new application
PuffinPilot mockups of the new application

approach

For this project, my client, a .NET developer passionate about the web and travels, wanted to refresh the visual identity of his travel app and explore ideas for a new look for his screens.

The concept was based on the puffin, a bird that symbolizes travel and exploration. He was looking for a logo that felt fun, friendly and stylized.

My client had previously generated a logo using AI but wanted something unique and tailor-made. He had also designed the first version of the app screens himself, but was looking for a fresher, more polished aesthetic.

He reached out to me to redesign the identity and give the interface a creative lift. I designed a new logo, selected a friendly yet structured typeface, and created updated screens he can now use in future versions of the app (which hasn't been published yet).

The keywords that helped me develop this identity were:

Travel

Puffin

Colors

Playful

Convenient

UX / UI design

Traveling is exciting but keeping all your trip information (itineraries, budget, checklists, notes) scattered across multiple apps, documents, and emails quickly becomes overwhelming. Several problems were spotted:

  • Travelers lose access to their data when offline (in low-network areas)

  • They constantly switch between apps for itineraries, expenses, and notes

  • They want a single place where everything is centralized and easy to use

The challenge for PuffinPilot: creating an “offline-first” travel app that brings together planning, budgeting, sharing, and note-taking in a friendly, simple way.

Every screen of PuffinPilot was designed to directly address the pain points :

  • Offline mode is core, users must access their data anytime.

  • The interface had to remain light and intuitive, so travelers don’t get lost in complex menus.

Results & learnings

This project reminded me of the importance of designing for offline usage from the start; especially for travel apps.
If I had more time, I’d conduct usability tests with real travelers to validate flows, prioritize the roadmap (e.g. map integration, expense sharing), and iterate accordingly. The reviews of users (travelers) confirm the importance of offline usage.