Airbnb: know whether a booking request is sent or a stay is confirmed
Airbnb helps travelers find and book accommodation. Some stays can be confirmed immediately, while others need a host response. Knowing which path you are on helps you tell when your plans are settled.
Form your own approach first, then explore the reasoning to check trade-offs and validation you may have missed. There is no single right answer.
Make “request sent” an understandable waiting state
An accommodation app shows “Success” after sending a booking request, so users think they have booked. In fact, the host must respond within 24 hours. Users can withdraw before acceptance, and an unanswered request ends at the deadline.
- Task: Design only the status card shown after submission: write its heading, explanation, deadline display and action labels, and sketch it. Also show how the card changes after the host accepts.
- Deliver and check: Submit both states with an explanation. A reader should be able to answer “Is it booked?”, “Until when do I wait?” and “What can I do now?” The card must not explain or promise a refund timeline.
Explore the reasoning
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Identify what is already true in each state, so one success message does not stand for two different outcomes.
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Put a concrete deadline into the sketch and check that the actions match the state.
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Ask someone to explain the card. Notice whether they mistake submission for confirmation, then adjust the heading or buttons.