WAYPOINT
brief
Identify a problem that affects millions of people in the world, and come up with a radical solution to combat those issues.
team
Corey West
Lenora Fernandes
Mrinalini Vodela
Divisha Kotwala
role
UI Design Lead
duration
10 WEEKS
MAR - JUN 2024
the problem
Navigating airports is challenging due to ambiguous directional signage, accessibility barriers, and cognitive/sensory overload.
our solution
Waypoint is a three part re-imagination of the airport experience empowering individuals by guiding them to their points of interest, removing mental and physical stressors and simplifying the travel experience.
check out our vision video
The Process
01
Discover
Team Proposal
Problem Statement
Setting our goals
Determining our Audience
Concept Validation
Ideation
Value Proposition
02
Define
Product Definition
Competitor Analysis
Business Goals
User Research
Concept Validation
Personas
Functionality
Brand ID & UI Style Guide
03
Develop
Mid fidelity Wireframes
User Testing and Iteration
04
Deliver
Final Prototypes
Vision Video
Final Presentation
Process Book
Poster
Website
Lookbook
Executive Summary
discover
Initial Proposal
Target Audience
Navigating airports is challenging due to ambiguous directional signage, accessibility barriers, and cognitive/sensory overload.
Passengers of all ages, first-time travelers, frequent flyers, families, non-native speakers, individuals with travel anxiety or sensory sensitivities and disabilities.
Our Intended Goal
How might we create an unburdened airport experience that is more efficient, accessible, and cohesive for travelers?
concept validation
Airport Service Gaps
Our research revealed that many parents of children on the ASD spectrum find the airport experience daunting.
Navigational Struggles
Research findings highlight widespread frustration among travelers due to unclear and inconsistent signage in airports.
Sensory Stress
Our data suggests that majority of travelers face sensory overload and anxiety in crowded airport walkways.
Survey
We conducted an online survey to validate our concept based on the problem statement.
Overwhelming stimuli in the environment add to a more stressful airport experience.
Difficulty locating amenities, long queues at security checkpoints.
Hearing/Keeping track of announcements, Keeping up with flight updates
60%
Average Stress
75%
Delays due to
foot traffic
66%
Sensory Issues
Ideation
We gathered various data points to ideate solutions to a stressful airport environment
Simple and
Easy Navigation
AR Mapping & Kiosk
Flight Updates & Travel Checklist
Dashboard
Decompression Room and Stress relief
Pod & Stimulating Exercises
Initial Value Proposition
An intuitive Navigation Kiosk and Mobile app that guides users to points of interest, streamlines accessibility, and relieves cognitive/sensory overload for travelers as they navigate the airport.
define
The Problem
Navigating airports is challenging due to ambiguous directional signage, accessibility barriers, and cognitive/sensory overload.
The Disabled
The airport for disabled travelers can feel overwhelming. Hard to find accessibility options don’t help.
The First Time Flyer
Traveling as an inexperienced flyer can be daunting, from the bustling crowds to the confusing directions, and so much more.
The Non-Native Speaker
Traveling to a country where you do not speak the native language can be intimidating, signs can be confusing and directions get ambiguous.
Our Audience
User
Interviews
Research Methods
Cultural
Probe
User Interviews
Passenger
POV
3 Travelers
Employee
POV
3 Staff
User interviews were organized to gain better insights on how we could improve our features and cater them towards our primary audience.
The traveler’s insights helped us the user’s pov whereas the staff’s insights helped us gain an understanding on the airport’s inner workings and available services.
“ In international airports, language barriers are a big challenge for me as a non-native speaker. While many airports offer signage in multiple languages, there are still gaps in communication, especially in less common languages. ”
“Traveling with kids under two is incredibly difficult for me, and airport layouts don't make it any easier. I either have to get to the airport five hours ahead of time, or I end up missing the flight. It's a challenge I battle every single time. ”
“ I find navigating everything alone very overwhelming and I often worry about missing my flight. Additionally, crowded places stress me out, so I prefer quieter environments to stay calm. ”
Traveler Insights
Operations Manager at SAV
“The best thing that neurodivergent or differently-abled people can do when traveling is knowing their rights and options not only as a passenger on an airplane, but a traveler in the airport.”
Airline Assistant at SAV
“Many passengers struggle to articulate their needs to their staff, leading to misunderstanding, delays, and safety concerns in providing the care they need.”
Logistics Operator at SAV
“Assisting travelers with hidden disabilities is especially difficult - it is always the goal to understand how to best help them. I think more needs to be done in the preparation of traveling.”
Staff Insights
Airport
Hidden Disabilities
Data Points
Key Features
SCAD
Unique Experiences
Cultural Probe
Cultural probes were conducted in an airport and a student dormitory to gain insights from different target audiences. These include travelers, staff, and young adults.
These probes helped us gather a significant amount of data points which were necessary to determine the key features included in our app.
Missed Flights
Stress Level
Connection Delays
Foot traffic
TSA delays
Long lines
30
50
30%
30%
22%
28%
22%
26%
45%
16%
We chose our target audience for different scenarios to help guide our design process.
Now that we've identified the problems, we pinpointed gaps in the current market and used these as opportunities for our design.
Direct Competitors
Indirect Competitors
Features
Airport Navigation Map
Route Planning
Foot Traffic Tracking
Accessibility Services
Flight Tracking
Airport Service Information
User Reviews
How does Waypoint intend to address these gaps?
Value Proposition Canvas
Gains
Pains
Gain Creators
Pain Relievers
Products
Customer Jobs
Stress-free navigation through the airport
Direct connection to accessibility services
Reduced sensory stress in overwhelming environments
Increased confidence while navigating through the airport
Direct access to accommodation services
Seamless guidance to points of interests
Empower users to help mitigate sensory overload
Connect users to quiet spaces
Difficulty navigating through the airport
Inconsistent and untimely notifications about flight changes
Lack of knowledge of resources available for accessibility
Language barrier
Sensory stimuli in crowded environments
Long lines at check-in and security points
Virtual travel checklist
Customizable virtual sensory pod and app feature
Resources for neurodivergent travelers
AI Language Translation for signage
Delays and cancelation notifications
AR-assisted way-finding
Real time foot traffic analysis
Maintain focus and attention while at the airport
Familiarize yourself with airport environments, policies and procedures
Know your rights as a traveler
AR navigation that helps with way finding and inform decision-making
“Breathe” - a digital space for users to mitigate sensory overload
A kiosk that assists with AR navigation for all user needs at the airport everywhere
Waypoint Pod: A physical decompression space
Through comprehensive research, we identified our final solution...
introducing...
WAYPOINT
Mobile App
Waypoint Kiosk
Waypoint Pod
Waypoint is a three-part re-imagination of the airport experience. Waypoint empowers individuals by guiding them to their points of interest, removing mental and physical stressors, and simplifying the travel experience.
Dashboard
Personal Trip Details and Progress Tracking Keep track of your journey with personalized trip information and real-time progress updates.
Location-Based Live Updates Receive live updates and notifications based on your current location to stay informed throughout your trip.
Live Transcription of Announcements Access live transcriptions of announcements to ensure you don't miss any important information.
Easy Access to Essential Travel Information Quickly access your boarding pass, check-in details, and various accessibility options in one place.
AR Map
Augmented Reality Visualization Utilize augmented reality to visualize your surroundings and enhance your travel experience.
Intuitive and Adaptive Routes Navigate with ease using intuitive and adaptive route planning tailored to your preferences and current conditions.
Real-Time Foot Traffic Analysis Monitor real-time foot traffic to make informed decisions and avoid crowded areas.
Easy Access to Points of Interest and Amenities Quickly locate and access nearby points of interest and amenities for a more convenient journey.
Waypoint Kiosk A physical extension of our app ensures that everyone can access the facilities.
Breathe
Physical Waypoint Pods Identify and access designated physical decompression spaces to relax and unwind during your journey.
Guided Breathing and Relaxation Exercises Follow guided breathing and relaxation exercises to help reduce stress and maintain calm.
Based on our ideation for the concept and core features of our app we developed our information architecture
Breathe
Mindful Exercises
Boarding Pass
Filters
Search
Gates
Restrooms
Food
Fast Food
Cafes
Restaurants
Specific
Shops
Lost & Found
Transport
Translate
Checklist
Resources
Assistance
Transcription
Recommended
Places
Sensory Activities
Frequency adjustment
for sensory relief
Find a quiet space
Dashboard
AR Map
With our innovative features and services to enhance user experience and accessibility, this is how Waypoint makes its place in the market.
Business Goals & Sucess Metrics
Expand Digital Presence of the App.
Utilize existing airport billboards for effective advertising to help establish a widespread presence.
Increase Physical Presence in Airports
Maximize real estate for waypoint pod installations to increase customer engagement.
Paid Access to Waypoint Pods for a
Premium Stress Free Experience
Ensure high utilization rates of waypoint pods and establish a tiered pricing structure.
App Monetization Plan
Charge airports for integrating AR map navigation since it will increase shop sales and user engagement.
Overall Expansion Strategy
Establish a successful presence in major transit airports to secure positive feedback and move forward to other sectors.
WAYPOINT
The Brand
Typography
Poppins
BOLD
Aa
Satoshi
REGULAR
Aa
Typography example
34 px
24 px
18 px
I’m a Headline
I’m a sub-headline
Ur? Dit audaerr uptium qui dici sit id quiae dolo quas maiosse volore, et laturiae il ipid magniss invelitiost, sit reribusdam eos sum nonseque sant hari iusam a nullatem nonsequunt omniam, corroresti dit ut architam aspellanture expelici ressunti blautessum sani nectota di officiur aspisimagnam es ute consecat id quam vent, coreperum etur
Poppins Bold
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz1234567890!@#$%^&*()
Satoshi Regular
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz1234567890!@#$%^&*()
#799DCF
121
157
207
#799DCF
#2A4C7A
42
76
122
#FCFCFC
252
252
252
Exercises
#EA4D22
#F9B341
#38AE25
clean
dependable
minimalist
innovative
calm