Hawaiian Airlines
Concept Mobile Application Redesign
Timeline
Tools
Scope of project
Overview
Many airline apps face common issues that significantly hinder user experience. These issues create frustration for users, leading to inefficiency and a lack of trust in the app's capabilities.
Opportunity
We have the opportunity to develop an airline app that provides a seamless, efficient, and user-friendly experience, ultimately increasing user satisfaction and loyalty.
Research
After reviewing competitors, I analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of each interface.
I discovered that users want to:
Quickly book airline flights without confusion
Easily track their miles to save on future flights
Use their mobile device as a boarding pass
View departure and arrival times in their local timezone
While creating an app from the ground up would be a lengthy endeavor, I chose to focus on improving the flight booking process within the Hawaiian Airlines app. My aim was to make the booking flow quick and seamless. However, the primary objective of this project was to enhance my interface design skills.
User Flow
A primary function of airline applications is to facilitate flight bookings. After analyzing the booking processes of major US and international carriers, including Delta, JetBlue, United, and Singapore Airlines, I have developed the following flow. Each color in the flow chart represents a distinct screen within the booking process.
Preliminary wireframes
Using the user flow, I began mapping out potential designs for the app. My top priority was to create a design that is not only familiar to users but also elegant and easy to understand for those who are not already acquainted with the flow of airline apps.
Testing and iteration
With the assistance of my college professor, we identified several setbacks in the preliminary design. These include:
An extra step requiring users to input their flight details and then navigate to a confirmation page, rather than taking them directly to the results.
In the current Hawaiian Airlines app, users are instructed to go to the booking tab before searching for flights. I decided to show the booking option directly on the home screen to simplify the process and reduce confusion.
While selecting a seat, there was a lengthy slideshow explaining the restrictions of a basic fare. I chose to incorporate this information into the flight selection process to streamline the experience and save time.
Outcome
I thoroughly enjoyed creating these designs. This project marked one of my first collaborative efforts to implement effective design systems. While there are many aspects I can improve upon and I may revisit this project in the future to create a finished product, the core of this endeavor was focused on interaction design. Throughout the process, I learned the following:
Atomic Design
Atomic design involves combining basic elements, known as atoms, to form molecules, which then create organisms when assembled into a page. By using assets and variants in Figma, I was able to develop a seamless system that incorporated all my iterations. This approach reduced the time needed to edit smaller details and allowed me to concentrate on more critical aspects of the project.
Task Flow Usage
Although I was already familiar with task flows, I realized the importance of leveraging them to stay organized and maintain focus on my ideas. Using the task flow to my advantage helped me manage the design process effectively and prevented me from losing sight of the project's objectives.