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Flight Tracking

Schedulers spend time each day tracking flights and if this could be streamlined and easier to do then they could use that valuable time elsewhere in their job.


Prospect Feedback
As a Senior User Experience Designer at Avinode, I analyzed customer and prospect feedback on a quarterly basis, sharing insights with leadership to inform our roadmap and identify quick wins.

One recurring theme was the need for Flight Tracking. I then did addtional research by talking to our current customers to understand how they do Flight Tracking today and what their need is. 

Goal of this featureA flight tracking feature in a Flight Management System ​(FMS) should provide dispatchers and other team members with real-time, accurate, and actionable data to manage flights efficiently.
My role for this project
  • Interviewed customers to understand how they use flight tracking software today and validated different prototypes
  • Worked with the engineering team to understand the viability of this feature

User Research

Goal:

To gain a deep understanding of the dispatchers' specific needs, frustrations, and workflow requirements when it comes to flight tracking. These insights are invaluable for creating a feature that truly addresses their pain points and enhances their day-to-day operations.

Pain Points: 

Crew Management
Tracking flights helps dispatchers manage crew duty times, ensuring compliance with regulations regarding rest and work hours. This is especially important for long-haul or multiple-leg flights, where crew fatigue can become a factor.





Coordination Flight tracking allows dispatchers to efficiently coordinate ground services, such as transportation, catering, and other logistics. If there’s an unexpected delay or early arrival, they need to quickly adjust these services, ensuring a smooth transition for the customer upon landing.

Proactively communicate
By monitoring flights closely, dispatchers can provide timely updates to customers, which builds trust and enhances the customer experience. Clients appreciate being kept in the loop, especially if there are last-minute changes or potential delays.

Feature Needs - Research Findings

Real-Time Flight Status Updates

  • Flight Status: Display real-time status of flights 
  • ETA and ETD: Show estimated time of departure and estimated time of arrival that updates based on current conditions.
  • Position Tracking: Real-time aircraft positioning on a map, including altitude, speed, and heading information.
  • Automatic Refresh: Update flight data automatically to ensure dispatchers always see the latest information.

Map-Based
Tracking


  • Live Map View: Visual representation of the flight’s current location on a map.
  • Flight Path: Show planned flight path, with adjustments based on the actual trajectory.

Customizable Alerts and Notifications


  • Flight Event Notifications: Automatic alerts for key events, like departure, arrival, or delays.
  • Threshold-Based Alerts: Notify dispatchers when certain thresholds are met (e.g., flight delayed over 30 minutes, weather disruptions).
  • Communication Triggers: Alerts for when important status updates should be communicated to relevant teams (sales, ground crew, customer).

Flight tracking Designs


I explored different locations that we could add flight tracking
Adding the ability to see flight tracking on the flight legs list


Create a new page that shows only flights in the air




Able to see flight tracking information from the calendar map view



Persona