Background & Problem
Alaska Airlines' kiosk hardware and software were developed by a third-party vendor (NCR), presenting several significant challenges:
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High Costs: The proprietary hardware and software came with significant expenses.
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Limited Control: Alaska Airlines lacked ownership of core business rules and functionality, restricting flexibility and integration within our broader ecosystem.
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Slow & Constrained Development: Technical limitations and reliance on the vendor led to lengthy, complex development processes.
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End of OS Support: The operating system neared the end of its lifecycle, increasing security and maintenance risks.
The Opportunity
Reinvent the product and guest experience, addressing current challenges and foreseeing future possibilities.
Overview of work
It took nearly two years to launch the product pilot, accounting for the extended lead and development times required for hardware.
Below is an overview of the steps and process for research and design.
01
May 2019 - August 2019
Future Lobby Experience Workshops
I designed and facilitated a series of four cross-organizational workshops. This enabled stakeholders across the org to come together and gain a shared understanding of the vision for the future in-airport experience. Later allowing the org to collaborate, plan, and execute on the infrastructure needed to accomplish the future state.
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?
North Star
To create ease for our guests, by providing them an intuitive and fast lobby experience.
Guests will be able to use their mobile device to quickly print bag tags and move through their journey.
02
September 2019 - July 2020
Research & Product Discovery
Software
I supported product designer(s), UI designer, UX writer, and UX researcher on numerous activities including:
Observational research (relevant to hardware too)
Concepting flows
Prototype creation
Evaluative research (with User Research International Inc.)
Pain points / Insights from Observations
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Sprawling bags in the area
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Bag tags dropping on the floor - so not user friendly or accessible!
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Difficult for agents to reload bag tag paper with bending over and a tight interior
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Time on task was long, at over 2 minutes per session
Hardware
Partnering with Airport Construction Designer and XFN to create the casework design. As part of this, I created prototypes and PoCs to determine the pilot casework setup and design.
Evaluating and assessing the hardware, e.g. iPad case, scanner, point of sale device, printer, accessibility device, etc. This involved pressure testing hardware and configurations. This included pressure testing hardware and configurations.
The video below demonstrates the full working prototype that was used for usability testing. I(And...that was the last time I saw my team in 2020 😢)
03
August 2020 - December 2020
Software & Hardware Product Development
Design & Delivery - Software
Supported product designer, UI designer, UX writer, and broader development team on:
Finalizing experience design
Design system + branding collaboration and execution
Design QA - pairing with engineering
Design & Delivery - All Up
There were A LOT of stakeholders and players involved with this pilot product launch. Close collaboration amongst the Lobby team, Airport & Development, Field Services, Network & Security, Accessibility Consultants, and Policy Procedures was critical.
Key activities included:
Finalizing specifications and standards for build
Design QA - Addressing needed changes prior to launch
Logistics for launch in Boise Airport
04
January 2021 - August 2021
Pilot Launch & Learnings
The pilot launched in January 2021 at Boise International Airport (BOI).
Core team members, including myself were there for set up and troubleshooting during the first few days of the pilot.
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
When I left, the team was tracking feedback and product performance, this included:
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Increased speed and effectiveness to implement releases - from 10 per year to (was tracking) 10 per quarter
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Need to increase eligibility (upstream and product eligibility)
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Improve product awareness
Takeaways & Results (snapshot from when I left)
Pilot deemed a success
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Reduced hardware cost by 60% and anticipated to increase at scale
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Delivered product that decouples business rules to unlock step in phased future lobby vision
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CSAT and usability metric goals being met, and qualitative feedback aligns to product intent – ease, intuitive, and fast
Growth and expansion
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Secured funding for program expansion
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Creation of additional team and reorg within group to best support guest experience and vision (including 2 designers)
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Teams' personal and professional growth – huge sense of accomplishment and knowledge gain
05
September 2021+ (Post-Tenure)
Continued Iteration & Roll Out
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.
