Air New Zealand

In Flight Entertainment Redesign

Project Overview

In this project, I was tasked to redesign the In-Flight Entertainment system for Air New Zealand. This was an 8 week long process to reinterpret, develop, and optimise the outcome for the target users. The main focus was on micro-animations and transitions.

Role: UX researcher, UX/UI designer

Project duration: 8 weeks

Programmes used:

Watch the video demo here

The Problem:

My goal was to develop a product that could support people with flight anxiety, which affects around 40% of travellers. I wanted to remind people that airplanes are one of the safest modes of transport.

These unique extra features helps to distinguish my design from current products in the industry, and may positively affect both consumers and providers, perhaps encouraging more people to feel safe when travelling.

Many individuals, including myself and family members, have some form of anxiety around flying in airplanes, whether it be a slight worry or an irrational fear of the worst calamity occurring. For some, this may result in discomfort during a flight or at worst, a complete aversion to travelling. Sometimes it might even be necessary for work or important family events.

Aim:

Welcome to Air New Zealand.

Toggle between day...

...and Night Mode.

View your recently played music

Have a full night’s sleep with curated bedtime melodies...

Browse through the entertainment library catered to your favourite genres

Happy flying.

Entertainment home page

Follow along mindfulness and breathing exercises to relieve anxiety and stress

01. User Research

Research done via user interviews, surveys and questions for the general public via public forums.

The landing and take off on a flight. Makes me really nervous.

Just being thousands of miles up in the air... I know accidents are extremely rare, but the consequences are so much worse.

Meditating and practicing mindfulness in general.

Putting in my headphones, listening to music, distracting myself.

What are some things you do to calm down/relieve anxiety?

What makes you the most anxious on a flight?

I get almost motion sick when I’m on a flight. The nausea starts to get to me when I try to sleep.

Breathing exercises, there are some useful techniques for relieving anxiety like the 4-7-8 technique.

The idea of being on a flight is just daunting. What if something happens? What if the plane crashes?

I don’t like it when my ears pop as the plane descends.

Listen to a podcast or music.

02. Desktop Research

Research via articles, research papers, and forums.

What to Know About Travel Anxiety. (2021, June 4). WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/what-to-know-travel-anxiety

Aerophobia (Fear of Flying): Causes, Symptoms & Treatment. (n.d.). Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22431-aerophobia-fear-of-flying

03. Key Findings

Users experience flight anxiety via various different trigger points, but it all results in a similar feeling of breathlessness or unrest. Although the extent is to various degrees, there are a few commonly practiced therapy techniques such as breathing exercises or meditation, and practicing mindfulness. Long term practice might even benefit the user's anxiety symptoms holistically.

Pain Points

Unable to sleep during flights
Breathlessness
Feeling uneasy in the chest
Aversion to travelling.

04. User Persona

A small snippet of the type of audience this project is suitable for.

NAME

Mia Zhou

AGE

OCCUPATION

Student

BIO

Mia is a newly graduated designer who wants to pursue a career in UI/UX design. She has ambitions to travel a lot and thus found an internship opportunity overseas. However, she has not travelled very much in the past and thus has flight anxiety whenever she boards a plane.

SCENARIO

Mia needs to travel to America for her internship, and eventually wants to continue her career in Singapore or South Korea. However, a big obstacle preventing her from confidently advancing in this path is the anxiety that comes with long haul flights. She finds that she is unable to sleep well or calm down on the airplane, preventing her from being well rested before landing.

GOALS

To not be nervous throughout her long haul flight, and to be able to sleep on the plane.

BEHAVIOUR

Light Sleeper

Work Ethic

Stress Levels