My role
As a senior user experience architect, I guided and advocated for human-centered design for the desktop, tablet, and mobile travel websites of Orbitz.com, Cheaptickets.com, eBookers.com and Hotelclub.com, supporting multiple locales and languages around the world.
In 2012, I was UX lead for the design of the first-ever tablet-optimized web view for the Orbitz family of sites.
Orbitz Worldwide and its sister websites and apps provide online booking of flights, hotels, cars, and other travel services to millions of customers around the world. My job was to make the customer experience, from trip research, to product comparisons, to checkout, as easy and delightful as possible.
I worked closely with developers, visual designers and product strategists in an Agile environment with a fast-paced production cycle that allowed me to collect data about my work, gain insights, and iterate constantly.
Figure above: The head of research and I spearheaded an effort to create the first customer journey map created at Orbitz Worldwide. Drawing from years of primary research with customers, in addition to secondary research about travel search behavior, we ran a series of workshops that resulted in the map shown above.
Tools and techniques
Sketching and rapid prototyping
In order to discuss my ideas with our feature teams, I used the tools that made the most sense for the situation at hand, from whiteboard to pencil and paper to high-fidelity Axure prototypes.
Usability evaluation
I frequently teamed with our usability specialist to edit test scripts, facilitate sessions, and record data on the day of an evaluation.
Data analysis
I used data from sources such as multivariate and A/B testing, analytics and Opinion Labs feedback to make informed interaction design decisions.
Documentation
In addition to prototypes, I created flows, experience models and detailed wireframe specifications using both Visio, and later, Axure as necessary.
Collaboration with designers and developers
I served as the advocate for human-centered design throughout the production process, providing education in many ways, from informal conversations to leading UX book club discussions.