Airport Design Pt.2: (Solution) Adventure is Calling
Emory CS 485: HCI
Within the heart of every traveler is a yearning for adventure. There is a sense of excitement, wonder, and curiosity that drives an individual beyond the bounds of their mundane life and into the doors of bustling airports. Whether the trip is to novel destinations or familiar locations, the airport experience carries with it a call to adventure.
However, for many of us, this sense of adventure has been clouded by an array of stress-inducing, time-consuming, and unpredictable processes that mediate travel. In my last post, I gained key insights into the needs and experiences of university student airport users. These insights led to the conclusion that the current check-in process diminishes the user’s excitement for travel.
I determined that:
it would be ground-breaking to find a way to facilitate a positive and adventurous experience while reducing the cognitive load and stress of travel.
To accomplish this goal I turned to positive psychology and theories of gamification.
In this article, I present a prototype for a gamified check-in process that encourages users to lean into their spirit of adventure. I outline the development of this prototype through careful sketching, paper-prototyping, and user-testing. Finally, I conclude with an evaluation plan for further development and testing of this idea.
Adventure is calling us all, so let’s jump in to optimize the future of travel!
The Problem:
If I asked you to give one word to describe the airport check-in experience you might describe it as “stressful” or “stimulating” and maybe even “confusing.” This was certainly the case for the individuals I interviewed in my needfinding exercise.
These individuals were frequent travelers, yet they still displayed negative affect towards checking in at the airport. After carefully analyzing the experiences of these participants I determined that the chief complaint could be captured in one word: cognitive overload.
Error 503: Overload
If you’ve ever seen this error code appear when surfing the web, you understand the frustrating consequences of overload. Error 503 is a system error that occurs when a server is overloaded by a sudden influx of traffic. To account for this traffic the server will throttle itself and prioritize normal behavior for some requests. Your brain functions in a very similar way.
Cognitive overload occurs when the demands placed on an individual by mental work are greater than a person’s mental abilities. This phenomenon is commonly seen in high-stress situations where individuals are tasked with remembering and solving complex problems with limited time(e.g. emergency room). This overload can lead to distraction from and reduced performance on tasks that require focus.
The users I interviewed struggled to navigate their airport experience because they couldn't maintain their focus during the high-stress check-in process. They were overloaded…
Pain Points:
The users identified several points about the process that were especially painful:
- ambiguity of time
I couldn’t figure out what time my flight was… (C.L.)
- ambiguity of location
I didn’t know where to put my bag or which line to get into… (A.H.)
- concern for belongings
I was always checking on my stuff…concerned about where it was (J.B.
- lack of staff/miscommunication
The lines were so long and there was no one at the desk… people were confused (A.H.)
These pain points became the basis for my ideation process.
User Persona
To begin the process of developing a solution. I first needed to clearly determine who users were. To help ensure that I was consistently designing for the target user, I created a persona based on the characteristics of my interviewees.
His name was Jeff…
About Jeff
Jeff is a third-year university student at Emory University in Atlanta. He is originally from Los Angeles, California, and travels home quite frequently for breaks. Jeff misses the feeling of adventure he used to associate with airports and wishes he could regain the carefree adventurous spirit he had as a child. He likes to be prepared when traveling but feels limited by the current check-in process.
The Solution:
Equipped with insights, a user persona, and lots of caffeine I began the process of brainstorming solutions for Jeff.
That’s when an idea hit me. The solution to this problem of cognitive overload was gamification.
gamification — the concept of adding game mechanics to a non-game environment.
Idea: Gamify the check-in process.
For decades, the gaming and entertainment industry has been captivating the attention and interests of billions of people. People will spend hours attempting to solve complex puzzles, conquer kingdoms, and hunt-down aliens.
At face value, this seems strange… why would anyone dedicate hours of their day to such complex cognitive tasks? But that’s the magic of gamification.
Researchers in psychology, neuroscience, and education have discovered how games manipulate the reward systems in our brains to motivate us through complex cognitive tasks. In a 2016 educational psychology study, researchers found that gamifying the education process through rewards and small tasks led to greater educational achievement and positive experience despite having a higher cognitive load. Many other, studies have supported this idea that gamification provides the structural and motivational support that an individual needs to enjoy and succeed in complex cognitive tasks.
The basic principles that supported this process were:
- small tasks that are difficult but achievable
- rewards and achievements that foster immediate gratification
- clearly communicated problems through effective use of iconography, animations, and text
Therefore, I set out to create a check-in process modeled after these principles.
The Model:
To design this model I examined the mechanics of other successful gamified transport applications (e.g. Waze, VirginAmerica). These platforms effectively personalized and gamified their user activity through user avatars. The mechanics were simple:
- Allow the user to choose a personalized avatar
- Enable the user to upgrade that avatar by performing tasks
- Incentivize tasks by assigning points/rewards
Equipped with these mechanics I designed a platform that incentivized users to check-in to an airport using personalized avatars.
The Design:
To build this platform I focused on the four processes that users would engage in while checking in. These processes were: web check-in, arrival at the airport, obtaining rewards, and using a boarding pass.
Throughout this process, I ensured that I was designing for my target users by focusing on the needs of my persona. To do this I asked the important question “What would Jeff do” or (as some Christians like to abbreviate) W.W.J.D?
- Web Check-In
W.W.J.D: Jeff would like to check-in online to allieviate time-spent in lines at the airport. In this process he would like to know about when his flight is, where he is sitting, and what he can pack.
To meet Jeff’s needs I devoted three screens to this process:
- Check-In screen
For this initial check-in screen, I iterated between simplicity and eccentricity. The purpose of the screen was to engage the user in the check-in process. I attempted to do this simply: by creating simple buttons/sliding UI elements. I also experimented with a more eccentric approach that focused on letting the user choose their adventure (avatar + characteristics of the trip).
In the sketching process, I determined that the information on this screen should be avatar selection and basic flight information.
- Flight Info Screen
For the initial flight-info screen, I iterated between graphical and text-based information transfer. The purpose of the screen was to help the user know more about the flight before fully checking in. I attempted to share this information with the user graphically by drawing up UI elements to represent the plane, the seats on the plane, and the overall length of the route. I also experimented with a minimalistic text-based approach that told the user this key information.
In the sketching process, I determined that the information on this screen should be display flight time, seat selection, and confirmation buttons.
- Baggage Screen
Finally, I added a screen to help the user determine what to pack. The purpose of this screen was to reduce the stress and worry associated with dropping your baggage off at the check-in desk. I hoped to allow the user to be better prepared to drop their bag off by adding information about what could be packed, what was not allowed, and the estimated weight of their bag (based on an object-based estimation algorithm to give the user a rough estimate of their bag).
In the sketching process, I determined that the information on this screen should be a suitcase icon with draggable elements to represent packed objects. I also determined that UI elements should appear to help the user estimate the weight of their bag and to give the user warnings if they were attempting to pack a potentially dangerous item (i.e. Li-ion battery).
2. Arrival at the airport
W.W.J.D: When arriving at the airport Jeff would like to know which terminal he must go to. It would also be helpful to him if he could know the estimated wait times, the staff availability, and if there were any other passengers from his flight in the area.
For the arrival at the airport screen, I iterated between map-based designs and button-based designs. The purpose of the screen was to help the user know where to go (which airport, which terminal, which desk, which gate) within the airport. I attempted to share this information with the user dynamically by creating an interface that updated in real-time. Furthermore, I wanted to allow the user to see the activity of other users in the area. I sought to accomplish this in my design by integrating icons that represented users.
I settled upon a design that used a combination of maps and icons to showcase in real-time the location and business of the airport.
3. Achievement UI
W.W.J.D: Jeff is highly motivated by reward, therefore we need to give him praise and rewards for each step along the check-in process.
For the achievement screen, I iterated between minimalistic designs and more robust and loud designs. The purpose of the screen was to praise the user for completing a task and motivate them to move on to the next task. To accomplish this I used UI elements to highlight the accomplishment and the reward for that accomplishment.
I settled on a simpler design that focused on the accomplishment that had been completed.
4. Home Screen
W.W.J.D: Jeff wants to know the status of his flight and wants the ability to showcase his boarding pass throughout the travel process. It would be helpful to him if he could see this frequently as he travels frequently and needs to show his boarding pass many times throughout this process.
For the home screen, I iterated between simplistic designs that focused on the avatar and designs that focused on the trip. The purpose of the screen was to show the user key information about their trip (trip time, boarding pass). To do this I experimented with highlighting different elements of the trip. To appeal to principles of gamification I highlighted the user profile in some sketches. To focus on information radiation I highlighted the trip time in other sketches.
After compiling all of the sketches I determined that the best design for the home screen was a design that highlighted the user’s avatar but also displayed trip details with a status bar.
Prototype:
After compiling all of the sketches I created a paper prototype for this design.
This paper prototype allowed me to directly translate my sketches into a function prototype that users could interact with.
Testing
I then tested this prototype on users (my peers) to better understand the usability of this design. The tests were conducted by placing the prototype in front of a user with an explanation about the idea behind the overall design. To ensure the behavior of users was natural, I only provided answers to questions when users directly asked about a functionality.
The gif below depicts the test user’s experience using the prototype.
Critique:
Overall the prototype received positive feedback with two major points of critique.
- Ambiguity of avatars
My first test user found it difficult to understand the concept of gamification from the avatars depicted on paper. They stated that it was unclear why the home screen said “choose your adventure” and asked for clarification.
I explained to the test user that each avatar represented a character that could be chosen to represent the user during the check-in and flight process. However, this confusion encouraged me to change the design to better highlight the importance of the avatars.
To do this I created a paper model of the character that followed the user throughout each step of the process. I also explained that the color of the UI for the app would change corresponding to the character chosen.
- Poor functionality of Baggage Screen
The user also explained that the baggage screen was confusing and asked for clarification on the purpose of this screen.
The purpose of the baggage screen is to allow the user to stay informed about the number of items they are packing and the weight limit. However, the current UI design had focused too heavily on iconography, thus creating a confusing user experience.
To solve this problem, I changed the functionality of the screen to have fewer buttons and more pop-up explanations to guide the user during the first use.
With these minor adjustments, I completed my paper prototype.
Evaluation Plan:
To further evaluate this design I would employ a process of heuristic evaluation and user testing. To conduct this evaluation I would recruit 60 participants within my user demographic (college students) who were frequent travelers. I would also recruit 10 participants who were experts in UI/UX design.
User Evaluation:
To conduct the evaluation in college students I would divide the participants into groups of 30 based on three experimental conditions: gamified app check-in, airline app/online check-in (control), kiosk check-in (control). I would then have participants in each group complete the check-in process according to their designated experimental groups. I would ask the participants to rate their emotional state four times throughout the process:
- When they complete the initial check-in
- When they arrive at the airport
- When they drop off their bag
- When they pass through security
I would also ask participants to rate their check-in experience at the end of the check-in process.
With these metrics about the emotional state of users throughout the check-in process, I would be able to analyze the impact of this design on the emotional state of users. I would also be able to understand the differences between the perceived usability of the different methods for check-in. These findings would allow me to determine if the design successfully alleviates the cognitive load and stress of the check-in process.
Heuristic Evaluation:
For the heuristic evaluation, I would provide the 10 experts with the prototype of my design. I would then provide them with the 10 Usability heuristics developed by Jacob Neilson. I would allow the users to navigate through the interface with minimal directions but with an initial time constraint of 30 minutes. This time constraint would replicate the conditions placed on real users during the check-in process.
After this first 30 minute trial, I would ask the users to identify all usability errors that they identified.
I would then allow users to test the interface again, but this time with no time constraint. After testing, I would ask the user to identify all usability errors based on the 10 usability heuristics.
Compiling this data would allow me to understand the usability of the user interface.
Complete Evaluation
These two metrics would enable me to understand the impact of the design on the basis of affect and usability. By completing this evaluation I would have a more robust understanding of the impact of my product.
Conclusion
This experiment showcased how the airport check-in process could be optimized using the principles of gamification. This model was developed through iterations of sketching and paper-prototyping. This model could be tested by using both a user-test and heuristic evaluation to understand the emotional and functional impact of the product.
With the proper implementation of this design, we could enable more individuals to experience a feeling of adventure at the airport.