2019-2021
Problem Framing
The kiosk infrastructure at Alaska Airlines was expensive to maintain, limited in flexibility, and slow to evolve due to heavy technical constraints. When the vendor announced end-of-life support, the platform shifted from a costly burden to a serious long-term risk for the business.
Overview
Alaska Airlines made the strategic decision to move away from their legacy kiosks and find a replacement that would improve the guest experience and lobby throughput.
Approach
How might we leverage a burning platform in conjunction with mobile growth, to increase self-bag tag, reduce the dependency on full-service, and increase lobby throughput?
Team
This effort was a cross-Airgroup initiative that included multiple organizations and teams. I spearheaded the design of the iPadOS App while my design partner (Lanna Liu) led on the hardware/human factors side.
Project Timeline
Workshops
The goal was to generate a shared understanding (across Alaska Air Group) of the vision for future in-airport experience; collaborate, plan, and execute on infrastructure needed to accomplish future state.
Solution statement
To create ease for our guests and provide a fast lobby experience, guests will be able to use their mobile device to quickly print bag tags and move through their journey.
Concierge Service Model
Our team met with Apple on multiple occasions to understand their concierge service model and how they operate their retail stores. This ultimately led the vision Alaska Airlines holds today for future lobbies across the network.
Overview
The decision was made to partner with Apple and use iPads as a hardware replacement for the existing NCR Kiosks. This is was a multi-variate challenge. Areas of focus were the hardware, human factors, digital product design and how ties together from service design standpoint.
Initial MVP UX
& Hardware Orientation
Using decision trees, I explored different models to prototype. Hardware orientation was something we constantly re-evaluated based on different UX models
Attract Screen Concepts
Attract Screen
The lobby tablet is our front door. This first screen should spark curiosity and feel like an invitation—pulling the traveler in while clearly showing how to begin.
Itenerary Concepts
Orientation Testing
We had a table in the center room to test both orientation and accessiblity. I also tested prototypes on my desk (3rd photograph)
Prorotype Screens
Research Overview
Once we all aligned on a testable UX and orientation, we partnered with User Research International to facilitate usability and concept sessions at their facility.
Below is a video of the entire loby tablet assembly we used for testing.
Inviting everyone to be
a part of the research
Here I am hosting viewing parties for everyone to watch usability and human factors testing. Parties included pizza and sparkling water.
Results
Finalizing experience design
Design system + branding collaboration and execution
Design QA - pairing with engineering
Final UX/UI
The video below demonstrates the fast and intuitive experience of the Alaska mobile app <> bag tag station working together to print bag tags.
Learnings & Next Steps
Increased speed and effectiveness to implement releases - from 10 per year to (was tracking) 10 per quarter
Need to increase eligibility (upstream and product eligibility)
Improve product awareness
Reduced hardware cost by 60% (anticipated to increase at scale) — from $15k/unit to $9k/unit
Delivered product that decouples business rules to unlock step in phased future lobby vision
CSAT and usability metric goals being met, and qualitative feedback aligns to product intent — ease, intuitive, fast
Growth & Expansion
The program and product has continued to make improvements and has expanded to several other airports with future expansion throughout the Alaska Airlines airport network.
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