China Airlines App Design
Traveler service to-go creates an impressive app with the whole brand service
帶著走的旅客服務，創造讓品牌深入人心的航空APP
Statement
In the face of fierce aviation competition, airline companies need to differentiate the services by providing travelers a seamless travel experience and appropriate solutions. However, where are the cores of innovation and business opportunities? How can the services value deeply move people through mobile devices?
To enhance the retention and strengthen the brand image, we integrate the China airline service with the customers’ critical journeys. Being launched in 2016, the new app turned out not only a well-rounded journey accompany with the travelers, but also the ambassador between China Airlines and the customers.
面對白熱化的航空競爭，航空公司差異化的機會在於提供旅客無縫的旅行體驗與適時適地的方案。是的，航空公司都已經知道以行動裝置加強與顧客的連結，然而我們亟欲探索的問題是，創新的核心與商業機會在哪裡，如何讓品牌服務藉由行動裝置，深植人心？
這就是華航與設計團隊攜手面對的挑戰，為華航的旅客、為公司帶來一個更符合我們心目中傳遞品牌價值的服務。本專案為App架構全新改版，包含資訊架構與美術設計。
Role
User research
Interaction Design
Timeline
Oct. 2015-Jan. 2016
Nov. 2016
App released
Why is it important?
Airline companies need to forge the customer relationship via mobile
Nowadays, the customers don't only evaluate the cabin service. They see digital accessibility as an important metric to an airline company. The mobile apps plays a vital role to forge the relationship between the airlines and the clients.
Problem statement
Inconsistent with brand image
Comparing with China Airlines' high-quality cabin service, the original app which displayed each feature displaying appeared out-of-date. The elements and the UI didn't speak up its professional, accountable brand image.
Low usage and retention of the app
The retention of the app was low. The usages of the online check-in, trip management, and the membership functions were also weak. The low app usage didn't only break the customer's whole experience but also increased the customer supports cost to help the travelers to manage the trips.
Messy UI & poor performance
Because of the messy architecture, users usually felt it was not easy to complete their task efficiently and confidently. The relevant functions didn’t bond to travelers' scenarios. For example, before the flight, the users need to take care of their trips actively regarding the seat or meal selection. The long loading time also reduces users' willingness to keep the app.
Nov. 2016
Before
New design
Design & Research Process
I was in charge of plotting the whole user research, leading the team to analyze the research result and create the design concept and documentations.
User research
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Field research at airport
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Interview ground crew, passengers
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Stakeholders interviews
Data analytics
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Visualize user journey
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Define the personas & Gain Insights
Co-creation
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Define opportunities
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Co-create with stakeholders
Concept development
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Propose the design strategy
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Craft the design concepts
User Research
Define the problems at the front line
站在前線定義問題
以Service-to-go的概念來看，最能幫助我們定義第一線旅客服務問題的角色便是地勤與機場。
團隊與華航進行內部各部門訪談、機場實地訪查。由經驗豐富的地勤為我們剖析第一線服務的難處，陪著旅客從航廈外下車，拉行李進大廳，找尋櫃檯，托運，到通關、登機，每一步，親身體會旅客在機場接受到的服務環節。
從Stakeholder角度而言，顧客服務之外，更必須考量資源的有限性，投注在哪些層面有最大的效益。例如提升自助報到率，將能提升航空公司座位安排的彈性、降低客服成本。
From the Service-to-go point of view, the ground crew and the airport were the best person and place to help us define the critical service points.
I led the design team to interview with the ground crew and the employees in different departments. To find the pain point of the traveler, we conducted field research in the airport. We were guided by the ground crew to experience the whole traveler journey in the airport from dropping off at the airport, dragging the luggage to the hall, looking for the check-in desk, passing the immigration gate until boarding on the aircraft.
In addition to understanding the traveler's pain point, it was vital to consider where the resources of the airline company should invest in improving the service to boost the satisfaction. For example, we realized that the increase of the self-check-in rate will significantly benefit the airline company since the airline company can manage the occupancy properly in advance, and reduce the manual customer service cost.
Two types personas
As a frequent international flyer, when I encounter any flight changes, I want to be able to manage it efficiently, so that I can continue to complete my business tasks.
As a tour escort, when I'm responsible for a group of people during the trip, I want to be able to manage their journeys details together, so that I can ensure that everything gets ready in advance.
Value proposition
How do we imaging a good airline app to interact with the user?
An app that communicates with me continuously
You don’t merely sell the ticket and service to me.
You sell me a deep sense of trust.
我們需要一個怎麼樣的APP？
一個會與顧客持續溝通品牌的國際級航空APP
Design Concept
Travel With You
與你同行
從travel with you的核心起點，圍繞在首頁上不著痕跡地陪伴旅客每一趟旅程。
首頁伴隨旅程的階段，告訴你下一步，從出門、抵達機場、辦理託運到準備登機，首頁狀態與推播巧妙地串聯整個旅途情境給予必要的資訊。
The design concept - "Travel With You" is to accompany the travelers with every journey from the start to the end.
The homepage of the app is always customized and personalized along with the stage of the journey, from the moment we bought the ticket, 24 hours before check-in, heading to the airport, checking-in the luggage to onboarding the flight, the app provides sufficient information and instruction not only to reduce the anxiety of the journey but also upsell the additional services at the right time.
UI Design : Cindy Gu
Wireframe
Result and reflection
After delivering the project, the development team spent half of the year to launch the new product. Before releasing to the market, the China Airline company conducted the usability test (Voice of the customer). We were really proud of receiving the average rate higher than 8.5/10 scores. It was a very precious moment to see the interviewee's smiles and positive feedback in the interview sessions.
We reached 10,000 downloads within the first 2 weeks after release to the app store and Google Play. Moreover, this app achieved very high rating on Google Play while most users gave either 4 or 5 stars.
Reviews from Google Play and App store:
"The interface is very beautiful and make me feel like enjoying a relax trip"
"The flow of online check-in is very simple and intuitive, the performance is smooth and simple. I'll like to try it when I buy the ticket"
"The changeable homepage reminding us in every stage is very good, to let me know my current task to be done."
From connecting the touch points of back-end service to polishing every icon on the interface, the success of this product development had made our dream come true and verified our persistence and determination to build an outstanding airline app that erects the advanced standards all over the world.We're proud that we created an app that is not only the accompany with the travelers, but also the ambassador of the China Airline enhancing the customer relationship.
Download China Airlines
Travel with you 與你同行
2016 November released
