Challenge: Envision the future of travel at the gate while reducing the footprint of the agent podium pragmatically over the next seven years. As agent toolsets continue to migrate towards mobile, we need to empower agents to approach customers proactively without customer barriers and queues symptomatic of legacy podiums. This is a profound shift in the agent experience as podiums are perceived as a place of work. The new experience that is currently in beta at some airports includes work and lifestyle experiences where agents would be free of physical constraints.
2020 Update: United is currently testing for release biometrics, remote agent displays, mobile self-help tools and on-demand agent support.
Note: Fjord Design team in Chicago was selected in an agency bid to envision their perspective of the experience to our business team with my assisted oversight. Their final designs are not reflected in this project as they were only speculative designs and not final.
Approach:
During the review of several agencies, I was asked to quietly sketch own concepts into an augmented experience (using Sketchup software) that evolved into two podium designs that could evolve as it phases out support of legacy gate equipment such as printers and desktop computers. This was never shared with the agency we used (Fjord) to model prototypes due to communication factors with their work. United asked me to monitor their work daily, providing status reports on progress and assisting when necessary to evolve the design into the work presented for feasible and aligned corporate IT strategy. This process included:
1. SOW draft and finalization
2. Review RFPs with candidates
3. Begin internal concept designs aligned to business
4. Finalize design agency candidate
5. On-board agency on airport knowledge, business objectives
6. Begin Research of flying customers and front-line teams
7. Agency begins concept sketches
8. Review of agency sketches with front-line teams
9. Present findings with leadership pivot points
10. Finalize sketches
11. Leadership Science fair with 3D prototypes of models. //Agency relationship ends.
12. (Present internal designs with augmented reality)
2. Review RFPs with candidates
3. Begin internal concept designs aligned to business
4. Finalize design agency candidate
5. On-board agency on airport knowledge, business objectives
6. Begin Research of flying customers and front-line teams
7. Agency begins concept sketches
8. Review of agency sketches with front-line teams
9. Present findings with leadership pivot points
10. Finalize sketches
11. Leadership Science fair with 3D prototypes of models. //Agency relationship ends.
12. (Present internal designs with augmented reality)
Below are the final designs presented after Fjord presented their completed concepts. Although the RFP originally included an augmented reality delivery, this was never realized by the agency. My work included 3D deliverables with an augmented reality experience that could be shared at the airport with front line teams for feedback research to be conducted before prototype models were to be constructed.
Deliverable: An augmented reality experience at the airport to share with field agents on feedback in addition to the deck deliverable for leadership.
(Fjord designs omitted here)
