Fare Manager Redesign
Overview
The FareManager GFS software developed by ATPCO serves as a vital tool in the airline industry for analyzing market changes. It enables airlines to efficiently compare fare products offered by various carriers. As a member of the UX design team, my role in this project involved redesigning the system. Our primary challenge was to modernize the overall design and enhance the user experience to make it more user-friendly, particularly for new users.
Role:
In my position as a remote UX Design Intern, I was responsible for redesigning the system to align with both user requirements and company objectives. This involved thoroughly analyzing user research data and working closely with the development team. Additionally, I created high-fidelity prototypes and iteratively refined them based on valuable feedback received.
Tools:
- Adobe XD
Problem
The current interface of the fare managing software represents its original design, which has not undergone recent updates. ATPCO recognizes the need to redesign the system to enhance user-friendliness, modernize its appearance, and improve overall efficiency.
Within this project, I was assigned specific features within the system to focus on. My role involved redesigning the information architecture, layouts, and functions of these features, all of which were informed by user research.
Solution
I made significant changes to the interface, particularly focusing on the information hierarchy to improve user experience and minimize errors. Additionally, I introduced new visualizations aimed at preventing user errors within the system.
For instance, one of the changes I proposed involved grouping information on the page in a manner that clearly indicated dependencies between functions or features. This reorganization aimed to enhance clarity for users. I also suggested alternative methods for users to access information more efficiently.
Although I did not directly interact with users during this project, I leveraged previously collected user data and incorporated my own experiences to inform my design decisions. Additionally, I sought input from my managers and developers who had closer interactions with users.
The changes I recommended in this project have been successfully developed and implemented in the updated system.
UX Research
In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the industry and the product, I thoroughly examined the previous user research conducted by the design team. My main focus was on analyzing the workflow of the features and studying the questions posed by users. This process enabled me to grasp the specific context in which the product was utilized and identify the key areas that required attention and improvement during the redesign.
Design
During UI interface design, my initial step involves gaining a thorough comprehension of the context in which the user will utilize the specific feature. This includes obtaining a clear understanding of the individual elements involved and the workflow of the task within that context. Based on this understanding, I proceed to sketch wireframes that explore various ideas and layouts.
These wireframes serve as a foundation for testing the user flow. By conducting user flow tests, I ensure that the proposed changes align with the users' mental models and effectively alleviate any confusion within the workflow. This iterative process enables me to refine the UI interface design and create a user-centric experience that enhances usability and minimizes cognitive load.
Reflection
The most significant takeaway from this experience was understanding the importance of balancing business needs, available resources, and design considerations. Through the iterative design process, I realized that although my earlier design iterations were solid, they were not selected for development. This was primarily because they required extensive time and resources that were not readily available, and the potential impact of the design did not justify the investment required for implementation. This experience taught me the value of aligning design solutions with practical constraints and optimizing the overall impact within the given limitations.
