As part of a client-sponsored studio at Northwestern, I worked with Southwest Airlines to reimagine the travel experience for 2027. Our goal was to reduce customer reliance on airport staff during travel days while preserving the airline’s award-winning hospitality. I teamed up with 3 designers to identify key stress points across the journey and prototype app features that gave travelers more clarity, control, and peace of mind.

Duration

10 Weeks

Collaborators

Eva Ford

Ramya Ramaswamy

Lauren Harrington

01

Research

We started by interviewing internal stakeholders to understand Southwest’s service and operation models. Then, we conducted field research at Chicago Midway Airport, where we observed traveler behavior and interviewed 19 passengers and Southwest agents.

Meet Michelle!

Traveling with young children amplifies stress, uncertainty, and the need for clear guidance. Her experience helped us to uncover key breakdowns that affect travelers across the board. In the below journey map, pain points are highlighted in red to show where the experience breaks down most:

Key pain points emerged:

  • Inconsistent check-in procedures create uncertainty, learning curves, and added stress.

  • Limited access to airport information makes it difficult for travelers to plan ahead with confidence.

  • During cancellations or delays, travelers face unclear next steps. With long lines and no self-service, they’re left stranded at the worst time.

02

The Opportunity

To guide our concept development, we asked:

How might we help Southwest travelers stay informed and feel in control throughout the travel day, especially during disruptions?

03

Exploration

To expand our thinking, I led desktop research on major airline apps and emerging service models in other industries.

Competitor Analysis - most competitors lack day-of-travel support

Analogous Research - growing trend in contextual, AI-powered guidance in service industries.

04

Early Concept

These insights fed into storyboarding sessions where we mapped out key traveler emotions, information needs, and decision points. From there, we generated over 40 early concepts, grouped around three themes: guidance, transparency, and recovery.

After mapping ideas to key journey moments, we narrowed down two opportunity areas:

  • Clarity on travel day — helping travelers stay oriented through real-time guidance

  • Agency during disruptions — reducing helplessness with self-service tools

05

Pivot

Our initial prototypes focused on an in-app AI assistant, as shown below:

Concept feedback revealed a key mismatch: travelers found the AI assistant inefficient, as it lacked the emotional support they needed during disruptions. We responded by breaking those tasks into direct-access tools and info modules, giving users more control and allowing them to act immediately and independently.

06

Usability Testing

After narrowing down our final concept, we tested a high-fidelity prototype with 8 participants before presenting the final proposal and uncovered 3 key areas for improvement:

Unclear visual hierarchy

We adjusted layout and typography to bring clarity to the new home screen.

Too technical terms

Some content felt too formal. We simplified the wording to be more conversational and direct.

Over complicated flows

Simple tasks required too many steps. We reduced friction with a streamlined one-page form.

After iteration, our average task completion time dropped from 62 seconds to 28 seconds, and our SUS score reached 87 out of 100.

07

Final Deliverable

Our final design introduces 2 key features that work together to reduce uncertainty, streamline recovery from disruptions, and preserve Southwest’s signature hospitality, all without increasing dependence on staff.

Feature 1

Flight Day Mode

A location-based tool that helps travelers stay on track by surfacing the right information at the right time throughout the travel day.

Travel Guide (Pre-Check-In)

Surfaces real-time TSA wait times, gate information, and reminders to complete check-in, helping users plan ahead and reduce last-minute stress.

Amenities & Services

(Post-Check-In)

Highlights airport dining, lounges, and gate-specific amenities to help travelers fully enjoy their downtime while staying oriented and informed.

Feature 2

Digital Rebook & Voucher

A recovery tool that empowers travelers to take action during disruptions — with self-serve options, real-time status, and support when needed.

Timely Guidance & Compensation Flow

Lets users rebook or request hotel/meal vouchers directly in the app during delays, removing the need to wait in line or call support.

Voucher Hub

Consolidates all compensation into one place, with clear access to voucher status, recovery details, and more, so travelers aren't left scrambling across emails and platforms.

09

Because of Reroute Ready…

✔️ Passengers regain control in 15 mins

…instead of the typical 2–3 hour CSA wait and email-based process.

✔️ Agents offload by ~20 tasks per flight

…freeing them up to focus on more urgent, high-priority support.

✔️ Client scale efficiently

…by expanding services without increasing operational overhead.

10

Key Learning

Spontaneous Interviews Matter

In-the-moment conversations with travelers gave us richer insights than structured research.

Design Systems Strengthen Clarity

Applying a structured UI system helped standardize information hierarchy and improve usability.

A Fresh Eye Mindset Prevents Over-Engineering

Taking a step back at key moments kept us from overcomplicating the user flow.

Appreciate the Scroll

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