Designing with Data in Q1: Testing Toward Better Guest Experiences
Q1 2025 saw a high volume of experiments across Hilton’s digital platforms, exploring accessibility, booking flows, loyalty, and more. The results revealed what resonates with guests, surfaced new opportunities, and drove meaningful improvements across key user journeys.
MY ROLE
In collaboration with our product and research teams, I helped shape the operational model that supports Hilton’s experimentation program. I hired and coached the team, integrated research and data into design decisions, and worked to socialize the value of testing across the organization.
THE TEAM
From Hypotheses to Impact
Building on years of iterative learning, Hilton’s digital experimentation program scaled in Q1 to reach more guest touchpoints and drive broader alignment across teams. Cross-functional partners launched dozens of experiments focused on site performance, guest experience, and commercial impact. While each test addressed a specific product hypothesis, together they reflected a maturing experimentation culture, moving beyond isolated optimizations toward coordinated insights that inform enterprise priorities.
Insights from Guests Shaping Our Approach
These experiments weren’t random. Our Q1 roadmap was grounded in analytics, qualitative insights, and input from product, brand, and marketing teams. Several consistent themes emerged: guests want simpler navigation, loyalty members respond to visible progress and rewards, and even small UI shifts can drive meaningful behavior change.
We prioritized test candidates based on user need, potential business impact, and feasibility within our agile cycles.
Iterate, Learn, Refine
The breadth of experiments in Q1 allowed us to test assumptions across key user journeys. We launched, measured, and refined, gaining critical feedback on what moves the needle.
Highlights include a 194 percent increase in accessible room bookings after revising the filter logic, and a 17.3 percent lift in revenue per visitor on Japanese-language pages after repositioning key dining content. Other experiments, like redesigned calendar modals and new mobile flows, revealed friction or underperformance. These helped us avoid costly rollouts and sharpen our hypotheses for the next cycle.
Scaling What Works Across the Business
Our Q1 testing program had a measurable impact across Hilton’s digital ecosystem, influencing key metrics from conversion to engagement. These learnings directly shaped 2025 roadmap priorities and informed cross-functional strategies, particularly in areas like loyalty and international guest personalization.
More importantly, the work reinforced experimentation as a strategic advantage. It helped Hilton move faster, reduce risk, and deliver smarter, more relevant guest experiences at scale.