AirWay
Individual Project,
My Role
Duration
User Research, Wireframing, Prototyping, Designing, Usability Testing
October 2022 - December 2022
There’s no wrong way with AirWay
Project Overview
The Problem
Have you ever rushed to the airport only to find overcrowded security checkpoints and a difficult-to-find check-in gate? Or do you seem lost and find yourself circling around the same places repeatedly?
This is the central problem that the app “AirWay” tries to solve.
The Goal
Provide security checkpoint wait times so a user knows when to leave
Provide an interactive map as a wayfinding tool in the airport
Provide a one-stop solution to users for their flight and airport details
Design Process
I followed the User Centered Design process starting with User Research to be the primary guide for me to better understand the needs of my target audience, enhancing their experience. After writing the problem statement, I brainstormed and designed a solution. I then tested my design with users, performed usability tests, and accordingly made changes to my interactive design until it satisfied the conditions and purpose.
Empathize
User Research
The key to designing my project was to research the behavior, needs, and motivation of my users and gather feedback about their perspectives, and how they felt about navigating in and around an airport.
After conducting various interviews, I could map the information I gathered in the form of an Empathy Map.
This helped me understand what the users were having difficulties with and what were they looking for.
Define
Pain Points
Based on my understanding, I then established the Pain Points of my target users.
01
New to the airport and does not know the way around resulting in multiple trips
02
Delay in reaching the airport and needs to rush to the destination gate
03
Does not know the wait times at the security checkpoints, and restaurants
Persona
The information I acquired through the Empathy Map helped me in charting a generic persona.
John Doe: A museum curator seeking a helpful and efficient wayfinding app through the airport so he never misses or has to worry about his flights.
Ideate
Mind Mapping
I took a deep-dive into the problems the users were facing and the probable solution that I had thought of, and created a mind-map to check if the solution aligned with the problems.
Design
Low-Fidelity
After I was satisfied with the solution outline charted out in the mind map, the first step I took towards designing was to sketch the app flow on paper (lo-fidelity) to get a rough idea of how I would want my user to progress through the mobile app.
Over the course of a week, the low-fidelity sketches turned into Balsamiq wireframes.
High-Fidelity
And then finally turned low-fidelity into a high-fidelity interactive prototype with certain tweaks to the design.
Test
Iteration Modifications
In order to evaluate the app's functionality and flow, the prototype was tested by multiple users.
I used multiple screeners, to screen the users who traveled frequently to different places via air, some even with jam-packed schedules.
Sessions were conducted using usertesting.com and each session lasted for 20-30 minutes.
This was the summary of the feedback I received.
Finding #1: Reduce “Boarding Pass” to utilize space
Finding #2: To have Express TSA / Clear.me included
I incorporated the feedback provided to me as it appeared to highlight points that users would find useful.
Old Design
New updated Design
Summary of Features
One-Tap Scan
For all your flight details, including TSA pre-check
Interactive Security Checkpoint wait time chart
Along with Map and Live view for easier navigation
An “Explore” Feed
To add stops and optimize your route to your gate
Going Forward
For the future, I plan on including two very significant features to benefit my users.
Allow users to navigate to their car parking spot in the Airport parking lot
Allow users to save maps offline in the Airport
Reflection
Gone are the days of uncertainty and long waits. Gone are the days of finding ways in a complex maze of terminals, gates and amenities. With Airway, I set out to revolutionize the airport experience by providing the travelers with a seamless wayfinding tool and real-time updates.
As I reflect on the development of this app, incorporating user insights and suggestions allowed me to refine AirWay and make it more tailored to the needs of the travelers. This iterative approach has been invaluable in shaping the app’s design and functionality. The only worry I have till date is on how to work with the TSA or how to get access to reflect the real wait times. I believe it is difficult, but not impossible to do so.
As I look ahead, I am excited to continue enhancing AirWay’s features and developing it so that it reaches airports globally. By leveraging technology to provide valuable insights and ease the travel process, AirWay would hope to empower travelers and redefine the way we navigate the airports.
