Snow
Snow
An AI assistant that helps travelers navigate flight disruptions and rebook with peace of mind.
An AI assistant that helps travelers navigate flight disruptions and rebook with peace of mind.
Role: Project Co-Lead, Design Lead, User Researcher
Role: Project Co-Lead, Design Lead, User Researcher
Team: Jack Q, Krishna S, Phoenix L, Jimmia T
Team: Jack Q, Krishna S, Phoenix L, Jimmia T
Timeline: 1/14/25—3/14/25
Timeline: 1/14/25—3/14/25
Overview
Overview
Snow is an intelligent travel assistant that learns your preferences and uses real-time insights to support decision-making during flight disruptions. Designed to guide travelers with clarity and confidence, Snow takes the stress out of rebooking and other travel tasks.
Snow is an intelligent travel assistant that learns your preferences and uses real-time insights to support decision-making during flight disruptions. Designed to guide travelers with clarity and confidence, Snow takes the stress out of rebooking and other travel tasks.
Onboarding
Booking
Rebooking
Discover
Discover
Northwestern’s EDI program partners with industry leaders annually for its interaction design course. This year, we collaborated with a major U.S. airline (confidential) to reimagine the customer experience during irregular flight operations—disruptions like delays and cancellations, also known as “IROPs.”
Northwestern’s EDI program partners with industry leaders annually for its interaction design course. This year, we collaborated with a major U.S. airline (confidential) to reimagine the customer experience during irregular flight operations—disruptions like delays and cancellations, also known as “IROPs.”
IROPs create challenges across the board:
IROPs create challenges across the board:
For customers: it's the stress and confusion of disrupted trips, often due to limited agency, transparency, or support.
For customers: it's the stress and confusion of disrupted trips, often due to limited agency, transparency, or support.
For airline staff: it's the overwhelming task of fielding requests and rebookings during these high-pressure periods.
For airline staff: it's the overwhelming task of fielding requests and rebookings during these high-pressure periods.
For the business: it means overstaffing “just in case,” leading to inefficiencies when operations are running normally.
For the business: it means overstaffing “just in case,” leading to inefficiencies when operations are running normally.
The Problem
The Problem
Our client seeks to explore solutions that increase customer autonomy and employee efficiency while maintaining their award-winning customer service experience.
Our client seeks to explore solutions that increase customer autonomy and employee efficiency while maintaining their award-winning customer service experience.
Define
Define
To better understand how IROPs impact travelers, we visited Chicago’s Midway International Airport to conduct research. Through our observations and interviews, we discovered…
To better understand how IROPs impact travelers, we visited Chicago’s Midway International Airport to conduct research. Through our observations and interviews, we discovered…
Key Insights
Key Insights
Standing in line makes the everything worse
Standing in line makes the everything worse
Travelers often waste time and energy standing on line for simple things like information, rebooking, or navigation.
Travelers often waste time and energy standing on line for simple things like information, rebooking, or navigation.
Human interaction drives reassurance
Human interaction drives reassurance
Travelers prefer to rely on agents for help, especially for peace of mind or when other resources fall short
Travelers prefer to rely on agents for help, especially for peace of mind or when other resources fall short
Travelers need guidance, not just tools
Travelers need guidance, not just tools
Many travelers feel overwhelmed, they want help making decisions. not just access to tools.
Many travelers feel overwhelmed, they want help making decisions. not just access to tools.
Beyond just standing in line, rebooking emerged as one of the most frustrating tasks for both passengers and employees. While many travelers are capable of rebooking on their own. The lack of clear tools or support often drives them to seek help from agents, contributing to longer lines and agent overload.
Beyond just standing in line, rebooking emerged as one of the most frustrating tasks for both passengers and employees. While many travelers are capable of rebooking on their own. The lack of clear tools or support often drives them to seek help from agents, contributing to longer lines and agent overload.
JTBD
JTBD
“When my flight is delayed or canceled, I want to rebook quickly and confidently, so I can regain control of my travel plans and reduce stress.”
“When my flight is delayed or canceled, I want to rebook quickly and confidently, so I can regain control of my travel plans and reduce stress.”
The high-level goals that defined my design:
Emotional: Reduce anxiety, feel supported, regain a sense of agency.
Functional: Find and confirm a new flight easily, avoid long lines, get help if needed.
The high-level goals that defined my design:
Emotional: Reduce anxiety, feel supported, regain a sense of agency.
Functional: Find and confirm a new flight easily, avoid long lines, get help if needed.
Meet Our Personas
Meet Our Personas
Lisa Zhang
Age: 33, School Teacher, Infrequent Traveler
“I feel at ease when someone is there to guide me, especially in emergencies.”
David Cruz
Age: 26, Software Engineer, Occasional Traveler
“I’d rather fix things myself than wait on hold or explain my issue twice.”
Jordan Smith
Age: 40, Risk Consultant, Frequent Traveler
“I just want the fastest way through—whatever works best in the moment.”
User Journey Map
User Journey Map
More Coming Soon
More Coming Soon
