Boeing Phantom Works /ASU Strategic Expedition Project

Project Overview

Role: UX and Creative Design Lead (Graduate Project)

Boeing Phantom Works in collaboration with Arizona State University developed a one of a kind tablet application for its Strategic Expedition Event.

The project awarded a coveted position at 2014 Capstone Design Conference.

All content and images protected under NDA. 

OBJECTIVES

• Craft a user experience that was intuitive for all levels of tech savviness so that users could quickly and effectively view and add content for the duration of the event.
   

• Create an aesthetically pleasing application that was in sync with Boeings high design standards and brand guidelines.
   

• Design an entity that had the ability to migrate to other platforms to accommodate future event expansion.

Wireframes

Early ITERATIONS and mock ups

Final release

CHALLENGES

• Being the application was to be used for an even that had a duration time of ten hours, the largest UX hurdle was creating a design that any participant could pick up and get familiarized with in a matter of a few minutes. 
   

• Due to the inability to reveal the nature and content of the application to the public, unique research and usability testing methods needed to be developed to conceal the true purpose of the application.
   

• Working with dynamic, cross functional teams from multiple organizations across the country in an agile development cycle under strict deadlines and varying time boxes.

Methodology

Research and Usability Testing

• Discovery phase included interviewing past participants, data analysts and organizers of the event. 
   

• Initial Surveys and interviews with behavioral questions were conducted with participants.
   

• Usability Testing using paper and lo fi prototype methods were used early and often every sprint.
   

• A wide variety of pseudo content needed to be developed to ensure the proper testing of the application functionality while protecting the sensitivity of the project and its content.

Discoveries

• Development of a training video created and incorporated into the application would be useful so that users could reach a high level of usability in a short amount of time.
   

• A simplified combination of color and numerical identifiers were ideal to be used to achieve the highest level of efficacy for participants to understand and input relevant content.
   

• Division of participants into groups or teams increased their individual contributions and group interaction increased the quality of input.

Deliverables

• Three personas were created after the discovery phase to represent the event participant base.
   

• Wireframes created on paper and using Axure were used during usability testing enabling the team to test hypotheses and quickly make adjustments on the fly.
   

• Low and high fidelity prototypes were created,  tweaked and fine-tuned throughout the development process. 
   

• Visual design mock ups defined color schemes, typography and ensure calls to action and functionality cues of the application were identifiable to the user.