Tackling Airport Anxiety in NYC
UX Research . 3D Exploration . UI/UX . Design Strategy . Travel
My Role :Â
Design Strategist, UX Researcher, UI/UX
Duration :Â
30 weeks
Goal :Â
This project aims to ease the stress & anxiety faced by travelers commuting to the airport, tackling challenges like traffic, bad weather, & unreliable public transportation in NYC.
Tools :Â
Figma, Miro
Solution :Â
A mobile app for airport-anxious users. A commute assistant that keeps you informed about each step of your journey, particularly the steps we don’t recognise but end up becoming hurdles in our journey, increasing confidence and reducing stress.
Overview
A Total of a 63% travelers worry about just getting to the airport, 44% of flyers find air travel more stressful than visiting the dentist, & 37% consider it more taxing than filing their taxes. Key pain points include layovers, limited legroom, and the inconvenience of security lines, with 41% of travelers willing to pay extra to skip security. Some travelers mitigate stress through airline credit cards offering priority boarding, global entry, TSA PreCheck, & trip protection benefits. Despite these options, there remains a significant need to enhance the overall air travel experience & reduce stress for a broader range of passengers. The design challenge is to create solutions that address these prevalent stressors, making air travel more comfortable & seamless for all passengers.
Problems Faced by Commuters
Traffic Congestion
High cost of transporation
Luggage Handling
Document Handling
Lack of real time information about the transits
Bad Weather
Long Wait time
General Overthinking of "Whats gonna happen"
And many more......
Understanding the User's Commute Journey
Created an observational video to understand & experience how some commuters navigate the subways and the various uncertain scenarios they encounter, especially when they need to reach the airport early.
No Tap to pay on the recharge booths
This video was documented by me.
Interviews & User's Perspectives.
Interviews revealed commute stress were mostly caused by traffic, delayed transit, & high costs. Both frequent & occasional flyers value convenience & reliability, often opting for pricier options like Uber to avoid hassle. There's a clear demand for accessible, seamless transportation, with many willing to pay extra for reduced stress and improved travel experiences.
What are the levels of airport anxiety ?
01.
Individual Variations : Past experiences (e.g., missed flights), mental health conditions (e.g., anxiety disorder)​
02.
​Consequences : Increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, Negative thoughts, excessive planning.​
03.
Triggers : Navigational Anxiety, Security Anxiety, Claustrophobia, potential delays, misplaced travel documents.​
04.
​Underlying Factors : Lack of control, fear of unknown, time, Crowds & Sensory Overload.
Prioritizing Painpoint from interviews
No one to tell me or guide me
Last min packer & bad at time management
Traffic makes you be delayed by 45 min +
Battle with the luggage and subway
Something like uber but with the bus charges
Opportunity Areas
A companion who is with you to make you feel less anxious for first time gives you all the info with a friendly UX.
Something that would pre - plan or re routes your delays
Something that could help you track your documents and when to pack according to your personalize travel iternary & your time mgt style.
Someone that can effectively handle their bags in subways even without elevators.
Uber collect your points for airport transits
Some city system that could make a provision to make bus as a medium for a single airport transit (Hypothetical).
Insights
Travelers are mainly focused on the scare of loosing their luggage & belonging. These things are directly proportional to their Anxiety & it starts affecting their trips.
Commute stresses people out, but familiar connections or being informed brings comfort . An occasional traveler might experience specific anxieties around unfamiliar elements like traffic or train delays.
Airport Commutes are like a battle for our mind, as we go along the journey it evokes a primal instinct to win & get a reward (reaching the airport). Each individual copes uniquely; some remain relaxed, while others meticulously plan every detail.
How might we ?
Create a solution for occasional travelers that are dealing with airport anxiety by helping them organize, stay informed,& stay connected with their purpose of travel. So that they feel empowered to navigate with their journey confidently & be prepared for every step of the way.
Concept Ideation
Sketching a low-fidelity wireframes of the proposed solutions. Include features like real-time updates, Ask izzi, interactive maps, Track your baggages
WorkflowÂ
This is the flow and the user journey of the application on how it will work on an ideal journey
izzi
Making sure you feel like him
About izzi.
Your commute assistant ensures a smooth journey to the airport by managing luggage, tracking documents & trips, & offering airport insights for stress-free travel. It keeps you informed about “that” next step of your journey, ensuring your comfort throughout the trip.
Features
01.
Manage your belongings through an izzi partner
02.
Know your airport before you reach there.
03.
Keep your trip on track with real time information
Feature no. 1 : Managing your belongings through an izzi partner
What if a trusted representative would help you with your belongings being checked in before you reach the your airport.
Feature no. 2 : Knowing about your airports before you reach there (Just ask izzi !)
What if you get informed about your terminal in the most simplest way possible with all the tips and tricks and sometimes the hidden quirk of the airport with just asking izzi about it.
If you know it, its izzi
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Key Takeaways & Conclusion
Working individually for 30 weeks allowed me to gain valuable insights across multiple aspects of the project, teaching me multitasking and providing a deeper understanding of user experiences. However, I realize that collaborating with a team member could have broadened my exploration and added a quantitative perspective to my research, enriching the findings further.
This experience sharpened my ability to empathize with users while refining my strategic and research skills. Projects like the Izzi mobile app, designed to keep users informed and reduce travel stress, taught me how to blend business acumen with an empathetic design approach, creating well-rounded solutions.