PlaneBook | Gulfstream aerospace

UX Designer/Researcher

Team makeup

Project Manager, Product Owner, 2 Developers

Problem

PlaneBook is an iOS app used by pilots to manage and annotate various aircraft manuals. This app was one of the company’s oldest and desperately needed a UI update to align to current brand standards. Unfortunately, the dated backend made significant changes difficult.

DELIVERABLES

High-fidelity mockups

challenge

I was asked to take over the UX/UI design a few weeks in to the project. Since I had missed the window for research, I relied heavily on historical knowledge from the PO and developers to get a better grasp of the user’s needs and challenges. I also did some “guerrilla research” by seeking out user opinions in the form of social media posts and competitor reviews. This helped me better understand the complex mind of our users and their needs and wants for the app.

Here are a few shots of the initial app:

action

I wanted to build trust with my new team so I made sure to meet with them often so that they could inform my designs before handoff. The main challenge was recommending updates that were easy to implement and did not fundamentally restructure the app.

process

Due to the time crunch, I went straight into high fidelity mockups in Figma because it was best suited for quickly communicating design changes to the developers. I focused mainly on updating UI elements like buttons, icons, navigation bars and colors. Mockup and simple prototypes were presented to the PO in bi-weekly demo meetings for feedback and refinement.

Outcome

This version of the app launched in October 2019. According to PO reports, it received very positive feedback from pilots. The team was awarded by the company for a successful project launch.

Looking back, I would have liked to gather data on whether this update translated into an increase in subscriptions or customer satisfaction. However, I am proud of how this project turned out and it was great to work with such a talented team.

Updated Landing Page

The app initially had 2 menus stacked at the top. We were not going to be able to remove it completely but we were able to bring one menu down to the bottom to give the app a cleaner look. I was not able to change everything I wanted but I think it looks much better considering the development limitations!

Dark Theme

Originally, this screen was a glaring white. However, the app is often used by pilots in low light conditions. We updated this screen as well as the rest of the app to a consistent dark theme to better align with the needs of our users.

Toggle Buttons

Two of my favorite updates were these skip back and forward buttons that were simplified from text based buttons. The new design allows users to read the manuals behind them much easier and they convey the user interaction more clearly.

This version PlaneBook is now available on the App Store. So if you happen to have a subscription for your Gulfstream, check it out. 😉

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