Role: Product Designer / Researcher
Company: Livewell Collaborative + Boeing
Duration: Jan 2015 - May 2015
Boeing Future Cabin Experience
University of Cincinnati innovation center (Livewell Collaborative) collaborated with Boeing to visualize the use of cabin surfaces as communication displays for both the crew and passengers during the entire flight experience: from boarding to arriving at their final destination. We used principles of adaptable design and state of the art technologies, designing future on flight communication to provide new experiences and generate auxiliary income for the airline. Project focused on possibilities generated by Virtual Reality and Holographic Technologies.
My individual contribution
The team involved 2 project leads and 16 designers with different specialties including interaction, motion, graphic, industrial and interior design. As an interaction designer and researcher, I participated in all research activities including field trips, interviews, benchmarking, and journey mapping. I also contributed to the ideation sessions and helped with prototyping.
Prototype
Our process
01. Research
Field trip
The LWC team had the opportunity to take a field trip down to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG). Lead flight attendant Kara Vanneman and other Delta employees took the team on an exclusive tour of the Delta facilities at CVG. The goal was to inspect current use of communication tools and amenities to see where design improvements and opportunities could exist.
Benchmarking
In the first week, LWC designers benchmarked innovative technologies in various market sectors to identify emerging technology trends. Market sectors include Hospitality, Healthcare, Education, Public Services, and Retail. These technological advances will assist the LWC teams in projecting technology trends for the next 10-15 years.
Interactions
Through interviews with the flight attendants and frequent flyers, the LWC team was able to better understand the pleasure points and pain points that exist when flying. The attendants provided a better explanation of what communication needs to occur for them to do their jobs, whereas the passengers helped the team paint a picture of their ideal flight experience.
02. Ideation / Group 1
Interview Insights
The LWC team interviewed six flight attendants and eight travelers about the economy class experience. Flight Attendants and travelers provided different perspectives on the in-flight experience. The team gained an understanding of expectations and current frustrations, which helped develop design opportunities.
“At the airport, you’re on your own time and you call the shots. As soon as you start boarding, everything becomes structured for you and you become your seat number.”
Themes
Our overarching goal is to provide a comfortable space that makes each economy flyer’s journey enjoyable. By developing personalized experiences and efficient cabin services, our team will create a flow of communication which is fluid, intuitive, and catered to the economy passenger’s needs.
Idea 1: Personal Immersive Experience
Passenger Interview
Flight experiences needs to be more fluid and seamless.
Sounds and lights of neighbors’ activities can be disturbing.
Screen privacy is nonexistent.
Flight Attendant Interview
PA system is ineffective.
Each passenger only needs a snippet of announcements.
Theme: Personalization
Augmented and virtual reality.
Augmented audio.
Idea 2: Information Transfer
Passenger Interview
Prefer notifications pushed to phone.
Passengers prefer communication through technology.
Need more information about connecting flights and airport.
Flight Attendant Interview
Constantly manually updating manifest sheet.
Flight Attendants are not all able to access all the information.
Theme: Personalization
RFID.
Streamlined payments.
Idea 3: Luggage Management
Passenger Interview
Boarding is where the experience goes downhill.
Where is there space for my luggage?
Flight Attendant Interview
Boarding is unorganized chaos.
Can’t prevent oversized baggage from being brought on board.
Oversized baggage can damage aircraft.
Theme: Efficiency
RFID Tags.
Idea 4: Routine Service Efficiency
Passenger Interview
Food nutrition information.
Knowing before hand what food and drinks will be offered on the flight.
Flight Attendant Interview
Are there any people with food allergies?
Ability to move through aisles without blocking main passenger needs like bathroom.
Theme: Efficiency
Augmented Reality. Streamlined payment.
Idea 5: Nonverbal communication
Passenger Interview
Utilize touch screen communication.
Never use call button.
Flight Attendant Interview
Passengers aren’t understanding.
Communicate with gestures to each other for efficiency.
A lot of passenger information has to be guessed or assumed.
Theme: Efficiency
Translating motion to sound.
Translating one sense to another (sight to touch, touch to sound etc).
Thumb-print as identity.
02. Ideation / Group 2
Interview Insights
The team is focusing on the communication between the Pilot and the Flight Attendant, and the Pilot and the flyer. The perceptions, needs, and wants of each interview group (Delta Flight Attendants and flyers) were collected through the interaction based on the Who, What, When, Where, and How of in-flight communication.
Themes
Our overarching goal is to provide a comfortable space that makes each economy flyer’s journey enjoyable. By developing personalized experiences and efficient cabin services, our team will create a flow of communication which is fluid, intuitive, and catered to the economy passenger’s needs.
Idea 1: Special Needs
Language Barrier
Especially on international flights. Headphones for auditory.
Screen for visual.
Needs at next gate or immediately
Requested wheelchairs.
Special assistance messages. Communicating severity of situation.
Efficiency: transferring accurate and timely information.
Custom Medium: Communication between stakeholders varies depending on the how, what, and why of the information.
Personalization: Flyers communicate in a way that works best for them.
Idea 2: Turbulence Indicator
Insights
Passengers feel that the seatbelt sign is overused in relation to turbulence.
Passengers want to know how long turbulence lasts and when it will occur.
Personalization: Passengers can decide what level of information they would want to receive.
Customized Medium: This information can be received through lighting, hologram of storm or pilot, symbol, and time.
Efficiency: Now passengers understand how long turbulence will occur and when they need to be seated.
Idea 3: Experience Enhancement
Convenience
Allowing passengers to see communication from the pilot when they want.
Ex: Personal screens that would display any important information that the passengers could look up/ get notified.
Personalization: Smart screens, VR or augmented reality. Allows passengers to have control on the their communication on flight and choose what they want to see or hear from the pilot or FA.
Idea 4: Restocking
Insights
Flight Attendants administer oxygen supply, aspirin, etc to flyers.
Flight Attendants communicate to Pilots the used goods.
Pilots then restock the supply.
Efficiency: RFID technology would alleviate this problem and make the process more efficient.
Idea 5: Face to Face with Doctor
Insights
Extreme medical situations.
University of Pittsburgh doctor on- call is spoken to over the phone.
Efficiency: This idea used telecommunication/ robot technology to deal with this problem and it suits for our theme of efficiency.
02. Ideation / Group 3
Interview Insights
The Flying Geese conducted interviews with Flight Attendants and flyers to determine the actual needs and perceptual needs of Flight Attendants throughout the flight experience. Theme development and design opportunities began to emerge through insights pulled from interviews.
Theme
Based on interviews the theme of information accessibility came to the forefront.
Idea 1: Flight Attendants Virtual Assistant
Insights
Holographic screens with all needed information about plane affordances and amenities. It also works as a communication tool with other Flight Attendants.
Pulled only when and if needed at any point within the main aisle.
Works during any time of the journey.
Theme:
Accessibility
Idea 2: Flight Attendants Virtual Assistant
Information to plane
Plane surfaces will calculate and assign spaces for each passenger.
Surface displays information
Smart surfaces will translate
the storage information into a display to FlightAttendants, and passengers for better efficiency.
Flight Attendants
Flight Attendants will have real time access to passengers seats and any assigned location of their bags during the journey.
Theme:
Accessibility
Idea 4: Internet of Things Band
Insights
Holographic screens with all needed information about plane affordances and amenities. It also works as a communication tool with other FA
Pulled only when and if needed at any point within the main aisle.
Works during any time of the journey.
Theme:
Accessibility
Idea 4: Holographic Flight Attendant
Insights
Holographic Technology could open a variety of opportunities in terms of efficiency and customer service.
Personalized customer service can be done easily by providing access to flight attendants in real-time.
Holograms can help improve efficiency by projecting flight staff for boarding assistance and take down service requests while the same time can be better utilized for preparation.
Theme:
Accessibility
Idea 5: Smart POD
Insights
Smart POD is a curved glass enclosure that provides passengers with privacy and creates an immersive environment for entertainment, requesting services, and privacy.
Theme:
Accessibility
Idea 6: Internet of Things Seat
Insights
Smart sensor system within the passenger seats and screens. Systems will help passengers monitor their own status.
With applied algorithms, systems can anticipate passenger’s dehydration, discomfort, body temperature and will send notifications to flight attendants to help them before they ask.
Theme:
Accessibility
02. Ideation / Group 4
Interview Insights
We spoke with a series of Flight Attendants and passengers to determine the needs and expectations of First Class flyers. This allowed us to gain insights on the perception of First Class from two different perspectives. Our interaction also gave us a better understanding of who flies First Class and why they do it.
Themes
From our interview insights, we identified three overarching themes. These themes are: Seamless Convenience, Adaptive Comfort, and Unique Entertainment.
Idea 1: Privacy
Insights
Main function: Light Wall.
Graphics can be displayed on the wall.
How can this just be first class? Noise cancellation technology.
Adaptable to level of privacy (need attention / sleep.
Themes:
Seamless Convenience
Adaptable Comfort
Idea 2: Comfort
Insights
Main first class amenity = space. Smart, adaptive fabrics.
More Immersive experience = capturing the “magic of flight.”
Cleaner, more efficient use of space.
Using light/holograms reduces the amount of weight & physical space.
Total, personalized, responsive experience.
Less clutter.
Theme:
Adaptable Comfort
Idea 3: Anticipating Needs
Insights
Artificial intelligence: system learns it’s passengers.
Reduces unnecessary trips & attentiveness.
Customers get a more personalized experience.
The plane can aid the flight attendants on their responsibilities.
Plane can handle a large spectrum of maintenance needs.
Themes:
Seamless Convenience
Adaptable Comfort
Food/Entertainment
Insights
Main technological use: Augmented Reality.
Complete customizable meals.
Suggested food pairings.
Learn about your favorite food/wine.
Enhance “The magic of flight” (utilize the view in the sky).
Learn about what you’re flying over.
True Immersive experience.
Theme:
Unique Entertainment