Designing for a more Intuitive and Accessible Booking System
Context
Focusing on enhancing Southwest’s brand identity using market and user research to identify challenges in existing brand strategies. Generated concepts based on market research, created new logo marks and brand identity. Goal of growing a loyal consumer base by strategically designing for target users, Researched users to generate mobile interfaces that direct users through tasks. User research aided in creating high-level prototypes,enhancing usability throughout the mobile app’s booking process.
The Problem
Design a brand identity that embodies the company’s values and customer expectations. Create a booking process within the mobile app that uses structured way-finding to help users navigate to find specific flights while highlighting best prices. User experience should help make decisions and direct users to lowest priced flights first. Reducing information overload by eliminating non direct flights to accommodate for the brand's point to point travel mindset.
My Roles
Conducted user research to identify target users, user stories, and user personas used to generate user tasks and site map.
Created paper wire framing based on UX research and developed paper wireframes into lo-fi digital prototypes.
Based on brand identity created UI design and Hi-Fidelity Prototypes
Initial Ideation & Research
Value seeking Leisure Travelers – Young travelers, Frequent Flyers (Loyal Customers), Holiday Makers. Looking for low-cost flights with hassle-free booking in the convenience of the mobile app.
As a frequent flier I want to get the list of flights and their rates so that I can select the desired flight after a search of available flights.
As a leisure traveler I want to search for flights providing location and dates so I can obtain information about rates and times of flight.
As a family traveler I want to start a search for flight options for a specific location and dates, so I can compare different flights and prices.
Cardsorting was used to generate different user tasks. The most common tasks involve booking a flight, inputting criteria, looking at account information. Development of user tasks aided in the creation of the sitemap.
Therefore my goal is to find a solution to improve site way-finding throughout the booking process. To increase usability and encourage people to become loyal customers.
These are the high level findings I took away from my research.
Customers want to be directed towards booking a flight so they can enter their criteria and look through available flights. Most important aspect of an airline app is being able to check flight availability to assess if the flight works for the customer’s plans.
Customers want to go back quickly throughout the booking process to compare different airports and dates to see which works best for them. Having access to go back and compare different flight criteria is essential for planning a trip and can become a tedious endeavor if the usability does not allow for comparison.
Site Map
Paper Wire-framing
Lo- Fidelity Prototyping
Target Users
Users Stories
User Personas
User Tasks
Mobile App User Tasks
• Login into existing southwest frequent flier account
• Use homepage to navigate to book a flight
• Input Flight criteria : passengers, airports, and dates
• View flights based on criteria
• Completed checkout process for booking a flight
Possible Solution
The user experience helps people make decisions and direct them to lowest priced flights first. Reducing information overload by creating step by step booking pages and eliminating non direct flights from initial list to accommodate for brands point to point travel mindset.
Increase visual appearance of wayfinding indicators making it easier to change search credentials without having to start over. Directing users to their desired destinations and indicating to users where they are in the booking process.