UX Lessons from the Airport
I got off the plane in Madrid, after a grueling 8-hour redeye flight featuring only winks of occasional sleep. With a 45 minute layover to my connection for Lisbon, Portugal and one of the longest terminals in the world waiting for me, I dreaded what was about to happen. As people peeled off the plane slowly, all I could think about was how in the hell I'd actually make my next flight. But I did. And, without knowing a lick of Spanish. Imagine my surprise when I showed up at my gate, on time, in a completely foreign airport - let alone country. My only thought: "How in the hell did I just do that?" In this talk, we'll find out how. We'll look at the UX secrets that airports use to make it possible for you to find your flight, the bathroom and the duty-free shop. The best part - these techniques aren't just for airports. You'll learn how to use the same tricks to make your product experience just as remarkable. You'll never look at flying - or your product - the same way again.
Editor's Notes
- #10: What does this mean for the web? Your customers don’t experience you in a single channel – they experience you as a sum of interactions that overlap…blah blah blah.
- #14: Slide about providing information where and when people need it – anticipate needs, etc. Use context – day, time, skill level, account type, etc – to drive customization of an experience that shows the user that you are paying attention to where they are in the experience.
- #16: 3-click myth, scent of information…show a site with horrible navigation or a cramped home screen. This is all about wayfinding.
- #25: Standardize elements: large structural elements like navigation, etc. Develop pattern libraries to assure consistency across implementations. Assure consistent elements and communication across all touchpoints.Consistency inside the brand vs. consistency with industry. Don’t reinvent the wheel – use design libraries, consistent patterns from other sites, etc. (like the gate signage)