Porto

Reimagining airport Kiosks

Redesigned a legacy system into an inclusive, efficient, and scalable self-service experience through end-to-end UX strategy and design for diverse travelers

Redesigned a legacy system into an inclusive, efficient, and scalable self-service experience through end-to-end UX strategy and design for diverse travelers.

role

lead UX designer

team

6 PMS, 10+ ENGINEERS

impact

100+ apps integrated, standardized UX patterns, reduced agent friction

Skills

Heuristic Evaluation

User Research Synthesis

Usability Test

Information Architecture

User Interview

High-Fidelity Mocks

tools

WONGDOODY

I received the Design Ninja, Best Project, and Insta Award

Recognized for High-impact information system improving user experience

Recognized for High-impact information system

improving user experience

Recognized for High-impact information system improving

user experience

Setting the stage: my challenge

Upgrade a legacy kiosk system without overwhelming travelers or breaking established flows.

This wasn’t just about better UI, it was about re-thinking efficiency in high-stress travel moments.

the starting point: chaos in screens

When I first looked at the flows in the legacy kiosk, here’s what I saw:

Flight info bloated across ¾ of the screen (not scannable).

Redundant override steps that frustrated repeat travelers.
Critical details missing just when users needed them.

Flight info bloated across ¾ of the screen (not scannable).

Redundant override steps that frustrated repeat travelers.
Critical details missing just when users needed them.

getting real with travelers

Instead of making assumptions, I went straight to 20 actual travelers - international passengers, people with military IDs, & folks carrying special items.

I didn’t just interview them. I put them in front of the kiosk and asked them to complete check-in tasks.

International passengers | Military travelers | Non standard users

(special items, group bookings, overrides)

can you design 100 apps into Freshchat and still make it feel like one smooth, unified experience?

(gear, ID types, travel restrictions)

What I noticed:

Hesitation when too much info appeared at once.
Frustration at re-verifying details they’d already entered.
User flow was not “predictable.”

What I noticed:

Hesitation when too much info appeared at once.
Frustration at re-verifying details they’d already entered.
User flow was not “predictable.”

making sense of the mess: interview notes

I started synthesizing all interview notes and highlighted pointers which would be crucial during the design phase

Flight info bloated across ¾ of the screen (not scannable).

Redundant override steps that frustrated repeat travelers.
Critical details missing just when users needed them.

Flight info bloated across ¾ of the screen (not scannable).

Redundant override steps that frustrated repeat travelers.
Critical details missing just when users needed them.

heuristic gut check

Parallel to all of the above, I ran a heuristic evaluation against Nielsen’s principles and I LOVED IIITTTT.

Instead of treating heuristics as “checklist compliance,” I turned them into design opportunities.

I noted each heuristic into three categories: "showstopper", "major issue", & "irritant".
I looked deeper into each problem and charted out the possible fixes as "recommendations".

Instead of treating heuristics as “checklist compliance,” I turned them into design opportunities.

I noted each heuristic into three categories: "showstopper", "major issue", & "irritant".
I looked deeper into each problem and charted out the possible fixes as "recommendations".

sketch. fail. repeat.

Here’s where I shine: I don’t jump into Figma right away. I sketch. A lot. Bad ideas included:

What worked:

Results: key design decisions

Before:

Flight info dominated ¾ of screen.
Redundant override steps.
Attributes hidden → poor decision-making.

Before:

Flight info dominated ¾ of screen.
Redundant override steps.
Attributes hidden → poor decision-making.

After:

Flight info condensed & expandable.
Attributes shown upfront → informed changes possible.
Overrides grouped logically on one page → fewer clicks.

After:

Flight info condensed & expandable.
Attributes shown upfront → informed changes possible.
Overrides grouped logically on one page → fewer clicks.

results that mattered

32% faster check-in time.

40% fewer clicks on average.
Travelers rated the new flow 4.5/5 for ease, up from 2.8/5.

32% faster check-in time.

40% fewer clicks on average.
Travelers rated the new flow 4.5/5 for ease, up from 2.8/5.

what i learned

This project wasn’t just about “pretty screens.” What I brought as a designer is:

Critical judgment → knowing when to kill ideas (even pretty ones).
User-first tradeoffs → balancing clarity vs. control.
Messy → Structured thinking → turning chaotic raw feedback into actionable flows.

This project wasn’t just about “pretty screens.” What I brought as a designer is:

Critical judgment → knowing when to kill ideas (even pretty ones).
User-first tradeoffs → balancing clarity vs. control.
Messy → Structured thinking → turning chaotic raw feedback into actionable flows.

💡reflection:

Kiosks are often ignored in UX conversations but they shape high-stakes, stressful moments.

More projects More projects