Flightradar24
An advanced flight tracker that anyone can use.
This Project I was Tasked to
Redesign an interactive product based on research and analysis.
Timeline
4 weeks
Team
3 people
Software
Figma
Role
Designer
Skills
UXR & UX Design
Project Overview
Problem
Flightradar24 is only usable if you have aviation knowledge.
Flightradar24 is a real-time interactive flight tracker that displays a variety of flight information. It includes flight tracking information, origins, destinations, flight numbers, aircraft types, positions, altitudes, headings and speeds. The data behind the website is crowdsourced by volunteers with ADS-B receivers and other sources to provide accurate and comprehensive information about aircraft around the world.
core question
How might we redesign FlightRadar24's layout, interface, and functionalities to create a better experience for new users?
Goals
Simplify navigation and improve usability
Enhance the flight tracking experience for new and enthusiast users
Introduce innovative features like AR tracking and an app-free interface for a modernized user experience
Solution
Streamlining the website to have better navigation and organizing information to be easily readable, while adding new features to explore plane tracking.
My Role
UX Design & Research, UI Design, Prototyping in Figma
User Centered Research
Problem Statements
To guide our research and redesign, we created three personas within our key user groups, each having different needs and goals.
Track a Flight
I am a concerned college student trying to track my mother's flight so that I can plan my drive to the airport accordingly to pick her up, which is essential because I do not want her waiting in the cold weather and getting sick.
Track Planes in the Sky
I am an aviation student trying to see what planes are flying above me so I can learn more about planes, flight routes, and procedures, which are essential to me since I hope to be a commercial pilot one day.
Plan Travel
I am an eager traveler going on vacation trying to set up alerts about my flights so that I can be better informed about my travel experience, but I am unable to because of the paywall that doesn't let me use basic features like this, which makes me feel very anxious about missing my flight connections.
Persona
Based on these problem statements, we created a user persona to help us design for a typical user.
Website Analysis
Flightradar24 relies on the user to already have aviation and website knowledge.
Too many menus and filters if you're not familiar with the website
Visually overwhelming and generally cluttered, lack of collapsible menus and consolidated information
Navigation/menu bar is cluttered and uses colors that have poor legibility
Redesign Process
We went through site mapping, wireframing and iterative prototyping to create a new intuitive user experience.
Sitemap
To make navigation intuitive, we made logical groupings and reduced unnecessary layers on our site map.
Wireframes
New Website Features
Text to Track
For our first feature, we developed an app-free way to use the website: users can take an image of a plane and text it to Flightradar24. It then uses metadata from the image to cross-reference flight data and send the user the flight information via text. Users can link their phone number to their accounts and have the information pushed to their desktop or app for a seamless transfer of information.
Desktop AR Map
For our second feature, we implemented the AR feature onto the desktop experience. Inspired by the app's AR camera function and Google Street View, this feature allows users to identify planes flying nearby them by using their location and Street View. This function allows for an immersive experience by blending the physical and digital worlds.
Main Website Improvements
Added a new landing screen to introduce new users to the platform and clearly listing the main website features
Reduced visual clutter on map view menus and consolidated features into maps instead of other pages
Favorite flights allow users to gain real-time updates by text or webpage, improving the experience for frequent users and flyers
Final Features
Home Page
Added a landing page, making it easier for new visitors to understand the website's unique features.
Search shortcuts make it easier to search for specific flights, airports, and airlines.
Design language is similar to travel and flight websites, helping users connect the websites purpose.
New Map View
Reduced dropdown menus on the page to only show most tracked flights.
Reorganized flight info to be manageable and highlight flight progress.
Simplified map filters and settings for ease of use.
Street View Tracking
Website application of the app's camera AR view that displays flight information.
Users have the ability to easily find flights available in their immediate area.
Uses Google Maps' Street View and location data to display flights.
Text to Track
Snap a plane picture and text it to Flighradar24.
AI uses geo location data on images to find and send the user flight information.
Fast and easy way to learn about flights without needing to open the app or website.
Sends notifications to desktop for easy tracking.
Final Screens
Lessons Learned
This project helped reinforce my skills in balancing simplicity and detail. Working on this helped me realize the importance of presenting complex information without overwhelming the user.
Learnings:
Streamlining the core experience without taking away essential functionality.
How much information because too much information?
The future of AR in enhancing user interfaces and experiences, especially where it can be used to add real-world context.