INDIVIDUAL PROJECT
TravelPal: Airport Digital Experience
OVERVIEW
Background
I had the chance to engage in a collaborative design challenge with Edenspiekermann design agency focused on reinventing the airline travel experience. Travel Pal is a tablet-specific app designed for Star Alliance. This project introduces an innovative approach to enhance travelers' experiences during extended layovers at airports. With an in-app guide available for assistance, a system for alerts and updates, and a luggage tracking feature, Travel Pal aims to elevate and streamline the overall travel experience.
The Challenge
Layovers during flights can be a significant inconvenience. How can we enhance and make this experience more seamless and enjoyable for customers?
DURATION
6 Weeks Design Challenge
MY ROLE
User Research
Experience Design
Prototype
TOOLS USED
Figma
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Xd
Miro
Project Goals
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Reduce traveler stress and frustration by providing clear and easily accessible information about layover amenities, flight statuses, and airport services.
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Enhance customer awareness and navigation within the terminal.
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Optimize the efficiency of travel processes by integrating features such as digital boarding passes, seamless baggage tracking, and streamlined check-in procedures.
Design Process
To address the challenge at hand, I structured my design process into five detailed steps.
Research
Solution
Ideate
Design
Test
Competitive research and user research / CJM.
The outcome derived from research, including a UJM.
Branding and initial sketches of direction.
UI development of the product, including low & high fi wires.
Create a prototype and collect feedback.
RESEARCH
Market Analysis
I began by conducting an analysis of Star Alliance member airlines, examining their current apps and websites to gather data on available amenities, services, distinctive features, and potential issues.
What did I discover?
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All airlines differ in amenities and services they offer on flight and at the airport.
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Some airlines have great customer service ratings and rank high in on flight experience, however, some also exhibit poor discoverability issues.
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There are ten airlines that offer loyalty program benefits.
⬇️ Using a Miro, I created a mind map to explore challenges and potential solutions for airport travel and idle time.
User Reseach
I conducted user research by surveying 20 participants online, gathering valuable data. Subsequently, I utilized this data to craft a user persona, providing insights into the needs, motivations, and pain points of the targeted travelers.
These were my focus questions ⬇️
1. How do you cope with stress?
2. Do you find yourself getting lost in airports?
3. What are you most stressed about when flying?
4. How do you occupy your time during a long layover?
Let's take a look at the results
Based on my survey research data I discovered three main pain points: fear of getting lost at large airports, afraid of being late or missing their flight, and frustrations from lost luggage or checked-in bags.
The #1 concern is getting lost in the airport.
During a long layover most people
prefer to explore the airport.
All people surveyed reported that they fly economy class.
80% of people reported that they would find a virtual assistant in an airport app helpful.
Majority of people reported that they are most stressed about missing their flight or being late
due to long lines.
Now, Let's Define the User...
After collecting data from user research, I created a user persona with a supporting case scenario.
TROY JANSON
BIO
Troy, a web developer, prioritizes neatness and organization, planning meticulously to avoid unforeseen issues. He also experiences pre-trip anxiety, particularly before heading to the airport.
GOALS
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Be time efficient.
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Prepare ahead.
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Check in before arrival.
USE CASE
Part 1: As he awaits his initial flight, Troy verifies the status of his checked luggage to ensure everything is in order.
Part 2: Throughout his layover, Troy utilizes the Virtual Assistant feature to locate nearby vegan restaurants. As boarding time approaches, he receives an alert prompting him to proceed to his gate, along with directions for easy navigation.
35
Web Developer
Careful Planner
Travels with iPad
FRUSTRATIONS
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Big and confusing airports.
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Long TSA lines.
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Hard to find help booth at airport.
To develop features that would satisfy the user...
Based off of the main pain-points, I created an economy class user journey map exploring possible solutions and how the user may engage with the app and certain features.
SOLUTION
Final Solution
After thorough research and careful consideration of the primary pain points of travelers, I concluded that the best solution would involve developing an application equipped with three main features:
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In-app guide functionality offers assistance and suggestions to users, addressing travelers' concerns about getting lost or confused at airports.
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Luggage tracking feature which aims to reduce stress related to checked-in or lost luggage.
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Notification and alerts system that notifies travelers of important updates.
Establishing the Foundation
Once the user's needs and solutions were identified, I created a user flowchart to visualize the experience.
IDEATE
Developing the Identity
I developed a concise style guide to establish the groundwork for the app's ultimate design. This guide encompasses the color scheme, button styles, and primary icons, ushering in a revitalized appearance for Star Alliance. The chosen color palette is curated to enhance productivity and infuse a sense of delight into the user experience.
My color selections guided by color psychology principles:
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Shades of blue and black create a sense productivity and sophistication.
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Yellow as the accent color adds a sense of joy to a process many find stressful.
Primary
#2C2C2E
#34363C
#444851
#C4C4C4
#FAFAFA
Accent
#F7CF72
Components
Iconography
DESIGN
Laying the Groundwork
Keeping my research and findings in mind, I began visualizing the product and brainstorming the solutions and features outlined above. Beginning with sketches, I transitioned to crafting low-fidelity wireframes, refining them based on feedback.
I visualized the interface with a dark mode design. Adopting this mode not only helps alleviate eye strain but also improves users' comfort during prolonged usage.
FINAL EXPERIENCE
Introducing TravelPal: Airport Digital Experience
Logging In
Upon opening the app, users are prompted to either scan their boarding pass for quick login or opt for manual login. The scanning feature enhances the user experience by ensuring efficiency in achieving their goal swiftly and streamlines the check-in process.
My Trips
Once scanning their pass, users are directed to the default screen, "My Trips," featuring a left-side navigation bar that will remain consistent throughout all pages. I included a separate tab / page for this to provide users with a centralized location to view all of their upcoming and past trips. Users can access their trip details quickly and easily, allowing them to stay organized and informed about their upcoming travel plans.
Home Dash
This page acts as the central hub, featuring a prominent discover section and frequently accessed quick options, as identified through user interviews. To optimize usability, I meticulously crafted the page with intuitive navigation and streamlined menus, ensuring that users can effortlessly accomplish their tasks without encountering any hurdles. This approach fosters a seamless and efficient user experience, aligning with the primary goal of enhancing user satisfaction and engagement within the application.
Navigating the Airport
Through my research, I identified a primary concern among users: the challenge of navigating large airports. To address this pain point effectively, I developed a streamlined navigation feature. This feature uses dynamic content generation to recommend nearby locations based on user searches, providing swift and straightforward guidance with minimal input to prevent information overload.
Tracking Bags
As research shown, the majority of users find luggage management stressful while flying. Addressing this concern, the Track Luggage feature offers users a simple solution to monitor their luggage status and receive real-time updates and notifications. I designed the tracking interface for quick and intuitive access, enhancing user interaction and alleviating luggage-related stress.
Virtual Assistant
The majority of users expressed interest in having an in-app virtual assistant. To alleviate travel stress and alleviate boredom during long layovers, I developed a user-friendly virtual assistant with streamlined navigation. The main page features only essential information and instructions for completing tasks efficiently, ensuring passengers can easily accomplish their goals without unnecessary confusion. Furthermore, in response to user concerns about missing flights or being late, I implemented overlay alerts to provide timely updates on flight boarding, luggage status, and other important information.
REFLECTION
Final Thoughts and Learnings
This project stemmed from a design challenge presented by Edenspiekermann design agency, which provided an insightful and new experience. The research phase was pivotal in this project as it required a deep understanding of the target audience, their requirements, and motivations. This ensured the creation of an app that not only prioritized efficiency but also user-friendliness, distinguishing it from existing airline apps. The bulk of my efforts were directed towards understanding the product's objectives and the users themselves. This experience significantly enhanced my proficiency in research collection and data application towards the final solution.
An important lesson learned from this project was prioritizing interaction design. I dedicated considerable thought to the selection of features for the app, aiming to establish a detailed yet navigable experience. The goal was to introduce unique functionalities that could assist users in reducing the stress commonly associated with navigating different airports during travel and during prolonged layovers.
