THE PROBLEM
The Ryanair flight booking process is overly complicated, requiring users to navigate through multiple steps to complete a transaction.
THE SOLUTION
A seamless and efficient booking process that balances user satisfaction with business needs, simplifying the transaction.
THE PROCESS
A comprehensive research plan using design thinking methodologies to identify and leverage insights that inform design decisions.
Initial Project Decision
Each team member researched and proposed various apps for this module, and after discussion, we selected Apcoa as our primary focus due to the number of usability issues.
Pivot, PIVOT!
After discussing our initial choice of Apcoa with our lecturer, we recognized valid concerns regarding its suitability for the project. Further exploration revealed that the app’s user base was more niche than anticipated, which could complicate participant recruitment.
​
Why Pivot?
Given the tight project timeline and these challenges, we reconsidered our options and agreed that Ryanair was a better fit. The team’s familiarity with the Ryanair app, the broad user base it caters to, and the abundance of available data made it a more viable choice for our project.
Planning for success.
To set us up for success, I created and refined a detailed research plan that included:
​
-
Research methodology
-
Project objectives and goals
-
Research questions and assumptions
-
Participant criteria
-
Success Metrics
-
Project schedule
​
This plan ensured we stayed organized and focused throughout the project.
.png)
Mapping the journey.
I established and maintained a detailed schedule for the team. The schedule promoted ownership and clarity among team members while ensuring alignment throughout the project.
It helped everyone understand their responsibilities and how they contributed to our collective goals. Regular updates allowed us to address blockers and adapt to shifting project needs effectively.
.png)
Behind the Brand: Ryanair
I conducted secondary research on Ryanair to gather existing data and insights, helping to understand its market position, operational challenges, and customer perceptions. These included:
Record profits
Ryanair's current record profits are driven by fleet expansion and increased flight offerings.
Climate positioning
Ryanair is positioning itself as a leader in emissions reduction to attract eco-conscious customers.
CCPC complaints
Ryanair ranked 4th in complaints to the CCPC last year, highlighting significant customer dissatisfaction.
Customer satisfaction
Questionable 85% CSAT score as sample representation is unclear and high complaint volumes.
Transparency issues
Ryanair shares customer service and complaint targets but lacks current performance statistics.
Supplier challenges
Mass flight cancellations due to supplier issues and limited new aircraft production until 2030.
Checking the Competition.
To deepen our understanding of the competitive landscape, we dove into the booking flows of various Ryanair competitors.
​
By conducting competitive analyses and heuristic evaluations, we uncovered critical shortcomings and pain points.
This analysis helped us to:
-
Uncover common trends;
-
Highlight essential design elements to incorporate;
-
Differentiate and benchmark our solution effectively against industry leaders.
.png)
Lufthansa booking flow
From Data to Decisions.
We conducted cognitive walkthroughs and user interviews with five participants to identify usability issues, empathise with users, and validate our direction. Key insights included:
01
Cognitive overload
Users were presented with too much information across the experience, resulting in feelings of stress, confusion & overwhelm.
02
Confusing seat selection
Users felt the seat selection process was confusing and unnecessarily complicated and lengthy.
03
Complicated add-ons
Users felt the add-on experience was overly complicated, confusing, lengthy and difficult to navigate.
04
Repetitive steps
Overall, the experience felt too repetitive and lengthy to users who felt annoyed when tasks were repeated.
​
Honing in on the problem.
To narrow our project scope, we crafted the following user needs statement:
Josh
Persona
Josh, a family-oriented, busy young working professional
Need
to feel confident in navigating add-on items and extras whilst booking a budget-friendly flight with Ryanair
Goal
to have a positive and worry-free experience so he can focus on planning a relaxing trip with his loved ones to a new destination
Testing, 1, 2, 3.
To maximise our chances of robust and reliable data collection, we prepared for testing by recruiting participants, developing and refining a testing script, establishing a metric for success and iterating two testing tasks.
User recruitment
We recruited 5 participants in advance for each round of testing, ensuring a consent form was signed prior to the unmoderated test.
Testing scripts
We iterated our testing script for each round based on participant comprehension and testing issues faced during each round.
Testing tasks
We developed testing tasks to identify and observe how users navigate and interact with each experience.
Success metrics
We focused on using the SUS questionnaire to track and measure participant experience for each round.
Usability Testing Goals.
To improve the user experience, we conducted three rounds of testing with five participants each. Clear testing goals helped us measure outcomes, prioritize issues, and track improvements with each iteration.
01
Identify User Insights
Identify issues and user insights with current prototype and our redesign to refine and elevate the experience.
02
Evaluate Satisfaction
Using the SUS questionnaire for each round of testing to identify areas for improvement and measure success.
03
Validate Hypotheses
Each round, we based decisions on user feedback to align with user needs and sought to validate our hypotheses.
Task Scenarios.
We initially tested two scenarios with users but narrowed it down to one due to scope creep and time constraints.
These task scenarios were designed to focus on problematic areas by constraining the testing environment.
Cheapest booking option
Book a no-frills solo trip to Lisbon in May for a weekend with the goal of securing the cheapest fare possible for your flights.
Navigating add-ons
You have decided to go on a week-long surf holiday in Lisbon in May and will be bringing your own surfing gear. Book a return flight to Lisbon.
Ideation tools.
We each drafted several exploratory sketches, using industry and design inspiration to spark creative solutions. After sketching, we held roundtable discussions and used dot-voting to prioritize ideas and ensure everyone's voice was heard.​
​
-
Exploratory sketching
-
Dot voting
-
Design inspiration
-
Solution sketching
.png)
.png)
Idea Prioritization
Given the tight timeline and resources, we used the Moscow method to prioritize key features and elements, with input from dot voting and roundtables to finalize the design.
Must have
-
Progress Bar
-
Subscription approach - recommended is the regular fare
-
Seat selection under passenger details
-
Edit on review page
-
Forgot anything page
-
Breaking up the add-ons separately at points in the flow
-
Total on each screen
-
Day before/ After price navigation
-
Quick Purchase/Preferences/Frequent Destinations
Nice to have
-
Prices under calendar
-
Don't recommend destinations that users can't fly to (e.g. routes that don't fly out of closest airport.)
Out of scope
-
AI assistance chatbot
-
Sustainability focus
SUS Scores.
53.5
Current experience
71
Paper prototype (v1)
80
Lo-fi prototype (v2)
We used the SUS questionnaire to measure usability for its reliability and validity. The current experience received a D score, indicating poor usability and the need for improvements within the flow. Our final prototype scored 80, an A-, compared to the average score of 68, indicating significant improvements to the usability.
​​
Why SUS?
-
Quantitative Measure: SUS gives a clear, numerical usability score.
-
Benchmarking: Helps track improvements and compare versions.
Potential Impact for Ryanair.
​This project presented challenges in balancing user needs with hypothetical business goals. As a conceptual case study, I had to assume stakeholder priorities, which helped me understand the balance between user needs and business objectives.
​
For Ryanair, applying user-centered design could significantly enhance customer satisfaction, revenue, and operational efficiency. This project reinforced my belief in the value of data-driven design and iterative testing to create digital experiences that meet both user and business goals.
Enhanced Experience
Streamlining the booking flow could reduce user friction, potentially lowering abandonment rates for Ryanair.
Revenue Opportunities
Optimizing add-ons and pricing clarity could lead to higher conversion rates and reduced support inquiries.
Brand Loyalty & Satisfaction
Addressing booking pain points and creating a smoother experience could boost Ryanair's customer loyalty.