Insights and Innovations Blog – AeroVision Designs

The World of Design Thinking – Putting it in Perspective

August 30, 2021 August 30, 2021

Design thinking is an approach or strategy used to crack challenging problems and maximize the design impact of the spaces, services, and the products we use. It is used to create innovation within any industry application – technology, entertainment, healthcare, banks and financial institutions, education, aviation, and even in resolving critical social issues.

Without going into how the design thinking strategy works and its specific processes, I wanted to dedicate this article to provide some context in how design thinking fits within a business. A business could mean a company, organization, political group, neighborhood, club, or any entity that comes together to promote a common cause associated with an industry.

The graphic shown is explained in the text that follows.

Every business has a certain set of system elements, or essential building blocks, needed for it to function. Policies and regulations are set internal or external to the business. Processes are the steps taken to run a business. Brand is the determined image and culture of the business. User needs and values are a measurement of demand and determined through user research. Without demand, there would be no need for a business. Goals are the business objectives, such as making a certain amount of money, or being an environmentally sustainable business. Organization is the structure, including the talent provided by the employees or volunteers, and business partners needed for the business to function.

Every business also produces either stuff (products), services, and/or space & infrastructure. As an example, a coffee store produces coffee, provides coffee-making services, and provides a comfortable, social, and interactive environment with chairs and tables for their users to enjoy their coffee while talking with friends. The stuff, service, and spaces are referred to as impact elements because they are the most direct, user-interfacing element of a business. These impact elements can greatly impact a user’s perception of the business and influence its ultimate success.

Some system elements, such as branding, may also impact a user’s perception. However, they are considered system elements because they heavily influence the design of an impact element – stuff, service, space. System elements are important in supporting and setting the stage for what happens through application of a strategy. However, once the strategy is in motion, user perceptions could end up creating a need to change some of the system elements. In this way, impact elements could also influence system elements, with an arrow pointing from impact element to system element. It was excluded for simplicity sake in the graphic shown.

A design thinking strategy connects the system elements to impact elements. The design strategy is needed to identify how system elements should be created, used, or modified and how design should occur to achieve desired stuff (product), service, or space that will be positively perceived by users, resulting in business success.

There you go. I hope that helped provide some perspective in where design thinking applies and how it can potentially impact any industry. I welcome your thoughts.

What is Service Design and How Can it Help Improve the Air Passenger Experience?

July 7, 2021 July 7, 2021

We have all experienced our share of “bad service” in our air travels. This might include waiting a long time in a crowded and stuffy passenger queue line, losing a bag, or having to wait it out through a delayed flight. The latter is what happened to me, in the days before passengers could easily rebook a flight on their cell phones or receive text updates.

Our regional flight was delayed due to mechanical failure. That was fine, but the airline staff only gave us two updates during the 3-hour long wait. They also disappeared entirely from our gate because there was a shift change. I was with about 14 other passengers, and we all started talking to each other, upset at the lack of attention and uncertainty in what was going on. I felt “hangry”. I wanted to leave the gate to get something to satiate my hunger but was afraid the flight would take off and I would have no way of knowing. After about a 10-minute discussion, all 15 of us decided to leave the gate as a group and we headed down the other end of the concourse to the customer service counter to demand a status update or flight reassignment. That seemed to get their attention. I must admit, I have never seen an entire flight march down to a customer service station. It must have been shocking for the staff there to see and deal with. Well, we finally made it on the plane after another hour, but it might have been a few more hours if we had not complained. The airline apologized, but overall, I just did not feel like they really cared about our plight. The whole experience just left a bad taste in my mouth. That single bad experience made me not fly with that airline for 10 more years.

Service design is what differentiates a good airline from a bad airline. If that airline had thought about service design, which includes knowing the passenger’s behaviors and pain points, and identifying the relevant touchpoints with staff (for the main airline as well as regional partner airline involved) where it was possible to address those pain points, they could have better planned to handle these maintenance issues. Service design makes it possible to see visibly and tangibly, through the journey maps and service blueprints that are created, where there could be breakdowns to resolve.

One of the problem areas that led to our bad experience was that during shift change, the main airline and regional airline did not communicate well or at all. That resulted in a gap in service. Service design allows you to look at the touchpoints involved and tighten up those areas so you can provide value to the customer, and most importantly, understand why it is important to do so. In my example, the airline could have ensured we had a dedicated staff member to update and aid us throughout the entire ordeal. That would make us feel assured someone was taking care of us, and we had some freedom to leave the gate to get some food. Or the airline could have provided us water and snacks. Service design allows for a holistic way of seeing existing and potential problems through with empathy, understanding the whys of what customers value and what motivates them, and then addressing customer needs that ultimately lead to, in our case, happy passengers who would continue to use the airline. That leads to future business opportunities and revenue for the airline.

Service design is the application of an iterative and agile design thinking approach catered to user experiences to solve problems. It is a creative design process that focuses on developing deep understanding of the users of a product / service / system / space through empathy, and then applying those insights to co-create innovative ideas that are then tested or prototyped prior to implementation.

Questions asked in service design where design thinking is applied might include:

Who are all the stakeholders involved in the system?
What are the customers’ pain points or gain points in their service journey?
What are the potential touchpoints where an airline can maximize value provided to the customer, or emphasize unique areas that can differentiate them from other airlines?
What technological innovations are emerging that will require a deeper understanding of user behaviors and preferences to make the most impact?
How might I quickly test an uncertain area within my product / service to validate my assumptions? What can I learn from that test to improve the product / service?
How might meeting customer values translate into business value for all involved in the system? What innovative solutions might be used to achieve this? What is the return on investment?

Service design, which includes an iterative process of empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test, and implement, has been used to determine and implement business strategy, improve the customer experience, and elevate the business. Service design is to me, the future way we as aviation professionals need to be thinking to stay ahead and be innovative, deal with the increase in technology in our lives, and collaborate better.

I will wrap up this blog by presenting two instances where service design has been used within aviation to make the overall air travel experience more enjoyable for passengers. In addition to these instances, many airports and airlines, such as San Diego International Airport, Dallas Forth Worth International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Delta Airlines, and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, among a few, recently started their own in-house innovation teams. We are in the age of service design!

Toronto Pearson International Airport

IDEO worked with staff at Toronto Pearson International Airport to transform the airport experience by putting passengers first. The goal was to help Toronto Pearson, Canada’s largest airport, become a world-class hub that can achieve traveler satisfaction and ensure safety in times of crisis and calm. The work effort was started in 2015 when IDEO was approached by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) to think differently about employee engagement, operations, and customer service and offer a world-class passenger experience. At that time, the team identified four key opportunities for further action.

Creating a more pleasant and efficient security screening process
Optimizing baggage services
Empowering employees to deliver exceptional service, and
Improving wayfinding and the border clearance experience.

IDEO’s efforts continued through the pandemic in 2020. The team worked to bring together all stakeholders including airport staff, Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), passengers, and airline staff to gain a deeper understanding of the security screening and other issues to improve the overall passenger experience. They worked together to address competing agendas, airline differences, technology, regulations, the airport floor plan, and traveler desires.

The outcome was an improved security, baggage, and border clearance process, and an internal movement that united over 50,000 employees around a shared purpose of service.

An innovation developed during the process included installing signs to give passengers an estimate of how long it took to complete passenger screening in response passengers feeling “out of control”. The signs included welcoming phrases such as, “Keeping you safe is what matters most to us”. The space was also redesigned to allow passengers more room to organize their belongings post-security.

To address baggage handling, IDEO and the airport noticed baggage handlers did not feel like their voice was being heard, so they worked to provide baggage handlers better working conditions, and involving them in creating a solution. This resulted in testing ideas that could make the baggage process more seamless and improve baggage flows. They also created color-coded signage for baggage handlers with consistency and clarity in mind to allow handlers to place baggage in the correct positions. These changes resulted in a dramatic reduction in baggage incident reports.

The entire experience was transformative. Through their interviews and observations, the team discovered that with 50,000 employees across 400 companies, there was a need to bridge the gap between the discrete silos and mindsets among employees that was resulting in a disjointed passenger experience. A culture change was needed, and that led to the creation of an airport-wide internal movement called “I am Toronto Pearson” to empower their employees to think outside the box and to build pride. The movement was effective in breaking down barriers.

Finally, the airport improved the airport international arrivals experience with intuitive signage and color-coded wayfinding that minimized confusion and expedited the flow of passengers. They also discovered passengers oftentimes would ask immigration and customs questions to airport staff and airport questions like where to pick up a taxi to immigration and customs staff. This was caused by where staff was placed. The team engaged in rethinking and redesigning the space and use of the space to maximize touchpoints between passengers and staff. They tested six prototypes, of which two were permanently implemented. During the pandemic, refinements were made to reduce terminal congestion and high-touch interactions.

Toronto Pearson was recognized in 2018 and 2019 as the “Best Large Airport in North America” for airports serving more than 40 million passengers annually according to the Airport Service Quality survey conducted by Airports Council International. Toronto also was named one of the “Most Improved Airport in North America” in 2019.

Southwest Airlines

In 2017, staff from Southwest Airlines’ innovation, operations, and data science teams and EPAM Continuum, a global innovation design firm, worked together to improve the in-airport customer experience. They wanted passengers to be able to get to their destination confidently and spend less time worrying about the journey. EPAM conducted interviews with customers, employees, and operations personnel to understand the customer journey, needs, and areas for improvement.

The team discovered a need to provide accurate information about flight status, departure gates and times. The information being received occurred in many different forms and was oftentimes inconsistent. Resolving this inconsistency was necessary to build trust. Building trust prevented passengers from crowding around the gate area. A new digital wayfinding system was developed to guide customers through the airport to provide consistent information. This system was user tested at Dallas Love Field Airport with a low-fidelity mockup using foam-core and projectors, as well as virtual reality, to simulate the digital wayfinding system, which in turn helped build buy-in within the organization. The signs implemented also included natural language to bring personality and reflect the Southwest brand. In the test, 96% of passengers said the new signs made it easier to navigate the airport. Passengers rated the usefulness of the new system a 4.77 on a 5-point scale. Southwest employees also noticed a reduced number of repetitive customer questions.

Photo Credits: Pexels, Toronto Pearson International Airport, IDEO, EPAM Continuum

A Focus on Passengers in Airport and Airline Improvements

June 7, 2021 August 30, 2021

Airports and airlines that offer commercial air passenger services strive to meet a few basic customer service and business goals:

Ensure the safety of the air traveling passengers
Provide a stress-free traveling experience
Provide an enjoyable travel experience
Establish a sustainable and profitable business
Establish dynamic community partnerships

To meet these goals, airports and airlines often make space, product, and service improvements on those components relevant to the actual travel process.

This may include offering deals on plane tickets, setting up loyalty programs, making improvements to optimize the passenger and baggage check-in and screening processes, implementing passenger safety measures, or determining how best to have passengers line up and board a plane.

Improvements to the travel process itself are relevant and its importance should not be diminished. However, to maximize the success in achieving the above goals, some attention should also be given towards the non-process aspects of the air travel experience.

My assumption is most passengers view the air travel experience as a necessity. It is a transition stage they must go through to get to their ultimate destinations. That ultimate destination could be visiting family and friends, attending an important business meeting, or going on vacation. The mindset for passengers is that if they must spend time in an airport or on an airplane, they want to be able to enjoy and maximize that experience doing things they would rather do. If they can spend as little time and with the least amount of stress going through security and the actual travel process, the better.

How then, can airports and airlines design the passenger experience so passengers can enjoy and maximize the time spent doing what they want to do in an airport or on an airplane (traveling) and at the same time, create profit and good will with passengers so they come back again and again? What is it that passengers would rather be doing with their time while traveling?

The below chart identifies some of the passenger desires in terms of what they would rather be doing while traveling. I then identify the activities passengers engage in to achieve their desires. Finally, I identify space, product, and service needs that are present, required, or could be implemented to facilitate the activity. If airports and airlines want to maximize customer satisfaction, it is in these space / product / service areas where improvements must be made.

I welcome your thoughts in the comments.

Passenger Desires While Traveling

Activities

Space Needs / Ideas

Product Needs / Ideas

Service Needs / Ideas

Bonding with family, friends, and co-workers

Talking
Playing games
Shopping
Eating
Viewing gallery exhibits / planes

Sitting spaces that enable conversations
Shopping areas
Eating areas
Big window / gallery / popup booth area

Tables
Wifi and plug outlets
Comfortable seating
Interesting exhibits / shopping / food that spark conversation
Conversation starters
Games to play at the airport / on the airplane

Concessions and maintenance staff
Artists / Events
Fun flight attendants
Fun center staff

Relaxing,

Taking time to self-reflect and de-stress

Resting
Self-reflection
Listening to music, podcast, audiobook
Playing games
Reading a book
Write creatively
Stretch

Sitting spaces
Quiet / sleeping / temperature regulated spaces
Airline lounges
Bookstores
Music stores
Yoga / exercise areas

Comfortable seating
Beds / quiet pods
Wi-fi and plug outlets
Music vending machines
Blankets / pillows
Exercise equipment
Coloring books for adults and kids

Massage / spa services
Sleeping area service
Exercise staff

Satisfying your curiosity,

Seeing new sights,

Gaining new perspectives

Shop for souvenirs, travel necessities
Eat at local and unique places
Viewing exhibits / planes with family members
People watch
In-flight dining options

Shopping areas
Eating areas
Tourist agency booth
Big window / gallery / popup booth area

Interesting exhibits / shopping / food that spark conversation and are enriching
Interesting airline food packaging and offerings
Local souvenirs
Travel packages
Comfortable seating for plane/people watching

Exhibits about the local area,
Local food demonstrations
A learning experience
Tourist agencies Take a tour of a location straight from the airport

Being productive,

Working,

Studying

Working on a computer, or other digital device
Reading a tablet or book
Writing in notebook
Working session with co-workers
Learn something new (language)

Sitting spaces with tables
Conference centers
Education corners

Tables
Wifi and plug outlets
Bright lighting
Seating that is good for working
Activity kits for the airport / airplane

Conference center staff to watch your stuff if you need to use the restroom or to provide you drinks / food
Online food / drink order and delivery service
Airport staff teaches passengers about a topic in the airport – 5 min Ted Talk

Feeling important,

Status symbol in traveling

Frequent flyer mileage programs
TSA Pre-Check

Airline lounge
First class area

Premium food / drink

Premium food and drink service
No waiting

Having fun

Playing games
Talking to people
Shopping
Eating
Knitting

Fun center
Shopping areas
Eating areas
Exhibits
Hobby center

Games on tablets at restaurants / airplane seats
Books / magazines to read, games, activities
Hobbies to do at the airport / on the plane (confetti activity)

Concessions and maintenance staff
Artists / Events
Fun flight attendants
Fun center staff

What’s In Store for Passengers at LAX’s New West Gates?

May 24, 2021 May 25, 2021

The opening of Los Angeles International Airport’s new West Gates, a 15-gate, 5-level, 1,700-foot-long, 750,000-square-foot modernized international terminal symbolizing the future, reimagined, LAX experience, is a momentous occasion for Los Angeles. It is one of the most technologically advanced facility of its kind, and focused on the customer experience to connect people, places, and cultures. Access to the facility is provided via the underground pedestrian tunnel from the existing Tom Bradley International Terminal or airfield buses.

This is a momentous occasion also for me personally. As an airport planner, I had the privilege of helping to lay the foundation for the terminal. That was 10+ years ago. It feels great to be able to see something you were part of envisioning finally get built.

With so many international passengers, LAX is a gateway to Los Angeles, and the rest of the United States. The roof of the building represents the ocean waves breaking onto shore. The terminal is the first and last thing international travelers see, and that impression is important to Americans culturally and economically. Architecturally, the main core is the town square or downtown area with high ceilings and multiple levels. It also features an impressive LED chandelier. Neighborhoods, from the desert to the sea, are located to the sides and each consist of several gates, restrooms, and concessions, and designed with colorful mosaic tiles to reflect the mid-century modern design in general of LAX. The new terminal has a lot to offer from the perspective of meeting customer needs and elevating the passenger experience.

Fast, Cutting-Edge Connectivity

We have all been to airports where the internet speed was so slow any hope of watching the show downloaded to your phone was dashed. The West Gates is equipped with advanced Wi-Fi 6 infrastructure to support new and emerging applications and deliver higher levels of service to older applications. All this results in faster speeds, greater energy efficiency by reducing the battery burden on devices connected to the wireless network, and better performance in high-density areas like airports. The terminal will also be equipped to handle enhanced 5G cellular service when rolled out. This advancement should give us all fast, uninterrupted service to stream our favorite show or work online during that next long layover.

Tables, Comfortable Seating, and Plugs

Having tables, comfortable seating, and accessible plugs available is a key thing for me. I have not yet been able to check out the amenities in person yet at the West Gates, but from the videos shown during the Grand Opening event, I am already excited about the availability of more comfortable seating options and worktables with plugs next to them. To me, it makes no difference whether I am sitting in the dining area where it might be noisy or near the gate as I always opt for the text message alerts to be alerted of when my flight will board. That allows me to then find my ideal “camping” location. Just like finding your ideal house, at an airport, once past security, its all about “location, location, location”. If I am not at an airport lounge, then I scope out a place with great light, comfortable seating, and somewhere close to a plug. If I need to work on my laptop, I find a place with a table. Noise is not a concern since I just put my headphones in. The below photos from the West Gates are all ideal working areas, with plugs below the seats and good lighting. The new terminal will offer 60,000 square feet of space for lounges. Air France will open their new lounge in Spring 2022 and LAWA plans to create a common-use lounge that passengers can access with a daily access fee.

Biometric Boarding

Now when you travel internationally, you may be able to look into a camera that will verify your identity and access credentials, and the gates will open to let you board. This makes the boarding process much faster. Although I have heard on some A380s, it only takes about 45 minutes to board due to the fact multiple boarding bridges are in use and there are two aisles, I still think biometric boarding is the way to go if it can make the boarding process go by more smoothly. As a planner, I hate to see the queue back up into the hallway as it makes me feel like I planned the airport poorly. As a passenger, it has always perplexed me why some airlines choose to board the plane from the back and others from the front and what method results in a faster boarding process overall. I am sure there are multiple factors at play, but a biometric boarding process will work to reduce the queue, and speed up the boarding process in general. That means less stress standing around holding all your carry-on bags.

Kiosks to Help Find Your Way and More

I love kiosks to help me figure out how to easily get to my next destination or connecting gate, find a great place to eat / shop, or a restroom. A working, easy-to-use kiosk is ideal. The West Gates include numerous self-service kiosks located throughout the terminal. The selfie feature is one I will be sure to check out. LAWA, it would be a bonus if you could change the background of the selfie to iconic places in the airport and around Los Angeles. Great for visitors if they forgot to snap a photo of themselves at a tourist spot. Great for aviation enthusiasts if they want to take a photo of themselves with a pilot in the cockpit of an A380.

Shopping and Dining

I have not been to the West Gates yet to see the available shopping and dining options, but I have been to the main Tom Bradley International Terminal (Terminal B). Some of my favorite places are Umami Burger, ink.sack, and Vanilla Bake Shop. I am excited to be able to explore the food and shopping options. That also includes the contact food ordering options.

In international travel, we have come a long way in offering comfortable and trendy shops at airports, and I love the emphasis placed on the local area. As Mayor Eric Garcetti put it in his Grand Opening address, Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the world, and it is important for arriving passengers to be able to “feel LA”. Rory DeJohn, the Managing Partner of Turner PCL Joint Venture, the construction company responsible for building the West Gates, later stated the terminal reflects the vibrancy and diversity of Los Angeles.

Having an airport reflect that feel of the community – in this case, the vibrancy and diversity of Los Angeles, is what makes airports special for me. It is captured in the architectural details. However, there is so much more in to make that branding come alive. Concessions plays a key role.

I learn something about the local area whenever I visit a place. The airport serves as an extension of that place. From big burgers in Texas, to Pendleton Wool in Portland, and I NY shirts in New York. I just love what a city has to offer and the airport provides me with a snapshot of that. For Los Angeles, many people think Disneyland or Hollywood. Of course, I do too. However, since I live in Los Angeles, for me, when I come home from a trip overseas, or when I leave, seeing the local stores reminds me that LA is home. That calms and grounds me. Having those celebrities and dignitaries welcome me home also adds a nice touch that they are welcoming me home from a long trip abroad.

Check Your Bag In Early – Super Early

You can now check your bag up to 24 hours in advance. Now, honestly, I am not sure why one would need / want to check their bag that early as it would make them take two trips to the airport. However, what does excite me about the new optimized automated bag storage and retrieval technology is that it seems it allows for greater ability to track checked bags. That means a fewer likelihood of lost bags. And now that the system is more automated, that means less wait time at the baggage carousels to pick up bags. You get out of the airport faster. Your loved ones don’t have to circle around the airport as long before they pick you up at the curb.

Doing What is Right

It makes me feel good to know that the City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles World Airports is doing what they can to work towards more sustainable practices and do what is right for the environment as well as for the community. The new West Gates terminal was constructed to operate with cool roofing and paving materials that reduce heat absorption, and LED lighting that will reduce our energy and electricity consumption. It also has water-saving plumbing fixtures to reduce our water consumption. Finally, knowing the building is made partially with recycled materials makes me feel good that we are doing our part to save the environment, one step at a time.

Places to Convene and More?

I am so pleased to see Los Angeles and Los Angeles World Airports leading us to new heights as a world leader. Ten years ago, when I traveled internationally, I came back shamefully thinking we always needed to do better in the United States to modernize our airports. We were modernizing, but slowly. Our patience has paid off and I am excited to elevate ourselves into our new reimagined jet age of traveling. To me, that new jet age is one of experiences, stories, and building opportunities to get to know each other better.

When reading the press release for the West Gates, one line sparked my interest – “three locations within the building allow for pop-up cultural performances”. When I planned my wedding, I always thought it would have been nice to stage it in a hangar. If it was possible to do it in an airport terminal, I really would have considered it. I am not quite sure what that one line means, but ideally, it seems it would be so cool to have a wedding in an airport for destination weddings. Have the ceremony at the airport along with the reception and then everyone hops on the plane. I can dream. However, perhaps on a less grand scale would be mini-concerts in the airport or a pop-up experience booth for Disney to showcase their latest attraction or a producer to promote their latest movie. That would be a great revenue source for airports and great way for someone to get some publicity. Although it would only be attended by ticketed passengers, I still think certain experience would work with this limiting parameter.

I look forward to traveling again and experiencing the reimagined new West Gates terminal. I’ll see you around!

Photo credit to Los Angeles World Airports.

Click here for more information of the Grand Opening event.

LAX New West Gates – Grand Opening!

May 24, 2021 June 8, 2021

May 25, 2021 marked the grand opening of LAX’s New West Gates, a 15-gates, 750,000-square-foot, modernized international terminal that serves as the latest symbol of the reimagined LAX experience. View the grand opening video here as well as the press release by LAWA.

Below is my summary of the grand opening event, with the main takeaways. Please also view my post about “What’s In Store for Passengers at LAX’s New West Gates?”.

About the West Gates Intro Video (32:56) – This is the start of the Grand Opening event. There was a long wait time. The West Gates, with 15 gates and 750,000 square feet, is a modernized terminal that serves as the latest symbol of the reimagined LAX experience. We are in a new jet age and the new terminal is the most technologically advanced facility of its kind, setting the bar for international airports. We fulfill the mission to serve the World, and connect people, places, and cultures.
Welcome by Honorable Eric Garcetti, Mayor City of Los Angeles (34:35) – The West Gates project was a huge infrastructure project that did not stop during the pandemic. It kept LA moving and will continue to do so. It’s all about people and experiences, and the resilience we can build coming out of the pandemic. This project, and many more that are in the pipeline, are a huge creator of local jobs. What we have done in Los Angeles will continue to serve as an inspiration for the rest of the World. As the entertainment capital of the World, we want people to arrive and be “feeling LA”.
Impact on Neighborhoods by Honorable Mike Bonin, Councilmember, Los Angeles City Council District 11 (45:54) –Los Angeles has had a joint vision of modernizing the airport as a world class airport and an airport that is a first-class neighbor. This vision is becoming a reality. Through this project, passengers can better appreciate their moments at LAX. This project also created so many good paying jobs. With a LEED Silver project, LAX is leading the way to being at the forefront on the fight against climate change and being a sustainable airport. Finally, the project gates creates less noise and disruption for the people who live in Westchester and Playa Del Rey.
Passenger Experience Video (50:06) – Passengers will connect to the West Gates via tunnel under the airfield and ascend into a space inspired by a town square. There, they will be surrounded by views of the airfield. There are world class shopping and dining, airline clubs, play areas, work counters, conversation pods, and interactive displays to orient the passenger. The terminal has places to charge up, two nursing rooms, pet relief area, and rotating art gallery.
Capital Project Recruitment and Results by Sean Burton, President, Los Angeles Board of Commissioners (52:30) – The West Gates project was approved by the Los Angeles Board of Commissioners in 2016. At the time, it was the largest award in the history of the City ($1.7 billion). It had positive mega-economic impacts. It resulted in $300 million awarded to small businesses. The West Gates also provided placement opportunities for nationally recognized Higher LAX Apprenticeship Program. A total of 1.88 work hours and $12 million in wages were paid out in the program. Capital projects needed a 30% local hire minimum during design and construction. This goal was exceeded.
LAX Innovation and Technology Video (56:36) – The West Gates is a technologically advanced facility, with self-service kiosks, self-boarding technology at the gate, and automated bag storage and retrieval. Also, for the first time, passengers can check bags in up to 24 hours through early bag drop service.
What’s Next by Justin Erbacci, Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles World Airports (58:48) – The West Gates marks one of many new projects that will be opening in the coming months of the reimagined, world class LAX with global connectivity, state of the art facilities, and an unrivaled passenger experience. Passengers, cargo tonnage, aviation revenue, and concessions have grown tremendously between 2013 and 2019. LAX’s sustainability action plan is to move to 0 emissions and renewable energy by 2045. LAX also has a goal to be a first class neighbor and improve its relationship with community members. LAWA wants a passenger journey that is more efficient and comfortable.
LAX Design and Sustainability Video (1:04:35) – The West Gates has a cool roof reflective of the ocean swell of the nearby Pacific Ocean, and windows to let in the California sun as well as reduce the electricity consumption. The design of the building is built with sustainability in mind. It is equipped with LED lighting, water saving plumbing, a cool roof. It exceeds LEED Silver and Cal Green Tier 1 Certifications. It uses 29% less energy, 41% less water than conventional designs. The terminal was built with 20% recycled content. LAX has a goal of meeting zero carbon emissions by 2045.
Construction Highlights by Rory DeJohn, Managing Partner, Turner PCL Joint Venture / Senior Vice President, Turner Construction (1:06:43) – The hiring of people from the community was a key focus of the project. During the pandemic, the project included the management of 1,200 workers daily and a total of 85,000 trade workers. This was an enormous task. This terminal is so much more than a transfer point. The terminal will support economic growth for Los Angeles. It will serve as a gateway to a point of connection for the city and members of the community as the first and place people will see. It so well reflects vibrancy and diversity of the great City of Los Angeles. Sustainability and efficient features can be found throughout the terminal (energy and water). The modern terminal includes the inclusion of the latest technology.
Opening of the Ramp Tower by Cary Buchanan, Airport Manager II, Los Angeles World Airports (1:12:20) – The LAX Ramp Tower is controlled by LAX Operations. Cary opened all West Gates for aircraft activity.

Photo credit to Los Angeles World Airports.

What is Design Thinking?

May 14, 2021 May 18, 2021

In 2009, Tim Brown, CEO of innovation and design company, IDEO, gave a TED Talk about his views on design. He reflected on the start of his career as a designer working on a woodworking and fax machine that were now obsolete compared to the designers before him from the 19^th century. With the focus on consumerism, we had moved from a world focused previously on “systems thinkers who were reinventing the world to a priesthood of folks in black turtlenecks and designer glasses working on small things”.

I work with many architects and engineers and so that statement hits close to home. It certainly does make you think and wonder whether what we are doing is truly impactful and has a purpose.

The term, “design thinking” has been around since 1969 when Nobel Prize laureate Herbert A. Simon first mentioned it in his book, The Sciences of the Artificial. Since then, design thinking has steadily grown in popularity. In 2008, with Tim Brown’s leadership, IDEO has made great strides to expand the notion of design thinking. Tim Brown states:

“Design thinking can be described as a discipline that uses the designer’s sensitivity and methods to match people’s needs with what is technologically feasible and what a viable business strategy can convert into customer value and market opportunity.”

Design thinking is an innovative iterative problem-solving process. It can be applied not just to product design, but also to services, systems, strategies, and physical spaces. Industries using the design thinking approach include technology, banking, healthcare, business operations, social organizations, governments, education, and airports.

IDEO has applied design thinking to 1) help people harness their genetic information by launching the first store for products powered by DNA, 2) scale an entire network of schools for the growing Peruvian middle class, and 3) redesign for Lufthansa Airlines the long-haul travel experience through the relationship between attendance and passenger.

Lufthansa and IDEO redesigned the inflight service to establish their flight crew as trusted, knowing hosts, thereby providing the emotional value customers needed as identified during user research.

Unique to the design thinking approach is 1) an emphasis on the user, or a human-centered perspective and 2) the generation of an innovative, creative solution. The general phases as identified by IDEO are as follows:

Inspiration

The first phase is to find inspiration. This includes understanding and sometimes redefining the problem, conducting research through empathy, and forming insights (revealing “aha moments”) from the perspective of the user(s). The user may focus just on the primary user or customer, but may also focus in on other users that are involved in the customer’s journey such as the employees and suppliers.

Key to the inspiration phase is empathy. Oftentimes, the goal is to literally try to put oneself in another’s shoes to understand how they feel – their behaviors, attributes, attitudes, actions, mindsets, emotions, desires, needs, goals, what they value, and their concerns and pain points.

Finding inspiration involves engaging all your senses in the experience. Having empathy is foundation to the achieving innovation in human-centered design thinking. The specific knowledge gained in the inspiration phase will inform the design.

Ideation

The second phase is to ideate or explore a wide range of potential opportunities or solutions. Oftentimes, even the craziest of solutions can lead to true innovations, so the goal is to think outside the box. Quickly sketching up solutions is a great way of coming up with ideas. Doing this in a team is also essential to feed off the energy of others. In doing so, you co-create.

Once multiple ideas are generated, key moments that matter will rise to the top that may be high-value touchpoints, or unique branding experience. These moments or potential innovative solutions to the problem statement will be quickly and inexpensively prototyped and tested.

Prototypes are your solution mock-ups and may consist of a series of storyboard sketches on paper, physical models, or role-playing exercise. The goal is to test the prototype, learn from the failures, and get user feedback on potential innovative design solutions. This may take several iterations. Initial tests will be with the design team, but it is often a good idea at some point to test with actual customers as well.

Implementation

The implementation phase is where the majority of the time, money, and energy should be placed. This is to emphasize that the inspiration and ideation phase should not be an exhaustive, time intensive, and costly endeavor. The implementation phase is part of the traditional process in a problem-solving process. It typically involves detailed design, training, phasing, and other processes before implementation. However, the results of the inspiration and ideation phases are important to convey through storytelling to facilitate smooth implementation.

The additional inspiration and ideation steps could be thought of as additional planning steps to allow for the implementation to be 1) targeted to the right problem, 2) address the user moments or values that matter (effective), 3) allow for a truly innovative solution that is memorable (unique and evokes a brand), and 4) allows for the development of future key performance indicators and its application for effectiveness evaluations.

The End Result – True Innovation

Empathy and the application of a divergent and convergent design process is what leads to true innovative design solutions. The experience is like when you get tested for and assigned an eyeglass prescription. The optometrist uses a phoropter device, which has two plates and multiple lenses to determine what lenses work for you, flipping through various lenses until you see clearly. As a designer, you learn to continuously broaden (diverge) and then fine tune (converge) the lens at which you frame and resolve a problem. Sometimes, this means putting things out of focus, and then putting it back into focus, just to be able to comparatively tell which thoughts are more insightful or which ideas will matter more to connect back to the user. Also, putting yourself constantly in the shoes of another user is like adding a second later to the phoropter device, and you continue to fine tune the settings, through prototyping and iterations, until your vision, or solution becomes clear.

You’re Vaccinated and Ready to Travel – Here’s What You Should Know

May 8, 2021 May 12, 2021

I just got the COVID-19 vaccine and am looking forward to flying again. It is May 2021, and nationally, about half of all adults have at least one vaccination shot. Driving past my home airport, I can see it is packed. Nationally, TSA checkpoint traveler throughput volumes are about 65% of May 2019 volumes. In comparison, May 2020 volumes were only 8% of May 2019 .

While it is still advisable to travel only if deemed essential, if you are or thinking of traveling soon, here’s what you need to know:

TSA Rules

As of May 2021, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) still requires face masks be worn at airport security checkpoints. This is in effect through September 13, 2021.

The CDC has stated that vaccinated travelers can travel safely and do not need to get tested before/after travel unless their destination requires it, but guidelines still require individuals to wear a face mask, socially distance (6 feet), and wash hands or use a hand sanitizer.

How to Best Get Through the Airport During the COVID-19 Pandemic

If you have COVID-19 or tested positive for COVID-19, do not fly.

Allocate extra time to get through the airport if you are not used to flying. The normal recommended times are 3 hours for international flight and 2 hours for domestic flight. With COVID implementation measures still in place and travelers returning, airports right now will be challenged to keep their airports operating efficiently. It will be important to find the right balance in protecting passengers and accommodating passenger throughput.

Play it safe and get to the airport earlier if you can. You can also try to call the airport/airline or look on their websites to find information about approximate wait times to gauge your arrival timing.

When you go to the airport, wear a mask. You will not be able to fly without it.

Parking – If you do park at the airport, many places offer contactless entry and exit, particularly if you pre-booked online. If you are unsure, inquire with the parking facility you plan to park at. If you have to take a shuttle to the airport, many service providers maintain social distancing measures at the bus shelters and on the shuttle, and have plexiglass screens and hand sanitizer stations on-board. Airports and parking operators also regularly clean and sanitize touchpoints at escalators and elevators.

Check-in – Check in for your flight online or use self-service bag drop kiosks where possible to avoid touching counters. Also sign up for flight text alerts if you have a smartphone. If you have to check in at the counter, many airports have plexiglass screens to minimize contact. All airport staff do wear face masks and are available in the ticketing area to assist you. Pay attention to the social distancing signs and floor decals that you may see.

Disinfectant Cleaning Measures – Improvements in cleaning measures with hospital-grade cleaning agents were one of the first COVID-19 safety measures employed by airports all around the World. The focus was on sanitizing and disinfecting major touchpoints such as escalator railings, elevator buttons, seating areas, iPads, and payment system devices. Most airports now also have hand sanitizer stations and face masks available. Many airports have made their cleaning measures more visible to passengers as well to demonstrate safety is of top priority and to give passengers more peace of mind. Also, be sure to wash your hands often or use the hand sanitizer stations at a minimum when you are in the airport for 20 seconds.

Security Checkpoint – TSA has taken a lot of steps to improve the screening process such as employing officers and implementing touchless technology for passenger protection and can help speed up the process. This includes new Enhanced Advanced Imaging Technology (eAIT) to screen passengers and Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) machines to verify identification documents. You will need to take your mask off temporarily for the TSA agent to verify your identity, but you have the ability to scan your own boarding pass.

Unless you are a TSA PreCheck passenger (no changes apply), take out electronics and everything from your pockets, place items from your pockets and your belts, as well as electronic items on your carry-ons instead of the provided bins. All passengers may bring one hand sanitizer (12 oz.) per person and all other liquid, gels, and aerosols must meet the TSA 3-1-1 rule. The only items that would go in the bins are food items. Airports differ based on what technology has been implemented, so follow whatever the TSA agent instructs you to do, such as if you are asked to be part of secondary screening.

Restaurants – With social distancing measures in place, some restaurants will not be at full capacity if they are open at all. Many restaurants do offer to-go meals that are packaged carefully with COVID-19 in mind. Use the nearby hand sanitizers where you can and wear your mask when not eating or drinking. At many airports as well, restaurants have enabled contactless payment systems. At other airports, you can order from your phone and someone will bring your meal to you. If you are a frequent traveler or have membership, you can also go to a lounge.

Shopping – Airport safety measures include enhanced cleaning processes of shopping baskets and counter areas, social distancing decals, plexiglass screens, and hand sanitizer stations. While I have not seen too many contactless payment systems, the credit card readers I have seen have been regularly cleaned by staff.

Waiting Area to Board Plane – Expect the waiting areas near boarding gates to be quite full. The key is to be prepared and spread out where you can. If you arrived to the airport early, you will be able to get a seat at your gate. If not, make sure you sign up for your airline boarding text alerts and then grab a seat at a nearby gate, lounge, or restaurant. Pack light so you will not have to carry so much around with you.

Required Traveler Form – If flying into some airports, travelers must fill out an online Traveler Form acknowledging they have read, understand, and will abide by the City’s Department of Public Health Travel Requirement and understand the State’s Travel Advisory. Check with your airport if you are required to do this or not.

COVID-19 Testing / Vaccines – The quarantine duration requirements are different if you are vaccinated and unvaccinated, and if you have a negative COVID-19 or positive COVID-19 viral test result. State and local requirements and recommendations differ, but generally unvaccinated travelers are recommended to get tested 1-3 days before a trip, and then afterwards, get tested and self-quarantine from 7-10 days. Many airports offer COVID-19 testing and vaccines on-site for the convenience of passengers now.

TIPS FOR TRAVELING WHILE VACCINATED

Wear a mask

Check-in online at home

Pre-book your parking

Arrive at the airport early if you are not used to flying

Only place food in bins, all else on top of our carry-on

Maintain a 6-foot physical distance with others

Use hand sanitizer/wash your hands often

Minimize the time your mask is off while you eat/drink

Pack light

HOW AIRPORTS ARE PROTECTING YOU

Touchless technology to minimize contact points

Improved cleaning processes and of all major touchpoints

Social distancing signs and floor decals

COVID-19 testing and vaccines on-site

Hand sanitizing stations

Airport implements social distancing measures

Plexiglass screens

I hope this article provided some helpful tips for traveling during COVID-19 and provided some insights into what airports are doing to protect passengers.

Happy Flying!