TSA Pre-check, before we jump in…

With a Merchandising Workshop scheduled for early July, I had approximately four weeks to conduct my research. I had to be particular with the research method(s) I was going to use.

After meetings with my research manager and the design lead, I chose moderated user interviews as my research method. This approach allowed me to actively engage with users, listening to their flight experiences and probing when necessary to understand their perspectives and empathize with them.

Instead of opting for less demanding methods like unmoderated interviews via UserTesting.com or more exhaustive qualitative approaches like contextual inquiries, moderated user interviews provided a balance of depth and direct user interaction.

Rechecking the itinerary: a dive into previous research

Before jumping straight into qualitative research, I conversed a bit with the designers who needed research on this upsell space, via Slack and email to get a sense of the general problem space. I value everyone’s time, so prefer to lead stakeholder meetings with an agenda and a rough plan. Doing some brief preliminary research allows me to start forming a hypothesis and to reframe from jumping in — head first — to unknown UX unexplored terriorty

Embedding stakeholders with user research

It is imperative for me as a researcher to constantly keep stakeholders in the loop. We learn from our users as a team, and I make sure that all stakeholders feel that they are also contributing to the research. Empathy isn’t something we should use with users, it’s a tool we can use internally cross-functionally to homogenize our goals.

After facilitating stakeholder interviews, I synthesized previous EG UX research on upsells to formulate my research plan.

I conducted 8 moderated user interviews via UserTesting.com and invited stakeholders to observe live interview sessions to include them throughout the entire research process

After the interviews, I analyzed the interview data using a grounded theory approach. Throughout my analysis, I continuously updated stakeholders on pertinent research findings.

• The specific insight, "Travelers are perceiving premium economy as a bundle rather than an experience," initiated a design exploration to reimagine Premium Economy Fares as a "peace of mind" package.

• The readout was recorded, and the deck was shared with a Merchandising workshop, influencing strategy planning for 2H 2023 and 2024.

• Research Report was added to the EG Research Insights Archive.

This was one of two research studies that I conducted during my internship at Expedia Group, and I had a fantastic time learning about travelers! Growing up, I never had the opportunity to travel, which made it challenging at times to fully grasp and relate with users' air-travel experiences. However, that's where the beauty of empathy and UX research lies — through conversations and stories, I could listen to and share human experiences.

Here are some of my personal big takeaways from this experience:

Timelines and Research Trajectory: With the deadline set for the Merchandising Workshop in early July, I had to be intentional about my research planning. In a limited timeframe, I made thoughtful decisions about research methods to gain valuable insights efficiently. I balanced feasibility with the potential for impactful results.

Iterative Approach: Although my research planning needed to be realistic, I learned that it didn't have to be rigidly linear. Throughout the process, I continuously iterated my research plan, seeking input from stakeholders and collaborating with other UX Researchers for feedback and refinement.

Empowering the Traveler: Amidst the planning and timelines, I always kept the traveler at the center. Ensuring their voices were heard and their experiences taken into account remained a guiding principle throughout the research journey.

This experience taught me the significance of empathy, adaptability, and collaboration in UX research. It has shaped my approach to future projects and reinforced the idea that understanding and connecting with users is at the heart of creating meaningful and impactful design solutions.