UX Process
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UX Process 〰️
Delta Airlines (NDA)
Work
Organization and Updating Design System
Feature Creation and Redesign
Implementing Research
Duration
September
25th 2022 -
February
15th 2024
Team
Agile framework
Role
UX Designer
Brief
I worked on features for a business facing web application that pricing analysts would use to create strategies for scheduling flights. I also signed and NDA so I cannot display any visual aspects of the product or its research.
I joined Delta Airlines as a contracted UX Designer. I was a part of the Sapphire team that was in charge of creating a digital tool for Delta's pricing department. This tool would increase the efficiency for Deltas pricing analysts to create strategies for their day to day responsibilities. I worked to create new features as well as redesign existing features in order to improve upon the functionality, organization of the product, and streamline its usability by decreasing the overall time it took for analysts to create strategies. I had to sign an NDA so I cannot give specific details on the product itself, but I can share my responsibilities, challenges, and methods I used to complete tasks.
Onboarding
Onboarding for this project required a lot of proactive learning. I had to familiarize myself with the current product and nearly all of the terminology used in it consisted of abbreviations for words or phrases that the pricing analyst were familiar with. Airline lingo was not something I had a casual knowledge of prior to this project so I had to do a lot of learning up front. I was in touch with the previous UX Designer in order to receive the previous design files, design system and any research previously conducted on the product. I stayed in contact with her throughout the remainder of the project for consultation on UI and UX questions I had about the project.
Process
Our team used an agile framework.
My Design Process at Delta was as follows:
1. Understand the story from the product owner
2. Do research to gather insights
3. Create personas if possible
4. Create user flow and information architecture
A. Verify it with the PO
5. Sketch designs and create wireframes
6. Create a high fidelity prototype
A. Verify it with PO
B. Make use of design system / define it
C. Verify it with the Devs (angular/iOS)
D. Be aware of the timeline
7. Usability test and get feedback from audience
8. Handoff designs to devs- make translation accurate
9. Be part of user testing team to validate designs
A large portion of my time was spent creating High Fidelity prototypes and iterating the designs. I transformed my UI skills working on the project because I was asked to do a lot of things I didn't know how to do. I was resourceful and consulted fellow designers, read books regarding UX and UI practices and used youtube to learn how to do the things I didn't know. I improved upon the organization of the files and prototypes that made the most sense for our developers to translate. After creating High Fidelity prototypes of each new feature or components of the UI in Figma I would update the design system accordingly. I led meetings with our devs to walk them through the "developer mode" within figma to help them better understand how to navigate through figma and improve the handoff between us. All of the presenting I did for POs TPOs and Devs improved my presentation and story telling skills as a designer. Through this experience my communication skills were also improved tremendously.
Challenges
Research and product testing posed a lot of challenges. When I joined the team, there was little to no research conducted on the users of the product. In order to gain more insights on the users I proposed a solution to the Product Owners (business). By allowing me to interact, interview, or observe the analysts that create strategies for Delta flights use the product it would allow me to create more accurate designs that meet user needs and solve their problems. Due to the way the department functioned (and reasons regarding the NDA), the business declined. Knowing that this was imperative to my role as a designer I brought it up with our team manager who gave similar reasons for why it would be difficult. After being confrontational failed, I instead chose opportune moments where I could more easily make my pain points known to the team and management. I started with discussing it with the team and showing the benefits to my request through a presentation showing the value of UX Research. Once I had the team on my side I chose an opportune time where the majority of the team was present to discuss including more interaction and research with the users. Eventually I was given the opportunity to interview and observe analysts in product testing after months of requesting.
Takeaway
Overall this was the most difficult project I have ever worked on. My UI skills were put to the test and improved immensely as well as my communication, presentation, and story telling skills. The overall challenges I faced allowed me to gain even more confidence and knowledge as a designer.
Additionally I learned that every company has a different method, philosophy, and approach to creating a product, and some businesses value the role of UX Design less than others. Most companies that are building business facing products aren't as willing to invest as much time, money, or effort into that product because they don't see the direct profit or value that they would receive from the investment like they would from a customer facing product. As a designer I can help businesses understand that time is money and that any amount of effort or time a company invests into the UX of a product will prevent future issues in the product roadmap. It will also identify current issues that will be met with solutions, saving an abundance of time and money all while increasing productivity which makes companies more profitable.