For our INDD 5300 final project, we wanted to design a solution for passengers facing delays and frustrations during the flight boarding process.
The Problem:
Passengers often experience delays and frustration during the boarding process due to inefficient boarding order and difficulty locating their seats.
Our solution:
We created a mobile feature that helps organize boarding to reduce aisle congestion and seating delays.
Tools Used
- Miro
- Figma
- Canva
1. Discover
Understanding the Problem
Using the Double Diamond Framework, we began by researching the boarding process from the passenger's POV to uncover pain points and unmet needs.
Research Approach
We developed a research plan to define our objectives, outline the interview format, and create guiding questions.
Methods Used
Research Plan - Defined objectives and drafted interview questions as a group
User Interviews - Conducted 8 semi-structured interviews (2 per team member) with a diverse range of travelers, including frequent flyers, senior passengers, and families to gather qualitative insights about boarding frustrations, delays, and coping strategies.
Affinity Diagram - Combined interview notes, clustered similar feedback, and identified recurring patterns
Key Insights
Our interviews confirmed that inefficient boarding sequences contribute to aisle congestion and delays. Passengers frequently block aisles while searching for their seats, creating bottlenecks that slow the boarding process for everyone.
2. Define
From the insights gathered from the Discover Phase, we can clearly define the root problem and set the foundation for brainstorming solutions.
The Main Problems Discovered:
- Reduced aisle congestion – Prevent blockages that slow the flow of passengers.
- Efficient seat finding – Help travelers locate their seats quickly and easily.
- Stress-free boarding – Minimize pressure and confusion during the boarding process.
How-Might-We Problem Statement:
How might we organize the boarding process to minimize aisle congestion and reduce seating delays?
Primary Goal:
Design an app or feature that can help streamline the plane boarding process by reducing aisle congestion and seating delays.
We began by exploring a wide range of concepts through forced connection and mash-up sketches, combining unrelated ideas to spark innovative solutions.
From our sketches, we identified standout concepts such as H6 (Exclusive Boarding Zones with Digital Paths) and B2 (Calming Boarding Ambiance with Dynamic Seat Lighting).
Then as a team, we used Dot Voting to filtered out the best ideas that would be the most practical and effective
With our top ideas selected, all of us developed initial prototypes to visualize the boarding experience and test how each concept could address passenger needs.
4. Deliver
The final prototypes combine seamless navigation, clear seat guidance, and a calmer boarding environment to address the main passenger frustrations identified in our research.
Flight Overview Screen (Left)
- This screen displays flight details, boarding time, and the seat assignment, which ensure that passengers have all of their essential information in one place.
Seat Information & Boarding Path (middle)
- This screen showcases a guided visual path within the aircraft to lead passengers directly to their assigned seat.
- This minimizes aisle congestion by providing clear, individualized navigation.
Interactive Seat Finder (Right)
- This screen shows a live seat map with the passenger’s current location, their assigned seat, and blocked/occupied seats.
- This helps travelers quickly orient themselves, reducing delays from seat confusion.
How our solution impacts Pain Points
Reduced Aisle Congestion – The clear navigation paths prevent passengers from blocking aisles while searching for seats.
Efficient Seat Finding – Interactive maps and visual cues guide passengers directly to their seat.
Stress-Free Boarding – Organized, accessible information minimizes last-minute confusion.
Limitations
While our proposed system shows promise, several challenges remain before real-world implementation:
Behavioral Factors
- Passenger punctuality, compliance, and group coordination may affect system effectiveness.
Organizational Factor
- Limited collaboration with airline staff restricted insight into policies and operational feasibility.
Technical/Operational
- There could be potential issues with luggage storage overlap and accommodating family/group seating.
These limitations highlight key areas to address as we move into the next steps of refining and testing the system.
Next Steps
To determine whether our solution is viable for real-world use, further trials and analysis are needed. Our planned next steps include:
- Pilot Testing – Conduct informal trials of the proposed boarding method (boarding by window, then middle, then aisle) during upcoming flights taken by team members.
- Technology Feasibility Study – Explore potential technology integrations and review existing airline applications to assess compatibility.
- Boarding Process Analysis – Measure the timing of current boarding procedures to identify where the most delays occur.
These steps will help validate the concept, uncover potential challenges, and guide refinements before pursuing larger-scale implementation.
Thank You for Reading!
Credits:
Created with images by geargodz - "sky with sunset from airplane window" • bignai - "passengers check-in line at the airport" • Andrii Yalanskyi - "An idea solves problems and resolves conflicts. Elimination of accumulated contradictions. Catalyst for change." • Syda Productions - "technology, user interface design and people concept - hand of ui designer or developer with marker writing on sticker and smartphone sketches on flip chart at office"