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Launching in-app booking from scratch
Yandex Maps
Previously, users could book services in Yandex Maps only via external integrations – ad widgets and deep links with no consistency or feedback loop. The product couldn’t track or influence what happened after a click.
Michael led the design of the first native booking flow in Maps. It was simple, stable under scale, and worked across multiple CRM setups. In its first year, it enabled over 10,000 bookings. Over the next three years, volume tripled.
After launch, he iterated on real-world data: simplified the flow, supported different entry paths, and introduced booking history to support feedback. This resulted in a closed-loop experience and a new channel for organic promotion based on actual usage patterns.
Product
Yandex Maps is a widely used b2c application in the CIS region, primarily in Russia. It serves as a daily tool for location search, reviews, and navigation, often acting as the first step in a user’s decision-making process for restaurants, shops, services, and events.
Product video by Stereotactic. Michael was not involved in production.
In 2021, Yandex Maps offered no native support for bookings. For service-based businesses such as salons and clinics, users had to complete bookings through external sites or embedded widgets. These fragmented interfaces disrupted the user flow, and the product had no visibility into what happened after users exited the app.
The goal was to integrate booking directly into Maps as a natural part of the experience. The team needed a solution that was lightweight, scalable, and adaptable across multiple service categories.
What he did
Michael led the design effort from concept to launch, focusing on a native booking flow that could integrate with existing CRMs, operate reliably on mobile, and scale across service categories.
He delivered the MVP with support for three major CRMs and a mobile-first interface designed to handle incomplete or inconsistent data. The flow guided users through each step – from service selection to time confirmation – while remaining flexible enough to support future verticals.
Following the launch, he led a series of UX refinements based on user interviews and behavioral data. These improvements targeted real friction points and were shaped by how users actually interacted with the flow.
After the MVP went live, Michael worked with a UX researcher and product manager to run regular user interviews. The team identified pain points and made several key improvements:
Optional login
The initial MVP required users to log in with a Yandex account, which created friction early in the flow. Based on usage data and user feedback, Michael and the PM decided to make login optional while clearly communicating its benefits, such as auto-fill and saved history.
After the change, 80% of users still chose to log in. Those who did showed significantly higher retention, confirming the value of the feature without forcing it.
Before. Booking required a Yandex account, which caused drop-off
After. Users can book with or without logging in
Flexible entry points
The initial booking flow required users to start by selecting a service. However, interviews revealed that many users – particularly returning ones – preferred to begin with a specific staff member.
Michael redesigned the entry point to support both paths: users could start by choosing either a service or a staff member. This adjustment aligned the flow more closely with user behavior and reduced booking time by 5%. Repeat bookings within the product increased by 10%, and the updated screen made it easier for returning users to access previous selections.
Before. A fixed flow: the user must choose a service first, then staff, then time
After. A flexible flow: users can start with either staff or services
Short-term scheduling
User interviews revealed that most bookings were made just a few days in advance, typically within the same week. In response, Michael redesigned the scheduling flow by merging the separate date and time screens and prioritizing near-term options in the layout. This change reduced booking time by 15%.
To support users who tracked appointments in personal calendars, he also introduced a lightweight calendar export option. While not central to the flow, it addressed a common behavior with minimal friction.
Before. Calendar-first layout: users pick a date from the full-month calendar
After. Date-strip layout: users scroll through upcoming days
Verifying the outcome
The product had no visibility into whether booked appointments were completed. Michael hypothesized that users would return to their booking if something went wrong, and added a lightweight feedback form to the booking history screen.
While the initial goal was to identify failed appointments, most responses were positive. He then repurposed the form to collect public-facing reviews from confirmed visits — enabling the product to generate verified user content and strengthen trust in service listings.
Before. Used to collect private feedback on completed appointments — later replaced
After. Now collects public reviews from verified visits
Result
The booking flow became an integrated part of the user journey, allowing users to discover a business, book a service, and navigate to the location – all within Yandex Maps. The interface remained consistent across different CRMs, and businesses gained visibility into bookings made through the platform. This created a foundation for future capabilities such as analytics, service quality tracking, and monetization.
Outcomes
Volume. 10,000 bookings in the first year
Continued to grow during the support phase – tripled over three years
Retention. 80% of bookings from returning users
People trusted the flow enough to come back
Scalability. Flow adapted to healthcare and auto services
Same flow, minimal adaptation
Trust. A new source of UGC
Organic reviews collected from booking history
"I recommend Michael for his contributions as a designer. He played a key role in creating the service, showcasing not only his creativity but also his efficiency in delivering his work on time."
– Olga Kirgizova, Product Manager
"One of Michael's greatest strengths is his ability to advocate for user feedback, ensuring that the end-users' needs and preferences are taken into account when designing new products, as well as stakeholders' requests."
– Olga Sonina, UX Researcher
Learnings
The project showed strong early results, but also revealed opportunities for further growth that remained untapped. Several areas stood out as promising directions for future development:
Stronger service representation
CRM data was largely text-based, which limited how services were visually represented. Introducing a dedicated screen with large visuals and full descriptions could have improved clarity and increased user engagement.
As is. List view focused on multi-selection
Could be. Updated list with visual emphasis and service details
Highlighting verified reviews
Although feedback was collected from confirmed bookings, the product didn’t emphasize that distinction. Clearly marking verified reviews could have reinforced trust and strengthened the overall experience.
Leveraging advanced features
Many CRMs supported additional functionality, such as promotions, portfolios, or alternative entry flows (e.g. selecting a date first). Incorporating these features could have added value for users and businesses alike, without significantly increasing interface complexity.
Exploring monetization
The booking flow created clear transactional value, opening up potential monetization paths – from small commissions to CRM partnerships. Given that users in the Russian market are familiar with prepayment, this could have been tested with relatively low risk.
Together, these areas pointed to clear ways the product could have evolved – both to improve the user experience and to create new business opportunities.