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Following are 4 projects I took the lead as the designer and/or information architect on.
Article Content Merchandising
In my role as an Information Architect on this project, I delved into the realm of Article Content Merchandising i.e. selling flights and ancillary purchases through content. Revving data from experiments revealed a crucial insight: extended guest engagement with content correlated positively with flight bookings and ancillary purchases. Collaborating closely with the Product Owner, we worked to strategically refine the structure, presentation and browsability of content.
Team:
Myself and Product Owner
My Tasks:
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Examine Information Architecture (IA) and features for reference in selecting a CMS for Travel Content Merchandising.
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Conduct an audit of existing Travel Content Merchandising CMSs with the concept of potential purchase, customization, branding, and releasing of an MVP. The aim is to assess whether this approach proves more cost-effective and quicker than an in-house development. If the idea performs well in testing, it may be considered for in-house development; otherwise, it can be discarded.
Approach
Collaborating closely with the Product Owner, I spearheaded feature mapping and crafted the overarching information architecture, meticulously addressing all business requirements. The adopted IA follows a conventional hub/category-list/detail page pattern. The visual diagram below illustrates the guest's navigation flow between articles, accompanied by a detailed landing page outlining desired features, components, and CTAs. These designs are optimized to encourage seamless browsing and/or purchasing, tailored to the nature of the content.
Article Merchandising IA and IxD wires
Additionally, I dedicated considerable time to video conferences, where I assessed Enterprise Content Merchandising CMSs through demos led by company representatives. My focus was on probing each CMS's adaptability to potential Information Architecture structures, the availability of out-of-the-box components, and the level of difficulty or ease in customizing to align with Alaska's brand
Redesigning the “Saver” Deals Page
Background:
Alaska was gearing up for the introduction of a new fare type called "Saver flights," and it required seamless integration into the current "Deals" page. Testing revealed the necessity for guest education about this novel fare type and its distinctions from existing fare options.
Team:
Me (Lead Designer), Design Manager, Product Owner, Product Manager, Dev Team, 2 UI Designers, UX Researcher
Objective:
Redesign the "Deals" page and provide guest education on the new "Saver" fare type.
Approach
Synthesize findings from existing research
Map the user journey of 4 established personas
Conduct competitive analysis (collaboratively performed UX Designers and UX Researcher)
Develop wireframes
Craft the design based on research findings and competitive analysis
Construct prototypes and iterate (in collaboration with a UI designer)
Conduct testing using prototypes (involving the entire team)
Refine the design based on insights from initial testing.
Feature Journey and Affinity Mapping
New Saver design
Some of the prototype controls for testing
Comparison Table
On-load new product messaging
Revenue mapping
Background:
The Savers Page constitutes just one step in a guest's journey to book a flight. Other integral steps in this journey, although interdependent, fall under the purview of different teams with distinct timelines, deliverables, and success metrics. Knowledge about the varied flight booking paths and the specific ownership of each section within different journeys was confined and not universally known. The introduction of Saver fares as a new company-wide approach led to logistical challenges stemming from the segmented knowledge around flight revenue paths.
Team:
Me (Information Architect)
Objective:
[Self-initiated project] I assumed the responsibility of mapping the varied revenue paths accessible to guests for booking flights. The objective was to assist designers and product owners in recognizing ownership and interdependencies within the process.
Approach:
I conducted interviews with individuals from multiple teams across the company, including product owners, product managers, developers, and designers. Subsequently, I began identifying and mapping the diverse routes that guests can take to book a flight. Additionally, I designed a set of reusable icons to symbolize different processes and steps in the journey.
Early flight revenue mapping
Results:
The mappings serve as a tool for team members to recognize interdependencies among teams and intricate user journeys.
Detail of Flight revenue guest journey icons
Flight revenue journeys
Contact Us page
Background:
Alaska was getting ready to incorporate new communication channels, including text and live chat, for guests to connect with the company. Despite the presence of analytics and heat mapping data on the existing page, its extensive length and overall lack of accessibility posed difficulties in effectively interpreting the data.
Team:
Me (Principal Designer), Design Manager, Product Owner, Product Manager, Dev Team, 2 UI Designers, UX Researcher
Objective:
Make the page more accessible to facilitate the implementation of new and more insightful analytic tests.
Approach:
Heat maps indicated a lack of guest engagement with the lower portion of the page, resulting in reduced awareness of the diverse contact options available. To address this, I developed wireframes that introduced a secondary navigation, ensuring the various contact channels became immediately visible to guests.
Heat Maps
New Contact us wires
Results:
The revised designs facilitated the implementation of new analytics and heat-mapping tests. Alaska could now scrutinize the findings and make informed, data-driven decisions for future iterations of the page.
FAQ
Existing Alaska mobile nav pattern and alternate version for AB testing
Final Contact us page ready for real world analytics
