Due to NDA restrictions, I cannot share design screens, wireframes, or prototypes, but I’m happy to discuss the process and impact!
Hey there! I’m the UI/UX designer at ZestIOT, and I’m excited to walk you through how I crafted their aviation platform—a powerhouse that keeps airports humming. This case study zooms in on two star products: Ground Radar, which automates over 100 ground operations, and Smart Boarding, a passenger app that turns boarding into a breeze. My goal? Take the chaos of airports—rushing staff, stressed travelers—and design tools that make it simple, smart, and even fun. Let’s dive into the problems, the process, and how design saved the day!
The Big Picture: What’s ZestIOT All About?
ZestIOT’s aviation platform is like mission control for airports, connecting ground crews, equipment, and passengers with slick tech. Here’s the lineup:
Ground Radar: A lifeline for ground staff, tracking everything from baggage carts to plane turnarounds (that frantic prep to get a plane back in the air).
Smart Boarding: A mobile and web app delivering real-time boarding updates and engaging content—like ads or games—to keep passengers happy.
These tools work together to streamline operations and boost the passenger experience, all powered by IoT sensors, cameras, and clever software. Buckle up—here’s how I tackled the design!
The Problems: Chaos in the Air(port)
Airports are a whirlwind of activity, and both staff and passengers were struggling.
Ground Radar Challenges
Information Overload: Ground staff drowned in data. One manager said, “I need delays front and center—not buried in menus!”
Time Pressure: Turnarounds are a race against the clock—every second matters.
Diverse Users: From tech-savvy supervisors to hands-on crew, the tool had to work for all.
Data Integration: IoT feeds, camera inputs, and app updates needed to sync seamlessly.
Smart Boarding Challenges
Passenger Stress: Lost travelers, unclear gate info, and long waits bred anxiety.
Engagement Gap: Airports wanted wait times to be fun (and profitable) with ads, but passengers tuned out dull content.
Revenue Goals: Turning downtime into cash meant balancing info and entertainment.
Step 1: Digging Deep with Research
I hit the ground running (pun intended) to understand the users.
Ground Radar Research
Shadowing Crews: I watched ground staff during turnarounds, noting how they juggled logs and screens.
Interviews: Managers begged for “one screen to rule them all.” Technicians wanted alerts that screamed urgency.
Competitor Peek: Other tools were a mess—cluttered layouts hid critical alerts.
Smart Boarding Research
Passenger Surveys: At gates, travelers demanded clear updates and something to do. “Give me my gate and a distraction!” one said.
Staff Input: Airport teams eyed revenue from ads but stressed keeping passengers calm.
Competitor Check: Rival apps were snooze-fests—dull designs lost user interest.
Key Insights:
Ground staff needed a unified, alert-driven dashboard.
Passengers wanted real-time info with a side of fun.
Step 2: The Design Approach
With insights in hand, I mapped out solutions.
Ground Radar Vision
A dashboard-centric interface to tame the chaos:
Real-time stats up top.
Custom alerts for urgent issues (think “Equipment Down!” in bold red).
Filters for user-specific views.
Smart Boarding Vision
A mobile app to inform and entertain:
Crystal-clear boarding updates.
A swipe-friendly content zone for ads and games.
Responsive design for phones and airport screens.
Guiding Principles:
Simplicity: Strip away the noise.
Flexibility: Let users tailor their experience.
Unity: Tie it all together visually.
Step 3: Building a Design System
To keep the platform cohesive, I crafted a design system:
Colors: Red for alerts, green for smooth sailing, neutral grays for calm.
Typography: Bold, readable fonts—no squinting allowed.
Components: Reusable buttons, menus, and charts.
Data Viz: Clean rules for graphs and timelines.
This “design DNA” ensured Ground Radar and Smart Boarding felt like a dynamic duo.
Step 4: The Design Process
Here’s where the magic happened.
Sketching and Wireframes
Ground Radar: Pencil sketches of a dashboard with a summary panel, timeline, and alert pop-ups.
Smart Boarding: Rough app layouts with boarding info atop a content carousel.
High-Fidelity Prototypes
In Figma, I brought ideas to life:
Ground Radar: A Gantt chart for the Turn Process Optimiser showed task overlaps—staff loved the clarity.
Smart Boarding: A sleek app with gate updates, wait times, and swipeable ads.
User Testing
Ground Radar: Staff flagged a vague icon (“Settings or maintenance?”). Swapped it for a checklist—problem solved.
Smart Boarding: Passengers said, “Make gate alerts pop!” I juiced up notifications with color and sound.
Iterations:
Swapped icons for clarity.
Added tooltips for tricky spots.
Amplified urgent alerts.
Step 5: Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Collaboration was key:
Developers: We simplified Ground Radar’s real-time updates to keep it fast.
Product Managers: Balanced big ideas with tight deadlines.
Marketing: For Smart Boarding, we wove ads in naturally—no pushy vibes.
Daily stand-ups kept us aligned, blending design flair with tech reality.
Step 6: Post-Launch Glow-Up
Launch was just the start.
Ground Radar: Users clamored for custom dashboards—delivered! One said, “Now it’s my tool.”
Smart Boarding: Tweaked for tablets and added personalized content (think “Hey, John, your gate’s ready!”).
Post-Launch Wins:
Flexible dashboards for staff.
Tablet-friendly app updates.
Tailored passenger experiences.
The Payoff: From Madness to Mastery
Here’s how the designs stacked up:
ProductKey FeaturesUser ImpactGround RadarDashboard, Gantt charts, real-time alertsFaster turnarounds, fewer errorsSmart BoardingReal-time updates, engaging contentHappier passengers, more revenue
The platform turned airport frenzy into a well-oiled machine. Ground staff nail turnarounds with Ground Radar, while passengers glide through boarding with Smart Boarding. It’s not just functional—it’s a joy to use.
The Journey in a Nutshell
From user chats to sketches, prototypes, and teamwork, designing ZestIOT’s aviation platform was a wild ride. Problems like data overload and passenger stress met their match with thoughtful, user-focused design. The result? A platform that’s as practical as it is delightful—proof that good UX can transform even the busiest places. Thanks for joining me on this adventure!
