Los Angeles Navigation Assistant: A Multilingual Kiosk for LAX
LANA kiosk mock-up created by Ryn Rangel
Project Team: Carey Corrow, Ryn Rangel, Anna Gigliotti
My Role: User Research, UX Design, Graphic Design, UI Visual Design System
Year: Fall 2023 | Project Length: 16 weeks
View Our Prototype
Check Out Our Figma
View Our Vision Video
The Brief
Our challenge was to address the transportation and mobility issues faced by non-English speaking travelers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The airport is notorious for its complexity, even for English speakers, with numerous confusing signs and difficult navigation. Non-English speakers face even greater challenges, often resorting to unconventional methods like requesting wheelchair assistance to navigate through the airport.
How might we create a user- friendly platform for non-English speaking travelers to access language specific tools for a better airport experience?
Challenge
Problem:
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) poses significant challenges for travelers, regardless of their language proficiency. The intricate layout and numerous competing signs create confusion, even for those who speak English fluently. Non-English speakers face a compounded issue, leaving them at a higher risk of getting lost or missing their flight.
Insights:
The airport's environment reveal a pressing need for a solution that goes beyond addressing language barriers. The hostile environment underscores the severity of the issue and emphasizes the need for a more inclusive and accessible system. The lack of multilingual signs and staff further highlight the need for a comprehensive solution that empowers travelers to navigate independently.
Solution :
In response to the identified challenges and insights, our proposed solution revolves around deploying strategically located multilingual kiosks (LANA) throughout LAX. LANA is a interactive kiosk that aims to not only bridge the language gap but also provide a comprehensive solution to the navigation challenges faced by travelers.
Process
We used field research, desktop research, competitor analysis , personas, journey maps to create LANA.
Field Research
My teammates and I went to LAX to get an idea of the challenges that passenger face everyday.
Key takeaway:
LAX was congested and littered with difficult to understand signs.
It was a struggle to access information both online and offline.
 (mobile, kiosk, automated gates, web) in a 2022 SITA study of 7,000 travelers)
Photo completed during fieldresearch
Yelp reviews of LAX
Google Maps reviews of LAX
Desktop Research
We found an overwhelming disdain for LAX and a huge need/ want for technology based solutions.
Key takeaway:
319 Yelp reviews cited LAX as confusing / being confused at LAX 92% of passengers used technology at the airport
 (mobile, kiosk, automated gates, web) in a 2022 SITA study of 7,000 travelers)
Competitor Analysis
We looked at five competitors/ technologies to help us decide what features wanted on LANA our multilingual kiosk.
Key Takeaways:
After looking at these technologies we found some great solutions but also some missed opportunities
We incorporated some of the features from other fields and competitors while creating unique features for LANA. Feature that could improve the user experience. We decided to focus on these key features
Multilingual support Personalized flight information by Scanning a boarding pass or baggage claim Directions with pictures of landmarks The ability to print or send directions to a user's phone
Miami Airport app
Personas and Journey Maps
We created two personas. Both personas had unique pain points, objectives, and skill sets.
Persona 1
Ali at a glance
19, Ecuadorian National Family-oriented, plan to visit LA fam 1st time flyer, non-English speaking Tech savvy, mainly mobile phone Planner, likes to research ahead of time
Ali’s Journey
Ali’s journey highlights how even the best laid plan can go awry.
Persona 2
Manny at a glance
57, Los Angeles Resident Traveling to NYC with his wife Both he and his wife only speak Spanish Neither are very tech savvy They are much more focused on preparing for New York than preparing for their flight out of LAX
Manny’s Journey
A miscommunication and gate change starts Manny’s vacation off on the wrong foot.
Prototyping & User Testing
We did three rounds of user testing on our prototype
Low Fidelity Prototype & User Testing
We created a low fidelity prototype that we tested with five students. Testers were tasked with changing languages and navigating from the kiosk to their gate .
Goals for Testing (what we wanted to find out)

  • If testers could figure out how to change languages
  • If the directions we created were clear and understandable  
  • What features tester interacted with/ user preferences
User Testing Insights:
We found that all testers had issues with the language button and preferred to scan their boarding pass. Testing also revealed that users wanted overwhelmed with too many options on the menu screen
100% of testers missed the Language Button
Kiosk main menu
User testing Kiosk main menu
Mid Fidelity Prototype & User Testing
We iterated on our low fidelity prototype and took the feedback we gathered from the first round of testing.
Goals for Testing (what we wanted to find out)
1)If testers could figure out how to change languages 2)Which menu interface users preferred 3)What features testers interacted with/ user preferences
User Testing Insights:
We found that all testers had issues with the understanding what departures and arrivals meant and wanted an option to see a map on the main menu.
All testers preferred the open language button on the bottom
Kiosk main menu with the language button on bottom
Kiosk main menu with language button on top.
Final Prototype
Check Out Our Figma
View Our Vision Video
Key Feature: Scan for Personalized Content
A key feature of our high fidelity prototype was utilizing the scanning of a travelers boarding pass or baggage claim ticket for personalized content.
Insight: Simplified Journey/ Error Reduction
-Scanning a boarding pass or baggage claim ticket reduces time spent on the kiosk, unnecessary search, and prevents input errors. -Provide travelers with personalized information (like baggage tracking, flight information, and directions to their gate or baggage claim)
Scan button on main menu
Personalized baggage menu
Key Feature: Offline and Printable Directions
Another key feature of our high fidelity prototype was very directions/ navigation available in a variety of formats without the use data or WIFI.
Insight: Many Foreign Travelers do not Have Access to Data or WIFI on Arrival to LAX.
-Our LANA kiosk generates offline or printable directions for travelers on request. -By scanning a QR on screen a traveler can quickly access an offline map and directions on their phone. -Alternatively travelers can also receive a paper print out of their directions and map from the kiosk with the touch a button.
Example of offline directions
Key Feature: Landmark Based Directions
A key feature of our high fidelity prototype was utilizing landmark based directions.
Insight: Landmark based directions can help non-English speakers
Utilizing local landmarks, unique iconography, and well known brands can help non-English speakers navigate.
Example of offline directions
Example of landmark based directions
Reflection
What Worked :
We created a viable prototype that addressed major issues at LAX and that could potentially help travelers at LAX. We utilized and re-imagined how already existing technology and infrastructure could be implemented to improve the user experience at LAX
What Didn’t Work:
We needed to do user testing with non-English speakers and travelers who are not familiar with LAX. Most of the testing we did was with bilingual speakers and Los Angeles locals. So the results/ insights of our testing is our may not be representative of non-English speakers and non- local travelers
For Next Time:
We would set aside more time to find testers that represented our target audience; with more time and resources we would conduct user testing with non-English speakers (with the aid of translators or adaptive technology) and find travelers from outside of Los Angeles/ the United States.
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