WELCOME ON BOARD
CONTENTS INITIATE Introduction The Client
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ASSOCIATE Research Methods Comparison of FSCs and LCCs S.W.O.T. Analysis Brand mapping P.E.S.T.E. Analysis Customer journey map Brand Proposition
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NAVIGATE Visit to the airport Questionnaire Quantitative analysis Qualitative analysis Summary
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COMMUNICATE Final brand proposition Target group and Personas Goals, Vision and Mission Statement 9 Ds, principles and values Competition analysis Destinations, Attributes, Tone of Voice Naming the brand Customer Journey Map with Air Nava
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EXTRAPOLATE Personal project overview Concept Flowchart Air Nava : Logo and Brand Colours
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Concept 1 : Self Check-in kiosk - Features - What the machine has - Icons used in the interface - Language options - Flowchart of how it works - Final wire-frames for interfaces - Other collaterals - Airline Personnel Behaviour
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Concept 2: Expanding into ATM - Proposal of idea - Mock ups
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Concept 3 : In-flight entertainment - Proposal - Icon Exploration - About Nava Entertainment - Mock ups - Final Wire-frames : Tablet Version - Final Wire-frames : Phone Version
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DEMONSTRATE Exhibition space & User Testing Design Strategy Dimensions of Performance Client Feedback Course Reflection Acknowledgements Bibliography
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INITIATE Let’s get started!
INTRODUCTION The Indian Domestic Airline Industry has rapidly spread over the country in the past few years, and the number of people who opt for air travel increases as the industry continues to grow. Most of the Airlines in the Domestic Sector have two intents : grabbing a share with the existing users to maximise profits; and to increase the pool of users by having flights in Tier 2 and 3 cities. At the beginning of the project, being a visual communication student, the personal goal of the project was to design the visual language and branding of an airline company. As the project progressed, having studied the length and breadth of the industry, the goal shifted to challenging myself by diving head-first into interaction and experience design. Looking beyond personal experiences as a customer of the Domestic Airlines Sector was step one. Mapping the stakeholders in the industry, meeting people who have worked in the airline companies, interviewing people and collecting data closely followed. Utilisation of service design thinking tools, market research and analysis, which led to in-depth customer understanding culminating into valuable insights. Application of insights from the above is what aided the development of my personal project alongside building the brand for “AIR NAVA�, the airline company that was born through the combined efforts of Aakansha Kukreja, Aakash Kedia, George Katticaran and I, Priyanka Mehta.
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THE CLIENT : Tata Elxsi While meeting with the client, we were introduced to all who were involved with the project. We were briefed on the company’s work methodology, the process we should follow from research phase to the final stage or ideation and prototyping, what their expectations from the project and the overall project brief. Below, listed are key points noted during the session :
KEY POINTS FOR SUCCESS : PRODUCTIVITY - All air-crafts are built to fly non-stop. However, an empty seat is a huge loss for the company. There are some sectors that are more profitable than others. COSTS - Salary of the pilot and staff, financing the aeroplane EXPERIENCE - The differentiating factor. In this project we are to assume that productivity and cost are taken care of, what we need to provide the customer is an experience Every product or service has a user experience that builds a relationship with a customer or a group of customers, it’s positioning has to be established by us.
CONSTRAINTS & ASSUMPTIONS : - Airport will not change - Nor will the plane technology - Assume there is enough Ad budget to create awareness - There are enough planes and money - Near future technology is okay (can be used).
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ASSOCIATE Diving into the industry
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RESEARCH METHODS As the project progressed, we had to become familiarised with various service design tools to help filter through vast amounts of information, diverge and converge, and arrive at opportunity spaces for us to build personal projects. Taking reference from the book : “This is Service Design thinking� by Marc Stickdorn and Jakob Schneider, and website : http://www.servicedesigntools.org/
DESIGN METHODOLOGY AND TOOLS THAT WILL BE USED - Identifying users and their interaction with the airline industry - Creation of stakeholders map, Journey maps for customer of the airline - Creating Personas -Study what has been attempted by other airlines or by designers with relevance to the Airline Industry - SWOT Analysis - Competition Analysis - Brand mapping tools - Comparison tools - P.E.S.T.E. Analysis - Brand proposition building
Stakeholder Map
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RESEARCH METHODS : Comparison Comparing the features of “Low cost carrier” (LCC) and “Full scale carrier”(FSC) Domestic Airline companies.
Currently only two Full Scale Carriers in the Domestic sector. : Opportunity to create new airline in this space
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DESIGN TOOLS : Go! Air S.W.O.T. Analysis
TAGLINE : Fly Smart
WEAKNESS :
USP : Lowest Price, Good service airlines
- Market share is low compared to leading players - Entered Indian market much later, has lesser destinations
TARGET AUDIENCE : Low middle class/ middle class, cost conscious passengers POSITIONING : Low cost, no frills STRENGTH : - Stop backing by promoters - LCC segment is growing in India - 1000 flights per week - covers all major Indian cities - Good branding and marketing in India
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OPPORTUNITY : - Middle class taking to the skies - More destinations for customers to choose from - Global operations - value additions THREATS : - New LCCs to compete with - Labour costs increasing - Rise in fuel costs
DESIGN TOOLS : Indigo and Spicejet S.W.O.T. Analysis
INDIGO
SPICEJET
- Up to date technology, new Airbuses
- Lowest airfares and on-time guarantee
- Branding keeps upgrading
- Strong branding and advertising strategy
- Advertising is very good
- Always notifies customer via SMS, email, etc.
- Provides no special services to customers
- Connectivity : bringing India closer
- Promise for on-time services
- Strong backing by promoters (part of Sun Group)
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COMPETITION ANALYSIS : Mapping the competition Mapping the competitors in the Indian Domestic Airline Sector
Plotting the brands on a brand matrix
What each brand provides their customers
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DESIGN TOOLS : P.E.S.T.E. Analysis P.E.S.T.E. Analysis of India that directly or indirectly may effect the Domestic Airline Industry presently or in the future:
Political : Subsidiary taxes, licenses, government regulations, parties in power, FDI limits, Terrorism and foreign policies, safety instructions and regulations board, Security check.. Economic : Fuel charges, labour costs, value of the rupee, Modernization and privatisation of airports, increase in private economies, inflation.. Social : demographic, who is flying, growth in the number of flyers, growth of cities, increased migration to urban areas, religious factors, status symbol, changing family structures.. Technology : Growth in number of smart phones, lifestyle
changes, younger population, in-sync with newer technologies, social networks help in collecting data, e-commerce rising, the need for in-flight entertainment, wifi on board..
Environment : Sustainable packaging, weather conditions, natural disasters, water and energy crisis, waste management..
A class activity, segregating our collective information into the different sections : Political, economic, social, technological and environmental to further analyse
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DESIGN TOOLS : Customer’s Journey Map
FROM THE AIRLINE’S END
Passenger database & connect Pre & Post flight services : taxi, discount Correspondence after the flight
CHOOSING THE FLIGHT
Website satisfaction Online or physical travel agents Range of flight schedules & prices
CHECK-IN PROCESS
Luggage tags & boarding pass General awareness for security check
LUGGAGE
Tracking of passenger and baggage Weight restrictions, what not to carry, etc.
WAITING
Receiving constant flight information Not having to wait for too long Entertainment & services to prevent boredom
LETTING THE AIRLINE CO. KNOW Identifying : gate, counter, baggage, seat no. Communicating special needs and requests Food preference and availability
There is a rising need for constant, easy & seamless communication. 18
ON-THE-GO
Relevant and easy-to-use technology System that is flexible and mobile
DESIGN TOOLS : Brand Proposition Statements HYPOTHETICAL PROPOSITION : EVENT AIR Step one to creating a new airline was to figure out it’s brand proposition statement. The class was divided into four groups who had to create proposition statements for four hypothetical airlines : ChillAir, Event-Air, Tech-Air, Cult(ure)-Air. For Event-Air, we created the airline based on the events celebrated in India. There would be special offers during the special festive seasons, the focus would be the destination flown to and the unique selling point would be that we customize for events like weddings, birthdays, etc. in the air just for our customers when it wasn’t festive season. Target audiences, major events, services for the customers, S.W.O.T. analysis for the airline, etc. had to be created so we understood the process better when it was time to create the real brand statements for the client.
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DESIGN TOOLS : Brand Proposition Statements To understand how to create a brand proposition statement, we had a workshop where we had to create a brand proposition for the hypothetical airline called Event-Air. Using post-its we used this method of categorizing the features to extract the core values of the brand to eventually form the brand proposition statement for this airline. Step 1 : Take post-its and just write words to do with the features that the hypothetical brand has Step 2 : Categorize these post-its into clusters and create major headers for them Step 3 : Create core values with these headers and see if they relay what the brand stands for Step 4 : Create brand proposition out of these major words
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BRAND PROPOSITION : Evolution of the proposition
1) Your journey is hasslefree and an unforgettable experience created by humancentric interaction, premium service and technology that is relevant.
2) Constantly evolving service that always creates an experience for� you�.
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BRAND PROPOSITION : Evolution of the proposition
3) Flying with us - our service, your experience.
4) Service that is oriented to optimize the experience of the constantly mobile traveller
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BRAND PROPOSITION : Developing the final one
The word “Mobile you” was coined after doing the P.E.S.T.E. Analysis. Studying the current mindset of the people in India influenced it. In the fourth stage of coining the final brand proposition, the term “the mobile you” had to be further explore. Above is a mind-map created to breakdown what the term meant. From this, two semi-final brand propositions were develop :
1) WE CRAFT A SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE FOR THE MOBILE YOU. 2) SERVICES AND PRODUCTS THAT MAKE THE MOBILE YOU THAT THE FAMILIAR IS ALWAYS FRESH. 23
BRAND PROPOSITION : Developing the final one The mobile traveller can be a housewife who can now travel freely on her own and keep up with household affairs on-the-go. A student leaving their hometown to pursue a higher education. A person constantly on the move for business for the company they work at. “The mobile you” is more like a state of mind that the brand wishes to cater to. The people who want to be in control, they need to be occupied through the entire journey and they hate waiting in long queues. Upon combining the two semi-final brand propositions, the final one was developed :
“KEEPING THE
FAMILIAR FRESH FOR THE MOBILE YOU
“
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NAVIGATE Collecting data
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FIELD VISIT TO AIRPORT : Observation We conducted a field visit to the airport and observed the surroundings, how people interact with the environment provided by the airport, what other airline companies are doing to attract their customers in that space and what services are being provided to the customers. Most of the personal documentation from this is in the form of photographs, notes and sketches.
Having done exercises on persona building, it was almost an automatic reaction to place people there as different personas. Emotions, interactions and expressions were observed. Through this exercises I found that a lot of the services at the airport are provided by the airport itself and not the airline companies (cab, luggage wrap, Atms, phone-booths, trolleys, destination guides for Bangalore city, etc.). Through these observations, an insight that the pre-flight space provided very little space for design intervention was arrived at. A personal decision was made to not deal with trying to influence a customer to fly by our airline, but to enhance the customer’s experience after they have already chosen to fly with us.
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Airport Services
Observing people
QUESTIONNAIRE : Who were interviewed and why Post field visit we had to come up with individual questionnaires to extract qualitative or quantitative data from various types of people. To look beyond our personal experiences we needed to interview as many people to understand what they went through while travelling by air, what their grievances were, their feelings, their thoughts, opinions on how to improve the system, etc. A service design project is baseless without an empathetic understanding of it’s future users. I conducted interviews with : 24 Male correspondents ranging from 20- 50 years and 26 Female correspondents ranging from 20 - 51 years. They were from different occupational backgrounds : ranging from students, professors, sales marketing heads, cabin crew flight attendants, travel agents, sales marketing and HR department heads, etc. I had impromptu interviews with people who provide services at car companies like Porsche and Hyundai to get a better understanding of how they become extensions of the brand they are working for. I got the chance to interview some people who worked in the airlines as well. I needed to know how they and customers reacted to new technologies introduced in the market, did the personnel receive training and how did they teach the customers to use them. When working in the domestic sector, they have encountered many instances when they are faced with language barriers with the customers, I wanted to know how they overcame them.
“I have two definite roles :
“Initially apprehensive, but once familiar with the
2) 1) As a safety person (less visible role) As a customer service person (more visible role) “ - Cabin Crew at Air India.
process, then the customers gain confidence” Cabin Crew at Air India.
What I needed to know
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QUESTIONNAIRE : Customer’s viewpoints QUESTIONS FOR AIR TRAVEL CUSTOMERS What are the minimum facilities you expect from an airline company ? While waiting to board your flight, what do you do? What do you wish was available while you wait, so you don’t feel like you’re wasting time? - What do you do once you’re in the plane and it has taken off? - What facilities do you wish were available in the plane and why? - Do you look at the information given to you by the airline? - What do you feel while reading the information : (formal/friendly/restricting/instructing) Have you had any memorable experiences on the plane that you can recall? (Good or bad) - What airline do you travel frequently by or personally favour? - Why do you prefer this airline? (Services, promotions) Most of the airlines in the domestic sector feel the same, but what are the little things an airline company can do to make you a happy? - How comfortable are you with interpreting non-verbal sign-age around the airport? - Is it easy for you to find things with the help of only the sign-age and pictograms? - Would it be easier to choose from all the options available quickly on a machine screen? - What are the reasons for your answer? - Do some airlines use or utilize more technology that others? - Which ones and how? - Are you comfortable in communicating with the airline personnel regarding special requirements & needs? Why ? - What are your special needs? (Special requirements : wheelchair services, seating preferences, food preferences, etc.)
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QUESTIONNAIRE : Customer’s viewpoints Tick the first airline that comes to your mind when you read the words on the left::
A lot of people told me about their experiences on international flights and the selection of entertainment you receive on-board. This helped me generate an insight : Domestic flights in India do not have in-flight entertainment, but this is a feature most people appreciate to keep them occupied throughout the flight. There is a huge opportunity area here to create entertainment on-board without increasing the weight of the plane which the screens for the entertainment usually do.
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QUANTITATIVE DATA : Analysis HAVE YOU EVER USED THE SELF CHECK-IN MACHINES AT THE AIRPORT?
INSIGHT : Maybe through more information, instruction and advertisement the use of these machines can rise. Entirely removing the human aspect is not welcome.
WHEN DO YOU PREFER TO CHOOSE YOUR OPTIONS/REQUIREMENTS?
INSIGHT : People are too hassled to think straight while the whole process of check-in and security takes place, best time is while booking tickets or in the waiting lounge
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QUANTITATIVE DATA : Analysis COMMON PURPOSE FOR TRAVELLING BY AIRPLANE :
INSIGHT : Reasons to travel can be broadly classified as official engagements, education and holiday - this later connects with the choice to align the personal project with the “Mobile You” brand proposition.
WHEN DO YOU PREFER TO CHOOSE YOUR OPTIONS/REQUIREMENTS?
INSIGHT : Opportunity in the area of pre-flight is not as much. Personal project will not focus on trying to convince the consumer to buy the ticket, but will occupy a space to provide the customer with services and experiences after they have chosen this airline to fly by.
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QUALITATIVE DATA : Analysis by matrix Having collected vast amounts of qualitative data, it had become increasingly difficult to sieve through all that information. Long conversations were paraphrased and generalised. Then, as a group, all major points were categorized according to four themes : Information, Interaction, Technology and Trouble/ Time. Each theme was further categorized into: Experience/Emotion, Opinion/Expectation, Knowledge and Choice/Suggestions. With the help of this matrix method, it became easier to gain insights which were categorized into wants/needs and pain points.
INSIGHTS GENERATED PAIN POINTS - Web check-in is not easy - Ticket prices - Baggage Handling - First time flyers feels lost - Airport Navigation - Food
WANTS/NEEDS - Regular new things to be seen - Options to choose from - Pictograms are easier to understand
Matrix chart
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- Better handling for special equipment - More self control
QUICK SUMMARY Everything about air travel, from booking the ticket and boarding the aircraft to collecting your luggage, has become ritual. The lack of entertainment and anything exciting creates a sense of monotony that people have come to associate with flying. With so many people to cater to, attempts have been made in the past to ease the journey of the customer through web check-ins, self check-in kiosks, etc. Customers seem to require manual assistance from the airline personnel to operate these kiosks. This shows psychological and behavioural traits of the Indian customer vis-Ă -vis their interpretation and reaction to new things.
WHAT PEOPLE’S PRIORITIES ARE: (Through information collected from interviews conducted) - Fast and comfortable journey - Avoid long and boring queues - Quick and hassle-free check-in - Good food (controlled by external parties/caterers) - In-flight entertainment (uncommon on domestic flights)
INSIGHTS FOR PERSONAL PROJECT The experience of flying has become too familiar to people. How can an airline company make this familiar activity something fresh? - Accessible to a larger reach of people - Language options - Simple interfaces to comprehend - More visual, less text - Fresh design and brand language - Keep customer occupied throughout
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COMMUNICATE Turning data into solutions
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BRAND PROPOSITION : The Mobile You
A mind-map to discover who the “mobile you” is, and from that key words have been extracted (as shown below).
Keywords for “The Mobile You”
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BRAND PROPOSITION : Target group and Personas THE TARGET GROUP PERSONAS A man may be a part of a certain persona when he travels for work but adopts another persona when he is travelling with his wife and children. The mindset of the person change depending on the situation, but the purposes for travelling become more stable factors to base the brand’s target personas on. The purposes of the primary target groups are :Official engagement, Holiday, Education. The secondary target is based on other purposes like emergencies, events, etc.
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BRAND PROPOSITION : Target group and Personas Creating or personas based on the purpose of travel instead of the kind of traveller they are. PURPOSE : OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENT Flyers who are well versed with all the procedures. Generally they fly within a time constraint so on-time facilities are preferred. They have low tolerance for delays and frills. They prefer to wait in lounges rather than the crowded spaces at the airport. They want self control over what they get and would like to be given attention when they require intervention. They keep themselves engaged.
PURPOSE : HOLIDAY They are pro-active and enthusiastic individuals who are looking forward to the travel. They might be travelling in groups. The purpose for their travel is for vacation - they consider exploring a new city, time off from work, visiting family during festivals, etc. all holidays. They are looking for an enjoyable journey in which the air travel becomes a part of the experience and not a hassle. Additional services to add to their journey and make it more engaging would be nice. They like to have their options in front of them, so they have time to consider budget restraints along with their preferences.
PURPOSE : EDUCATION Flyers who fly back and forth from their hometown to their place of education. They are usually part of the youth and usually require to be engaged or pre-occupied. They fly during major festivals and holiday seasons (summer, winter, etc. They usually face problems of excess baggage. They are well-versed in technology.
PURPOSE : OUTSIDE TARGET GROUP Flyers who may not accept use of technology easily. They require aid and / or assistance. They usually travel with a passenger. They usually travel for events or visiting family. They are usually confused at the airport and might include first-time flyers.
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BRAND PROPOSITION : What is fresh to our personas
WHAT COULD FRESH MEAN TO OUR PRIMARY TARGET GROUP?
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BRAND PROPOSITION : Features GOALS
Keeping the Familiar fresh For the mobile you.
- Determined Quick yet Safe travel. - Catering to the needs of Mobile You - Dynamic Flying Experiences - Simplified well-guided procedures - Creating a sense of independence in the traveller - Consistency in our core values - Bring-back customers through brand recall and incentives.
MISSION STATEMENT - Simplified, well-guided procedures. - Seamless and Optimum use of travel time. - Expanding Boundaries and encouraging the traveller to be in control.
VISION STATEMENT An airline service constantly evolving to deliver dynamic experiences.
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AIR NAVA : The 9 Ds, Values and Principles The word “Nava” also means the number nine, hence the 9 D’s of the company’s principles and values were born. This is for internal usage when introducing future employees to the brand or reminding current employees of what Air Nava wants to deliver to their customers.
DIGITAL
To adapt to new technologies.
DEDICATED
To constantly create and evolve dynamic products and services to be in sync with the changing consumer needs.
DETAILED
To give attention to the smaller details that can influence and iron out the consumer’s journey.
DETERMINED
To deliver seemingly seamless, quick and hassle-free experiences to our consumers.
DIRECT
To connect destinations with minimum stopover flights, in sync with our principle of “quick travel”.
DELIGHTFUL
To be fresh and spontaneous.
DRIVEN
To enhance customer experience, create memorable experiences while keeping the familiar fresh.
DISCUSS
To create an open environment within the company, encouraging co-creation within and respect for all employees and stakeholders.
DESIGN
To create well-guided procedures, communicate and reach out to the consumers through our visual language and brand identity.
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BRAND PROPOSITION : The Mobile You OUR KEY COMPETITORS
Young, Fun
Progressive
Approachable
Cool, Urban
Full Scale
Full Scale
On-Time
Energetic
Indianized
OUR BRAND PERSONALITY SPECTRUM
OUR BRAND
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FEATURES
ATTRIBUTES
TONE OF VOICE
- Quick travel
- Approachable
- Progressive
- Full scale carrier
- Cutting edge
- Approachable
- Tier 1 + tier 2
- Friendly
- Original
- Guidance
- Outgoing
- Dynamic
- Interactive
- Bold
- Fresh
- Fixed pricing
- Straightforward
- Energetic & witty
- Use of technology
- Dynamic
- In-control & calm
- Rewards / bonuses
- High energy
- Constantly evolving
DESTINATIONS Chosen on the basis of holiday, education and business hubs in India. Mumbai Pune Panaji Kochi Trivandrum Bengaluru Hyderabad Chennai Ranchi Kolkata Patna Lucknow
Agra Trichy Raipur Guwahati Chandigarh New Delhi Jaipur Ahmedabad Indore Nagpur Kozhikode Bhuvaneshwar
* Inaccurate map of India
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BRAND PROPOSITION: Naming the brand NAVA /naa-vaa/ MEANING: Nava is a Sanskrit word that means modern, recent, young and fresh. For the state of mind for a mobile traveller, a name that is simple and easy to remember is ideal. The word itself originates from a language deeply rooted in Indian culture. Phonetically, the name can be pronounced in a similar way no matter what language the customer speaks.
FRESH MEANING: Not previously known or used; new or different. (Not just the same old ordinary airline experience.) Our brand’s vision is to deliver for our customers a refreshing experience by keeping our service relevant and exciting and giving the flyers something new to look forward to.
MINT MEANING: ‘Mint,’ an aromatic plant which signifies coolness, refreshment and spiffy. Mint airline is an experience that remains significant and contemporary. The idea is to adjust, adapt, respond and act in accordance with the needs and desires of our customers.
COBALT /koh-bawlt/ The colour of cobalt symbolizes : Communication, Truth, Loyalty. As a brand we are looking to create some level of transparency in the pricing, evoking loyalty from our customers. We aim to deliver a progressive attitude with quality service. As a colour, cobalt is bold and recognizable.
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BRAND PROPOSITION: Naming the brand After much ideating, four names were finalized: Nava, Mint, Cobalt and Fresh. After interviewing people about what the names meant to them, we cancelled “Fresh� off the list. After taking the interviews, pros and cons lists were made for the three potential names. Computer generated announcement for the remaining three were played for people, along with physical mood boards for each during the second seminar. Viewers were encouraged to vote for their favourite name, and Air Nava was the clear winner.
NAVA
/naa-vaa/
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Moodboard : Mint
BRAND PROPOSITION: Naming the brand MINT
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Moodboard : Cobalt
BRAND PROPOSITION: Naming the brand COBALT
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Moodboard : Nava
BRAND PROPOSITION: Naming the brand THE FINAL NAME : AIR NAVA
SEMANTIC VALUE
STRATEGIC IMPACT
Nava conveys a fresh, progressive attitude.
Business objectives are fulfilled: being approachable, new & updated; are fulfilled.
PHONETIC STRUCTURE The word is easier to pronounce, simple to recall and has a catchy ring to it.
AVAILABILITY “Nava” is available legally in the Indian airline Industry.
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WORK SEGREGATION : Customer Journey map with Air Nava
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WORK SEGREGATION : Customer Journey map with Air Nava
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EXTRAPOLATE Personal Project
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PERSONAL PROJECT : Overview
VISUAL LANGUAGE + INTERFACE DESIGN
HARMONISE HUMAN & MACHINE INTERACTION
PROMOTE QUICK TRAVEL & SELF SERVICE
UNDERSTAND THE PERSONAS
BE SIMPLE & RELEVANT
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INSIGHTS ADDRESSED On account of geographical and language barriers, there seem to be visible communication gaps which leads to a lack of comprehension in data. There evolves a need to smoothen out these pain-points by relevance and sensitivity, maximising the reach to a larger audience
DESIGN INTERVENTION AREA Machine to Human Interaction Human to Machine Interaction The area of engagement lies within the sphere of interaction which involves human to human, human to machine, machine to human and machine to machine communication. The stakeholders of the Airline Industry interact directly or through a machine. Humans are governed by emotions and intuition whereas the interface of the machines are set to invoke responses from the human user.
SCOPE OF PROJECT The main goal is to cut across the barriers of language in an attempt to ease the touch points of operations. The personal goal is to create a dynamic and simple solution/system whose success would be evaluated on the basis of acceptance and usage by a large number of people.
PERSONAL PROJECT : Overview QUESTIONS TO POSE IN THIS AREA Is there a need for design intervention in the sphere of interaction? If so, why is the need for a design intervention required in the sphere of interaction? Who are the current users? Who are the potential users? What are the wants and needs of both users? Why is there a need to break barriers to reach out to the users in the Indian market? How is it possible to break barriers of geography, language, diversity, etc. when the user pool is so huge? Do their wants and needs differ or exist simultaneously with each other’s? What are the mediums that the users are comfortable with? What are the different areas to work in within human to machine and machine to human interaction? On what basis does one focus on more specific areas or scopes for design intervention? How can the result be simple and relevant for universal comprehension and has this been attempted by other airlines or by designers in other fields? How does one keep the outcome relevant to the future? How does one maximise acceptance of a new method of interaction from the users?
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PERSONAL PROJECT OVERVIEW : Concept flowchart With so many people to cater to, attempts have been made in the past to ease the journey of the customer through web check-ins, self check-in kiosks, etc. Customers seem to require manual assistance from the airline personnel to operate these kiosks. This shows psychological and behavioural traits of the Indian customer vis-Ă -vis their interpretation and reaction to new things. A simple and relevant means for communication will overcome these barriers. Maximising the reach across the country thereby becomes a challenge. The stakeholders of the Airline Industry interact directly or through a machine. Humans are governed by emotions and intuition whereas the interface of the machines are set to evoke responses from the human user.
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AIR NAVA : Logo and brand colours
THE MAIN LOGO
BRAND COLOURS
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CONCEPT 1 Self check-in kiosk
SELF CHECK-IN KIOSK : Features WHEN IS CHECKING-IN POSSIBLE : Check-in 45 mins - 24 hrs before one’s flight Check-in for connecting flights on the same day Check-in additional passengers (only same flight and day)
WHAT THE KIOSK HAS : Scanner for valid id. Proof/passport Slots for notes and coins for payment in cash Slot for credit / debit / nava card Language options to widen scope for accessibility
OUTPUT OF KIOSK : Prints out boarding passes Prints out baggage tags for check-in bags Has stickers for special equipment
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SELF CHECK-IN KIOSK : What the machine has
Sketching out the kiosk : What it can have and how it will work. (Not final product sketches, just iterations to get a better understanding of the kiosk)
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SELF CHECK-IN KIOSK : What the machine has
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ICON EXPLORATION : Icons used in the interfaces The icons used in the Self Check-in Kiosk’s interface. After receiving feedback, they were simplified to fit with the visual language of the brand.
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SELF CHECK-IN KIOSK : Language options First, the main languages were listed for each destination that Air Nava will be flying to. A final list of 12 languages were chosen after :
English, Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Kannada, Urdu, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Tamil, Telugu and Assamese.
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SELF CHECK-IN KIOSK : The final interfaces
CHOOSE A LANGUAGE Choose from twelve different languages based on the destinations that Air Nava flies to. The selected object will turn blue if clicked on (as shown above) There is a hierarchy in the languages based on which city the kiosk is placed in. Above is an example for Bangalore city.
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Show the airline personnel your valid id. proof and enter PNR no. to go to passenger itinerary. Passenger may alternately just swipe credit card or scan QR on ticket to go to itinerary.
Example for a family of six on one PNR no. (above) and example for one person (below)
ADD ANOTHER PASSENGER
CHECK IN FOR ANOTHER PASSENGER Two people with different PNR nos may check-in together. If the option is clicked on, the identification screens come back and the second person must enter their details. Once done, it will return to the itinerary page with the updated details of both passengers. Option to choose seats is still available.
SELECT SEATS
SEAT SELECTION If there are more than one person checking in together, there will be different tabs for each person. Passenger can view their selected seat, their travel companion’s seat, other available and occupied seats. They can choose where on the plane they would like to sit on. Constant updates of any changes made can be viewed on the right hand side.
PRINT OUT OUT BOARDING BOARDINGPPASS PRINT ASS
PRINT BOARDING PASS
CHECK-IN LUGGAGE
When the print boarding pass option has been selected, there is a pop up reminding the customer that they may only complete this step if they do not have any luggage to check-in
PRINT BOARDING PASS
CHECK-IN LUGGAGE
The check-in baggage feature on the kiosk is the most time-consuming feature, so it might not be available at all kiosks. There is a requirement for the baggage weighing scales to be attached to the machine. The passengers select the number of bags they would like to check-in. If they have any special items like baby strollers, sports equipment or medical equipment, etc. they must proceed directly to the baggage drop-off counter. After they have entered the number of bags and click on the green tick, a pop-up asks the passenger (one at a time) to place the bag on the weighing scale. Depending on the number of bags the passenger has selected, the machine will ask them to place the bag on the weighing scale, and will then calculate the weight of the bag. If there is an issue of excess baggage, the kiosk will warn the passenger.
SELF CHECK-IN KIOSK : The final interfaces
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The pay portal can be accessed even if the passenger wants to change his flight tickets or upgrade to business class. When the passenger receives a summary for his excess baggage fees, they arrive at this page. Here, passenger can directly transfer money or pay by card, or choose to pay at the baggage dropoff counter. Customers like to negotiate if the excess baggage is not so high, or “share the weight� with their travel companions. This provides them the opportunity to do so and interact with the airline personnel as they would if they were waiting in line to check-in. Through research, customers tend to not trust a kiosk other than an ATM with their money, and many customers like to pay by cash and not card. When the passenger chooses to pay at the drop-off counter, a receipt is printed out. The weight is also printed on the baggage tag, so the customers cannot cheat.
SELF CHECK-IN KIOSK : Additional screens
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SELF CHECK-IN KIOSK : Other collaterals
Baggage receipt (coloured version) once the passenger chooses to pay the excess baggage fees at the baggage dropoff counter. Usually receipt will be in black and white.
Disclaimer sticker on the kiosk.
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SELF CHECK-IN KIOSK : Airline personnel behaviour Here are the behavioural guidelines for the airline employee given charge of the self check-in kiosk machine. They must always be present by the kiosk’s side, encourage the customer to assist himself but at no point make them feel abandoned.
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SELF CHECK-IN KIOSK : Airline personnel behaviour
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CONCEPT 2 ATM Concept
ATM CONCEPT : Introduction & insights WHY AREN’T PEOPLE USING THE SELF CHECK-IN KIOSKS? The self check-in kiosks in the airports are not easy to find People think that you can only use the kiosk if you don’t have baggage to check-in Globally, the kiosks highly used, but in India we have this notion of “assisted self service” Many people prefer to stand in line and interact with the airline personnel
HAVE YOU EVER USED THE SELF CHECK-IN MACHINES AT THE AIRPORT?
INSIGHT : Maybe through more information, instruction and advertisement the use of these machines can rise. Entirely removing the human aspect is not welcome.
HOW DO WE BRING THE KIOSK TO THE PEOPLE? Air Nava’s brand proposition is to keep the familiar fresh for the mobile you. With regard to a self operated a kiosk, what is a familiar space where the personas interact with a kiosk on a regular basis? What space are they comfortable being in where they trust the kiosk? What is available abundantly outside the intimidating space of the airports? - Why AN ATM MACHINE of course!
Imagine being able to print your boarding pass in an ATM near you.
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ATM CONCEPT : Proposal of idea
Air Nava Tickets/ Boarding Pass
AIR NA VA
PROPOSAL : Co-branding with ICICI bank to allow Passengers to print their boarding passes at their ATM Kiosks on the same receipt paper, further reducing Air Nava’s expenditure on paper.
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ATM CONCEPT : Proposal of idea
AIR NA VA WHY ICICI BANK? ICICI is a privatised bank that has complete control over the facilities they can offer their clients They are a company that would be interested in gaining more customers with attractive offers Has one of the largest number of ATM machines around India They are attempting to replace all their outdated machines with the new age touch screen ATMs They provide their customers with facilities like recharging their phones at the ATM
WHAT CAN PEOPLE DO AT THESE ATMs? Hypothetical co-branding with ICICI bank and Air Nava People may now self check-in at the ATM kiosk, an environment familiar to them They may print out their boarding passes on the receipt paper, paper costs reduced for Air Nava They may book their tickets, upgrade to business class and change their flight schedules at the ATM The debit/credit card itself acts as a form of identification while the passenger checks-in there The ATMs are located in various areas that makes the kiosks accessible to a large population Air Nava will only use the new-age ATM machines with touch screen (interface is not designed for buttons) People cannot check-in their baggage here, but they may proceed to the baggage drop off counter once they arrive at the airport
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CONCEPT 3 In-flight entertainment
IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT : Proposal of idea
OPTION 1 : PERSONAL DEVICES Passengers plug in their personal devices with a cable Rent-a-tablet if one does not have a personal device Input jack common (HDMI/USB), output jack of device Only one device at a time can be plugged in Only company owns the in-flight entertainment
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IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT : Proposal of idea OPTION 2 : STREAMING ON WIFI Streaming entertainment onto personal device Connect to wifi - open web browser to access portal Personal device needs to fully charged
OPTION 3 : INDIVIDUAL SCREENS Standard form of in-flight entertainment Screen behind each seat - no need for personal devices Air Nava needs to invest much more capital with this option Use of fibre optic cables reduce extra weight on the plane
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ICON EXPLORATION : Icons used in the interfaces
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IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT : About Nava Entertainment
AIR NAVA ENTERTAINMENT The dial in the In-Flight entertainment (IFE) is circular derived from the circular basic icons we see across our collaterals. To balance the large, in your face circle which contrasts from the geometric icon imagery of the Air Nava logo - a new element has been added to the IFE. Through a process of iteration, this imagery subtly representing a sun was born. It becomes an element in the mobility of the elements in the IFE as well. The feeling of a new portal also is created, which is what happens once you plug the personal device into “Air Nava Entertainment”, you cannot use your personal device as it goes into a mode where it is used as a screen for the IFE, it automatically activates a sort of “flight mode”.
WHAT’S IN THIS I.F.E.? Since the duration of the domestic fights range from thirty minutes to two hours and forty-five minutes, there are more options for audio and e-books, music and games. Movies are still available, but so are TV shows. As part of the freshness campaign, there are e-versions of travel guides for different destinations. The safety information is available in the language you want, as there are language options in this as well (there is no hierarchy as seen in the Self Check-in kiosk.)
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IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT : Mock ups of tablet version
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PLUG CABLE INTO DEVICE
CHOOSE A LANGUAGE
IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT : Tablet version interfaces
CHOOSE A LANGUAGE Choose from twelve different languages based on the destinations Air Nava flies to. The selected language will turn blue (as shown above)There is no hierarchy in languages as the system is the same for all Air Nava flights.
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TAP ANYWHERE ON SCREEN TO SEE LABELS OF ICONS
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IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT : Tablet version interfaces
MENUS FOR “NAVA LISTEN” Once the icon for “Listen” is selected, it opens a new menu. There is a write up about this category followed by the various options it contains. Passengers can click on “Music” or “Audio-books”, as they choose. On the right are pictures of the latest albums or hits that have recently been launched on the in-flight entertainment system.
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IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT : Phone version interfaces
PLUG CABLE INTO DEVICE
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CHOOSE A LANGUAGE
IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT : Phone version interfaces
CLICK HERE FOR POP UP MENU FOR MORE OPTIONS: To view catalogue for shopping, safety instructions in chosen language, volume and brightness quick settings, and general settings.
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IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT : Phone version interfaces
TAP ANYWHERE FOR LABELS OF ICONS
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IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT : Phone version interfaces
EXAMPLE : CLICK ON “LISTEN” ICON
“NAVA LISTEN” OPTIONS : Write up about this section, pictures of the recently added hits, slide arrow to the right to select music or audio-books.
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PROMOTIONAL POSTER
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DEMONSTRATE Ready for take-off !
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EXHIBITION SPACE AND USER TESTING
KIOSK SIMULATION Displaying the interfaces that were designed for the kiosk along with printed collaterals of what the kiosk will produce.
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SIMULATION OF I.F.E. Displaying the various interfaces designed on a tablet and phone.
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DESIGN STRATEGY RESOURCES AVAILABLE: - Information pertaining to Behavioural sciences, psychology of the Indian consumers and Visual Semantics - Data collected from interviews of the airline users - Information, parameters and direction provided by Tata Elxsi
KNOWLEDGE ACQUISITION: - Research techniques : data collection, understanding, collation, analysis and interpretation - Approaching different people and interview them to receive personal information from them - Create personas and integrate them into design solutions - Strategic Design and Information design - Service Design Tools and their utilization - Visual Semantics - What visuals can mean to different people in the same context - Interaction Design and User Experience Design - Effective use of colour, type and relevant visuals that could evoke a positive response from the target group Utilizing and/or expanding existing knowledge of : - Brand theory, strategy and management - Market study and marketing strategies - Products and basic functioning in relation to the industry - Service and Strategic design - Information Design - data visualization - Basics of UI and UX design - Behavioural sciences, perceptions of Indian people in context with language and geography
SKILL ACQUISITION: - Time and Project Management - Following the design time line and milestones set up - Revisit software skills as and when required - Ability to talk to the users through interviews - Designing presentation and developing presentation skills to communicate effectively
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DIMENSIONS OF PERFORMANCE PROJECT OUTCOME: - The intention is to create a dynamic yet simple method of interaction. This needs to be made accessible through design. - To ease the interaction between the machine and customer, without completely removing the human aspect that the airline personnel provides by being present at all times. The machine is to have language options in an attempt to address the pain points faced by the users, with relevance to the Airline Industry. - To expand the scope of design intervention and interaction beyond the Airport premise, by identifying other opportune areas where the target audience interacts with machines on a familiar basis. - The aim is to provide the customer with more control and keep them occupied throughout their journey with Air Nava.
PERSONAL LEARNING OUTCOMES: - Effective usage of tools to collect, analyse and interpret data in a holistic way - Researching the psychological and behavioural patterns of the Indian consumers - Generate validated information to back all solutions made in the project - Sharpening and acquiring skills like software skills, time management, etc. - Incorporating majority of the feedback received from varied sources - Utilizing multi disciplinary knowledge in an effective and dynamic way - Designing presentation and developing presentation skills to communicate effectively
PROJECT MANAGEMENT: - Meet deadlines and effective time management - Approach to project must be holistic but focused
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CLIENT FEEDBACK : After final meeting with client Mr. Narendra Ghate from Tata Elxsi came to view all our projects on the 25th of November, 2014. He had been to brief us on the project in the beginning. Others from the company had come for our previous sessions to provide us with feedback. His feedback is in the image below.
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COURSE REFLECTION The constant feedback I would receive in the beginning was always advice to diverge and converge, because I was not being able to focus my project. They advised me to begin converging and diverging, I needed to focus the scope of my project. Once I finally did focus, I had a lot of trouble with breaking the language barrier aspect of my proposal. Researching the different languages was the first challenge. They had to depend on the destinations flown to by Air Nava. My second challenge was : how do I make people understand that they could choose a language without saying ‘choose your preferred language’ in any one language. The other aspect of my personal project was exploring interface design. Interface design was an area previously unexplored by me, but I was excited to try it out. I had to research about visual and interactive elements because I was completely uninitiated in the field. This was certainly outside my comfort zone but I was determined to attempt it. Yes, I was afraid of failing, and I know I have a long way to go to get the hang of it. Even in the final review with the client I received a lot of advice on how to improve the interfaces further. The course has been a great learning experience overall. Working with a real-time client such as Tata Elxsi that dedicated so much of their time to constantly provide feedback. The methodology introduced to us by our facilitators will definitely be something that I will try to implement in my future projects. I had never had any interest in service design before, but use of the tools has really helped my out throughout. The vast amounts of data we accumulated would have been very difficult to sieve through. Without sessions with Ksenia, who taught us the different methods to collect data and how to form questionnaires, it would have been very difficult. Talking to various people about their experiences was also a huge challenge for me. I am uncomfortable with face-to-face interaction with people I don’t know, but I was very happy that I eventually managed to do it. I accompanied a fellow classmate on her observation of display zones in UB city, and there we got the opportunity to talk to people were on the service end of the brand. I had been ignoring the service provider’s point of view until then, and that’s when I fully understand how people can be a great and important extension of brand. That is when I realized that I could not completely remove the airline personnel in the kiosk scenario. That is when I devised the guidelines for the behaviour of the personnel. Looking at the industry through all sorts of filters and perspectives was an important lesson to learn. This project has been a great teacher, in so many ways.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology and Dr. Geetha Narayanan for providing me with the opportunity to engage with this project. Special thanks must be given to the project facilitators : Mr. Vijay Kumar and Ms. Sonalee Mandke, Their systematic approach to the project, creating a design office environment and setting constant deadlines to push us to be more organized has been very helpful. Their support and mentor-ship throughout has helped me remain focused on my project, and they encouraged me to try new things outside my personal comfort zone. Thanks to all the people in my class who I worked with through the initial immersion period. Also special mention to the “Air Nava� Team, the four of us worked together and created this airline company together. Thank you for the mentor-ship of Tata Elxsi. They have sacrificed a lot of their time, even on Saturdays, to come and listen to our projects, and give us vast amounts of invaluable feedback that pushed us to think of solutions from new angles. Thanks to Thomas Jose and Aakash Kedia whose pictures taken of my project during the seminar exhibitions have been displayed in this book. Thank you Chaitrali Bhide, Aakash Doshi and all the others who I interviewed and irritated to squeeze out every bit of information I could from them. Of course, special mention to my loving parents who got a chance to see the second seminar exhibition and finally see what their daughter is up to in college. Thank you Bangalore (Kempegowda) International Airport for allowing us to loiter around the airport and shadily take pictures of unaware passer-bys. And finally, thank you to Kolor Kode for printing and binding this book for me.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY INFORMATION ON SELF CHECK-IN KIOSK & IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT : - http://www.futuretravelexperience.com/2013/06/the-in-flight-passenger-experience-technologicalrevolution-part-one/ - http://eecatalog.com/pc104/2013/03/04/how-arm-based-modules-can-benefit-in-flightentertainment-systems-with-small-form-factors/ - http://www.intelligent-aerospace.com/articles/2011/08/air-china-puts-777-300er.html - http://www.airlinetrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Innovative_Airlines_2011-airlinetrends.pdf - http://www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/pages/2011-11-02-01.aspx - http://www.advancedkiosks.com/compact-power-kiosk.php - http://albenaivanova.com/United-Airlines-Collateral - http://www.bcasindia.nic.in/passengers/transspec/photOequip.html - http://creative-stu.com/creativestu/Collateral.html - http://eecatalog.com/pc104/2013/03/04/how-arm-based-modules-can-benefit-in-flightentertainment-systems-with-small-form-factors/ - http://www.advancedkiosks.com/compact-power-kiosk.php - http://www.worldtravelawards.com/award-worlds-most-innovative-airline-2012
FOR NAMING THE BRAND : - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_company_name_etymologies - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/24/lowcost-airline-names-are_n_4311853.htmlW
ICONS NOT CREATED PERSONALLY : - http://thenounproject.com/
INFORMATION REGARDING LANGUAGES IN INDIA : - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_with_official_status_in_India for information about languages of India -http://translation-blog.trustedtranslations.com/india-the-country-with-more-than-2000dialects-2011-10-18.html
SERVICE DESIGN TOOLS : - “This is Service Design thinking” - by Marc Stickdorn and Jakob Schneider - http://www.servicedesigntools.org/
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