Application Design

Marlon Mutlu, Jonas Wienberg, Philipp Maginot

My role - Research, UX Concept & Prototyping, Visual Design, Design System, Quality Assurance

KonradAI - Simplifying your German visa application

KonradAI guides international applicants through the complex visa application process at German foreign missions, making the procedure easier and more understandable. Scheduling visa appointments is a major challenge for many applicants, as the process is often confusing, time-consuming, and marked by limited availability. We have addressed this issue and developed a extension-based solution that simplifies the booking process.

Challenges

Applying for a German visa is often frustrating due to poor usability and structural inefficiencies. The platform overwhelms users with unstructured text, making it difficult to find relevant information. There is no filtering, personalization, or mobile optimization. The appointment system is unreliable, offering only a four-week booking window that is often full, with no waiting list or notifications for open slots. Navigation is confusing, with excessive redirects and inconsistent button placement, leading users in circles. To improve this experience, we developed "How might we" questions to explore solutions that support users before, during, and after the process.

Overwhelming page of appointment system

Our value proposition canvas

Research

In addition to developing value proposition canvas and researching our target group, we analyzed the different visa types and the application process for our South African persona. We examined the various websites that applicants must navigate—often risking getting lost in an endless loop of information. One major pain point is that Schengen visas (up to 90 days) are not processed by the German state itself but by an external service provider handling applications for multiple countries. Since our project could not focus on this area, we shifted to national visas. During our research, we encountered numerous internal processes that were neither transparent nor accessible. Furthermore, the official website is highly complex, so we had to narrow our scope to a specific use case.

User and Screen flow

We initially developed a comprehensive user flow to determine where our product could best support the user. In the subsequent ideation phase, we sketched initial ideas, analyzed their pros and cons, and derived the screen flow from that. This begins with registration, followed by the selection of the country and the length of stay. A chat wireframe guides the users through the process up to the appointment booking. During this phase, we also explored different options, such as an integrated central hub or Chrome extensions, ultimately deciding on the extension. Additionally, we considered how we could leverage AI and other technologies to enhance the user experience. The screen flow was essential for designing the final layout and helped us optimize user navigation and interaction in a targeted way.

Screen flow

Design system components and color palette

Design system

We decided on a primary color that serves as the central design element throughout the product. We also incorporated various shades of white and gray to represent text and background in different elevations. Additionally, we have thoroughly checked all design elements for accessibility to ensure they are barrier-free and user-friendly. For the font, we chose DM Sans and set the font sizes. Also we worked with generous spacing and rounded corners to create a modern, readable aesthetic. All design elements are structured in 8-pixel increments to ensure consistency and harmony. We also designed a logo and customized icons and components from the UI Kit Gridstudio, developing a tailored and functional design.

Final product

KonradAI simplifies the visa appointment process by skipping unnecessary pages and directly redirecting users to the correct visa page for booking an appointment. The process begins with a simple registration, where users provide their name and email. By agreeing to the terms and privacy policy, data security is ensured. To find the right visa, the plugin asks for the user's country of origin, destination, and planned stay, guiding them to the correct option. All entered information is summarized and can be reviewed and adjusted before final confirmation. Additionally, the integrated AI chatbot, Konrad, offers personalized assistance by searching for available appointments, making the booking process more efficient and transparent. Since Chrome extensions do not work on smartphones, an app version of KonradAI is also available, ensuring users can access the service on any device.