Design Thinking for Innovation in the Air Transport Industry

1. Challenge: As a leading technology provider in the air transport industry,

our company is currently facing significant obstacles due to COVID-19.   Specifically, survey responses from a wide array of both airline and airport  customers yielded a common theme: people are afraid to fly right now.   They are extremely wary of contracting the virus.  This fear has resulted in a  90% decrease in transactional volume in certain business units in a 2-month  span.  In order to get our business on track, we needed to address this  immediate concern in a manner that is operationally sound and cost  effective.  First and foremost, we needed to win back the trust of our  customers by alleviating any reservations they had regarding their health  during upcoming air travel experiences.

2. Selection:  Given the dramatic impact COVID-19 has had on the business,

our executive leadership team knew that swift action was necessary.  Their  first course of action was to consult major airline and airport customers.   These major customers had in turn sought feedback from their passengers  to determine what would comfort them enough to fly again.  Collectively, it  was determined that a learning launch would work best.  As Lopez from  the University of Virginia alluded to in his lecture, we needed to perform a  small experiment to test a new idea in the marketplace.  Specifically, we  would deploy existing biometric screening technology to perform a quick  health screen for passengers just prior to boarding.  This would allow the  test to be implemented rapidly and at minimal incremental cost.  Our  hypothesis was that this new product would ensure the health and assuage  the fear of all passengers during the pandemic.  Whether this hypothesis  was proven right or wrong, it would serve as the best mechanism to get us  from the “What is” stage to “What if.”  Just as the global pandemic has  brought each of us into unchartered territory, so also has impacted the air  transport industry.  While nothing like this product has ever been  introduced before, its effectiveness could only be substantiated through  testing in actual air travel experiences.

3. Application: To test out the newly developed technology, ten major

customers were selected as targets for the learning launch.  They consisted  of five airlines and five airports strategically located in different regions  throughout the world.  The thought process was that this would provide a  solid, unbiased representation of the new product’s acceptance.  At  airports, the health screen scanners would be placed at different locations.   One might be at curbside check-in, while another location might have the  machines just as you enter the lobby.  Still another could perform the  screen at the security checking station.  As for the airlines, a representative  would activate the health screens at the gate just as passengers were about  board select flights.  Screens would be completed in mere seconds, and  failing passengers would be prohibited from boarding.  For example, a  passenger with a temperature over 100 degrees would be asked to step  aside. This experiment will produce data on the effectiveness of the new  technology and assist management in choosing the next course of action.

4. Insight:  As the global pandemic is ongoing, we are still gathering data on

our new technological experiment.  Thus, deriving many conclusions is  premature at this point.  It could be the case, for example, that placing the  health screeners at an airport’s front door contributes to long lines causing  passengers to become impatient before they even check in at security.   Alternatively, we could receive feedback from airline employees that  screening each passenger is too time-consuming, and that random test  sampling would be a better application method.  There are a host of  possible outcomes, and it will behoove us to be receptive and learn from  our findings.  One insight has been made very clear:  the new health screen  technology is being warmly received by the air transport industry.  Airport  and airline directors are eager to adopt the technology to reignite their  businesses as well.  Health screening has become a new industry buzz  phrase, and players are poised to reap its benefits.  Deployment of the new  technology will be a continuous improvement process, as industry players  test out the best options for customer throughput.  In conclusion, we have  learned that biometric health screening “wows” in the air transport  industry.  Now, we must learn whether or not it actually works.

5. Approach: As the technology deployment progresses, it will be vital to

document key lessons from the learning launch.  One way to do this would  be through storytelling.  As Barry Lopez, Global Leadership Development  Director at Mars, Inc. states, “Every good product starts with a good story.”   It would be very compelling to listen to major stakeholders tell us of their  journey with this new product, especially during this critical time.   Gathering this information from end users could evolve into further action  steps.  Mind mapping is another tool that could benefit us in this new  product deployment.  As Lopez points out in her lecture, mind mapping  could assist us in detecting patterns and making further insights into the  data we have acquired.  Perhaps the data will show that we ought to  deploy the new technology more broadly to promote more air travel  worldwide.  On the other hand, the learning launch data may indicate that  the health screens are causing passengers to become disgruntled and  creating a pain point for airline and airport personnel.  Providing airport  tours to industry leaders could invoke new questions regarding actual  application of the new technology.  Another possibility is that the data may  guide us to a completely different course of action.  For instance, maybe we  would instead redirect resources toward implementing an N-95 inventory  management system for airlines globally.      This new technology was developed in the creative spirit of innovation, and  our design thinking must continue in this same vein.  Storytelling and mind  mapping will help us understand that the learning launch is a critical  element and necessary step of our innovation journey rather than the final  destination.


Design Thinking for Innovation in the Air Transport Industry 1 . Challenge : As a leading technology provider in the air transport industry , our company is currently facing significant obstacles due to COVID-19 . Specifically , survey responses from a wide array of both airline and airport customers yielded a common theme : people are afraid to fly right now . They are extremely wary of contracting the virus . This fear has resulted in a 90 % decrease in transactional volume in certain business units in a 2 - month span . In order to get our business on track , we needed to address this immediate concern in a manner that is operationally sound and cost effective . First and foremost , we needed to win back the trust of our customers by alleviating any reservations they had regarding their health during upcoming air travel experiences . 2 . Selection : Given the dramatic impact COVID-19 has had on the business , our executive leadership team knew that swift action was necessary . Their first course of action was to consult major airline and airport customers . These major customers had in turn sought feedback from their passengers to determine what would comfort them enough to fly again . Collectively , it was determined that a learning launch would work best . As Lopez from the University of Virginia alluded to in his lecture , we needed to perform a small experiment to test a new idea in the marketplace . Specifically , we would deploy existing biometric screening technology to perform a quick health screen for passengers just prior to boarding . This would allow the test to be implemented rapidly and at minimal incremental cost . Our hypothesis was that this new product would ensure the health and assuage the fear of all passengers during the pandemic . Whether this hypothesis was proven right or wrong , it would serve as the best mechanism to get us from the “ What is ” stage to “ What if . ” Just as the global pandemic has brought each of us into unchartered territory , so also has impacted the air transport industry . While nothing like this product has ever been introduced before , its effectiveness could only be substantiated through testing in actual air travel experiences . 3 . Application : To test out the newly developed technology , ten major customers were selected as targets for the learning launch . They consisted of five airlines and five airports strategically located in different regions throughout the world . The thought process was that this would provide a solid , unbiased representation of the new product ’s acceptance . At airports , the health screen scanners would be placed at different locations . One might be at curbside check - in , while another location might have the machines just as you enter the lobby . Still another could perform the screen at the security checking station . As for the airlines , a representative would activate the health screens at the gate just as passengers were about board select flights . Screens would be completed in mere seconds , and failing passengers would be prohibited from boarding . For example , a passenger with a temperature over 100 degrees would be asked to step aside . This experiment will produce data on the effectiveness of the new technology and assist management in choosing the next course of action . 4 . Insight : As the global pandemic is ongoing , we are still gathering data on our new technological experiment . Thus , deriving many conclusions is premature at this point . It could be the case , for example , that placing the health screeners at an airport ’s front door contributes to long lines causing passengers to become impatient before they even check in at security . Alternatively , we could receive feedback from airline employees that screening each passenger is too time - consuming , and that random test sampling would be a better application method . There are a host of possible outcomes , and it will behoove us to be receptive and learn from our findings . One insight has been made very clear : the new health screen technology is being warmly received by the air transport industry . Airport and airline directors are eager to adopt the technology to reignite their businesses as well . Health screening has become a new industry buzz phrase , and players are poised to reap its benefits . Deployment of the new technology will be a continuous improvement process , as industry players test out the best options for customer throughput . In conclusion , we have learned that biometric health screening “ wows ” in the air transport industry . Now , we must learn whether or not it actually works . 5 . Approach : As the technology deployment progresses , it will be vital to document key lessons from the learning launch . One way to do this would be through storytelling . As Barry Lopez , Global Leadership Development Director at Mars , Inc. states , “ Every good product starts with a good story . ” It would be very compelling to listen to major stakeholders tell us of their journey with this new product , especially during this critical time . Gathering this information from end users could evolve into further action steps . Mind mapping is another tool that could benefit us in this new product deployment . As Lopez points out in her lecture , mind mapping could assist us in detecting patterns and making further insights into the data we have acquired . Perhaps the data will show that we ought to deploy the new technology more broadly to promote more air travel worldwide . On the other hand , the learning launch data may indicate that the health screens are causing passengers to become disgruntled and creating a pain point for airline and airport personnel . Providing airport tours to industry leaders could invoke new questions regarding actual application of the new technology . Another possibility is that the data may guide us to a completely different course of action . For instance , maybe we would instead redirect resources toward implementing an N-95 inventory management system for airlines globally . This new technology was developed in the creative spirit of innovation , and our design thinking must continue in this same vein . Storytelling and mind mapping will help us understand that the learning launch is a critical element and necessary step of our innovation journey rather than the final destination .