Airline Weekly Website
Product design / Website design
2020 February
The approach
  • Consider UX research methods to uncover user problems
  • Elevate the overall experience to align with the spirit reputation of the brand
  • Rethink the methods to improve issue content category
  • Create a recognizable and congruent visual language
Project Summary

Airline Weekly launched in 2004, a subscriber-supported publication paid for by aviation industry professionals who want to know the insightful analysis every week.

In 2018, Airline Weekly became part of Skift. The mission for design team is rebuild the branding system to align with Skift.

Problem statements

Every Monday, subscribers will receive a newsletter to download their latest issue from email. There is some difficulty in producing PDF issue that we have faced in the past year.
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For example, internally Design team receives latest content from reports on Monday morning, including layout and chart visualization they only have two hours to work on the issue before launching. The rush process had happened mistakes with chart information or delayed launch, and sometimes Reporter team might have to double review on some process step to ensure the issue has no mistakes.
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Another problem we had faced was hard to keep away from subscriber sharing their download report within their team or organization instead paying for multiple user license.

Goal

For the long term goal, how everything optimistically could look two years from now:In two years this AW website will deliver the latest trends and data analysis and be seen as a leader of aviation industry for airline professionals.

Overview
My role
End to end design process
  • user research
  • wireframe
  • visual design
  • prototype
My team
Chief Product Officer: Jason Clampet
Product / Visual Designer: Me
Developer : Mike Linden, Rachel Bronstein, Minhee Park
Research Sales: Lindsay Bashan
Timeline
End of January to March 2020
Role and team

My role covers end to end design process that has involved user research, wireframing, prototyping and interaction design. Team up with developers, chief Product officer and AW subscription sales.

Project timeline

Less than two month but not include building report system

Process
Problem & Opportunities
“ How might we increase engagement with potential subscribers and prevent subscribers share downloaded issue? ”
What is the business need?

Goals

After interviewing with five stakeholders, these goals are leading me to efficient solutions.

Business project objective
Deliver the latest trends and data analysis and be seen as a leader of aviation industry for airline professionals.
User Survey (n=7)
Questions
Survey finding
Define
Scope
User: According to our survey, 85% of our subscribers are located from 30 - 50 year olds
Assumptions
Constraints
Trade offs

In order

“ How might we make the AW website more engaging for non-subscribers and make subscribers are more joyful reading online? ”
Ideate
Research Insights
In order to learn the problem, we ask 10 people to take survey. 3/10 people are not Airline Weekly subscriber, 7/10 people are subscribers.
Ability reading on mobile
From the ideas :
71% of subscriber primarily reading weekly issue on the laptop or tablet. The survey shows Subscribers had difficult time to read data charts on PDF file on the mobile device.
Digitalize TOC menu
From the ideas :
Learning from survey results, 57% of subscriber read topic summary and 86% of subscriber use table of content to find the section that they are interested.
Weekly issue is the star
From the ideas :
Enable to grow our audience is providing what audience want. The research has appeared subscribers are seeking insight stories of aviation industry and accurate weekly data.
Options of subscription plan
From the ideas :
Currently Airline weekly subscription is only available for individual use. After having a conversation with higher manager, they are open for group plan.
Pain points summary
Product & Design Decisions
Key decisions #01
Transfer into digital publication
This will be the biggest challenge for us to change user behavior for our long-term royalty subscribers.

Learning from survey results, 57% of subscriber read topic summary and 86% of subscriber use table of content to find the section that they are interested. The accessible table of content can ensured the users are having good time to reach the section if needed.

( Right: Previous version of Airline Weekly issue )
Mobile friendly TOC menu
Key decisions #02
Restructure the information hierarchy
The research has appeared subscribers are seeking insight stories of aviation industry and accurate weekly data.

Determine the big picture of this homepage, it should be able to organizing the content to support the task that user want to perform. But the overwhelming information has confused the first time visiter, what we are selling? The homepage objective is quickly guiding user through vast amount of information and directing them to the core value.
Increasing the engagement of potential subscribers
Instead of using blog style website layout, the design is inspired by the survey result. The core value of Airline Weekly issue has provided different level of engagement for potential subscriber to explore.

  • Skimmers — want to get the information they need as quickly as possible
  • Swimmers — willing to get a little deeper and browse more of your site
  • Divers — deep into detail and spend time to explore
Key decisions #03
Expand subscription options
Based on survey feedback we are able to understand what subscriber needs and wants, some subscribers are looking for group discount or team license.
Build a reliable paywall
Highlight our most notable subscriber. This information is providing visitor comfort and the understanding of product’s value.

Outcomes

After successfully launched the Airline Weekly website and margined subscription dashboard log in system with skift.com.A long-time legacy subscriber team said they have come to enjoy and appreciate the digital format of issue. At first the changes was drastic in their opinion but now they are enjoy and think it is easy to navigate. However some mature subscribers have said they enjoy print out the issue every week instead digital reading.
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On the other hand, the solution of restructure information architecture on homepage has achieved its objective. Since April 2020, the Airline Subscription rate has increased 8% and new subscribers relish the website think it flows well and easy to navigate.

The solution has impacted in a positive way for internal team, right now they are able to track visits and monitor traffic to see how people are using the subscription, and the accurate data is providing the opportunities for long-term improvement of future prospects.

Design
Airline Weekly Homepage
Airline Weekly Issue
Airline Weekly Email Newsletter
Thanks for the amazing team
Chief Product Officer: Jason Clampet
Product Designer: Andrea Yang-Yanez
Developer : Mike Linden, Rachel Bronstein, Minhee Park
Airline Weekly Sales: Lindsay Bashan
Visit Live Website
Andrea Yang-Yanez
andrea.yang.yanez@gmail.com
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