https://www.joshberman.design/vacation-fund daily 0.75 2025-06-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541875046778-9BGCHFW61T5L5VQU2U2W/Structure%281%29.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541874908062-BVIIW92BZP6MM8O61FO3/Rewards%281%29.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539716251036-AGY0BH27IUCO6C0M83JQ/Persona.png Vacation Fund Our team utilized Alex as an empathy building tool during presentations, but Alex served as a continual reminder to Vacation Fund and for us of exactly who we were designing for. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1542043273337-P0ISTPMEMYAO36D6BKGH/FlexibleVGC%281%29.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539745255105-FKU8OP83QYF7VQMGT59X/InformationalOnboardingV1.png Vacation Fund We tested a six screens onboarding process succinctly explaining the Vacation Fund program to users. Users didn’t retain information around program functionality and limitations from this initial informational onboarding process. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541614188593-7NF4FAH3ECZH1JWC62WN/Site+Map+%28large%29.png Vacation Fund By mixing screens and placeholders we effectively communicated site architecture, task flows, and a high-level understanding of our teams project scope within the context of the existing site. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541874777283-QYB3ESWMFCEX25P2DJG0/Contextualization%281%29.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541874625845-PH7GW80A2UEE5VZ7B26I/Contextualization%282%29.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539742918257-URK19UVGBUZK9N3HOCZT/Design+Principles+Copy+2.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541875360069-L1G5VNOC1DRSKH4ZX9FK/OriginalVGC%281%29.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539714497244-UUL0HOSZMM9G3DUUTTM2/VGC+Hi+Fi.png Vacation Fund According to Britney, the VGC would help users who don’t possess financial discipline or planning habits set a goal they can work towards. We later learned this tool served a second purpose: to create content that client businesses could transform into marketing materials. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539745040485-1EM6VOQ2JELPVQYS4VMP/Experience+Cards.png Vacation Fund Users filled out a card containing specific, engaging, and helpful information. That card then became available to other users to view and interact with. Users added experience cards to their “Bucket List”, within which they could create folders of like experiences. When users created a folder, the system automatically calculated the aggregate cost of the experiences within that folder and generated a goal tracker feature contextualizing the value of their savings in terms of the experiences they’d like to enjoy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539715103972-43Z7DWL4IGWDN93CXIZB/Competitors.png Vacation Fund Drawing inspiration from both indirect and analog competitors afforded my team insight into best practices within and outside the industry, allowing us to create a unique and compelling tool for our users. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539745164860-3Q1LRRFGOCSRTR30FPKN/Calculator.png Vacation Fund By Paycheck Contribution supported users who would like to allot a specific amount of money based on their personal financial budgets. By Savings Goal supported users who do have a long-term goal and would like to set a contribution based on that long-term objective. Max Out Company Match supported users who wanted to earn as much money as they could through the program. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539744823671-HOHKH256WDOJ3EVIYQ8Y/image-asset.png Vacation Fund VACATION INSPIRATION CARDS DISPLAYED HIGH-LEVEL, LOOSE ITINERARIES TO INSPIRE VACATION IDEAS. A COST FILTER ALLOWED USERS TO ORGANIZE CARDS BASED ON CERTAIN PREDETERMINED AGGREGATE TRIP COSTS. USERS CLICKED THROUGH ON A CARD AND SELECTED A GOAL DATE TO SEE A BREAKDOWN OF HOW MUCH THEY NEEDED TO CONTRIBUTE PER PAYCHECK TO REACH THAT GOAL BY A CERTAIN DATE. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539744253895-EI7NC6HW3VSEV5827JHM/WIthdrawal.png Vacation Fund In order to simplify the screens, we needed to simplify the process. We discussed with Vacation Fund whether it would be possible to implement default settings so that the system automatically draws from the Company Match when applicable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541875384727-J62ABHZMYLG3AW0MC6B5/OriginalVGC%282%29.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539716149283-W4N0CDY2HTFHXOLFIKJH/IMG_3472+%281%29.JPG Vacation Fund We returned to our affinity diagram throughout the entire project to validate our design decisions, even after we produced a problem statement and design principles. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1542043295304-0KF5ICMG34IR223VQMRA/FlexibleVGC%282%29.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541875206061-A0NX3BLPYBJFHQY8FS3I/Prioritization%282%29.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539743127252-FDN3B2UNJ19DO2I7TWMV/IMG_4003.JPG Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539716459696-3X07JMBOTF6JNKH642JH/ProcessPhoto2.jpg Vacation Fund We focused on divergent solutions for numerous user touchpoints. We gained a lot of insight by concept testing along the customer journey, but we found the process of generating a converged solution to be much more complex due to our focus on so many user-product touchpoints. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539714789266-HZFB9FIE9CLOLYFB6PMM/Matrix+Copy+3.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539745279718-RDAV8CLMUR4CE76F53E6/InformationalOnboardingV2.png Vacation Fund We reduced Informational Onboarding to only three screens that explain the Vacation Fund program at a high-level and information around setting a paycheck contribution. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541875182403-WWFY7RN6ASMLHP22GSWN/Prioritization%281%29.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541874908062-BVIIW92BZP6MM8O61FO3/Rewards%281%29.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539714497244-UUL0HOSZMM9G3DUUTTM2/VGC+Hi+Fi.png Vacation Fund According to Britney, the VGC would help users who don’t possess financial discipline or planning habits set a goal they can work towards. We later learned this tool served a second purpose: to create content that client businesses could transform into marketing materials. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541614188593-7NF4FAH3ECZH1JWC62WN/Site+Map+%28large%29.png Vacation Fund By mixing screens and placeholders we effectively communicated site architecture, task flows, and a high-level understanding of our teams project scope within the context of the existing site. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1542043273337-P0ISTPMEMYAO36D6BKGH/FlexibleVGC%281%29.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539716149283-W4N0CDY2HTFHXOLFIKJH/IMG_3472+%281%29.JPG Vacation Fund We returned to our affinity diagram throughout the entire project to validate our design decisions, even after we produced a problem statement and design principles. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541875360069-L1G5VNOC1DRSKH4ZX9FK/OriginalVGC%281%29.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539744069819-IR7DNWGUKGYAIIDB2ZL7/Account+Balance.png Vacation Fund I gathered inspiration using Pinterest and whiteboarded basic ideas before moving into Axure. I drew inspiration from Capital One’s mobile credit card application in particular. I created a tool that displayed total savings, in addition to a breakdown by employee contribution and company match. Our screen utilized a similar card structure and visual hierarchy as Vacation Fund’s redesigned screen, but included a Company Max Progress Tracking feature. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539744078857-YFTKI59PQWLLR2QPLGYY/VacationFundOriginalDashboard+Copy.png Vacation Fund When we began working with Vacation Fund, the account balance cards displayed no visual hierarchy. In mobile, the cards maintained their size, and stacked vertically, forcing the user to scroll to see one value at a time. The user received important information through text, but the lack of visual hierarchy negatively impacted glanceability and understanding. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539742918257-URK19UVGBUZK9N3HOCZT/Design+Principles+Copy+2.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539745040485-1EM6VOQ2JELPVQYS4VMP/Experience+Cards.png Vacation Fund Users filled out a card containing specific, engaging, and helpful information. That card then became available to other users to view and interact with. Users added experience cards to their “Bucket List”, within which they could create folders of like experiences. When users created a folder, the system automatically calculated the aggregate cost of the experiences within that folder and generated a goal tracker feature contextualizing the value of their savings in terms of the experiences they’d like to enjoy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539744253895-EI7NC6HW3VSEV5827JHM/WIthdrawal.png Vacation Fund In order to simplify the screens, we needed to simplify the process. We discussed with Vacation Fund whether it would be possible to implement default settings so that the system automatically draws from the Company Match when applicable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1542043295304-0KF5ICMG34IR223VQMRA/FlexibleVGC%282%29.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539745164860-3Q1LRRFGOCSRTR30FPKN/Calculator.png Vacation Fund By Paycheck Contribution supported users who would like to allot a specific amount of money based on their personal financial budgets. By Savings Goal supported users who do have a long-term goal and would like to set a contribution based on that long-term objective. Max Out Company Match supported users who wanted to earn as much money as they could through the program. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541875182403-WWFY7RN6ASMLHP22GSWN/Prioritization%281%29.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539745255105-FKU8OP83QYF7VQMGT59X/InformationalOnboardingV1.png Vacation Fund We tested a six screens onboarding process succinctly explaining the Vacation Fund program to users. Users didn’t retain information around program functionality and limitations from this initial informational onboarding process. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539744823671-HOHKH256WDOJ3EVIYQ8Y/image-asset.png Vacation Fund VACATION INSPIRATION CARDS DISPLAYED HIGH-LEVEL, LOOSE ITINERARIES TO INSPIRE VACATION IDEAS. A COST FILTER ALLOWED USERS TO ORGANIZE CARDS BASED ON CERTAIN PREDETERMINED AGGREGATE TRIP COSTS. USERS CLICKED THROUGH ON A CARD AND SELECTED A GOAL DATE TO SEE A BREAKDOWN OF HOW MUCH THEY NEEDED TO CONTRIBUTE PER PAYCHECK TO REACH THAT GOAL BY A CERTAIN DATE. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539716251036-AGY0BH27IUCO6C0M83JQ/Persona.png Vacation Fund Our team utilized Alex as an empathy building tool during presentations, but Alex served as a continual reminder to Vacation Fund and for us of exactly who we were designing for. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539743127252-FDN3B2UNJ19DO2I7TWMV/IMG_4003.JPG Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539745279718-RDAV8CLMUR4CE76F53E6/InformationalOnboardingV2.png Vacation Fund We reduced Informational Onboarding to only three screens that explain the Vacation Fund program at a high-level and information around setting a paycheck contribution. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541875206061-A0NX3BLPYBJFHQY8FS3I/Prioritization%282%29.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539716459696-3X07JMBOTF6JNKH642JH/ProcessPhoto2.jpg Vacation Fund We focused on divergent solutions for numerous user touchpoints. We gained a lot of insight by concept testing along the customer journey, but we found the process of generating a converged solution to be much more complex due to our focus on so many user-product touchpoints. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541875384727-J62ABHZMYLG3AW0MC6B5/OriginalVGC%282%29.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539715103972-43Z7DWL4IGWDN93CXIZB/Competitors.png Vacation Fund Drawing inspiration from both indirect and analog competitors afforded my team insight into best practices within and outside the industry, allowing us to create a unique and compelling tool for our users. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541874777283-QYB3ESWMFCEX25P2DJG0/Contextualization%281%29.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541875046778-9BGCHFW61T5L5VQU2U2W/Structure%281%29.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541874625845-PH7GW80A2UEE5VZ7B26I/Contextualization%282%29.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539714789266-HZFB9FIE9CLOLYFB6PMM/Matrix+Copy+3.png Vacation Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539227513795-76YDIGQ1AU23K2RJI46Q/VacationFund+Hero.png Vacation Fund https://www.joshberman.design/chicago-design-museum daily 0.75 2025-06-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541286277751-0ARX8L8VCNO1PRDSI1EQ/2018-11-03+18.02.41.gif Chicago Design Museum https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541353552937-84CK7CZYQY2XRV3HBQQX/Sign+In+Flow.png Chicago Design Museum Users expressed a preference for the skip for now option in testing, though the system would require users to create an account in order to participate in the Ask an Artist functionality. We could improve the accessibility of our Sign Up screen by adding labels above every input field, which would better accommodate screen readers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541354546942-HOQXFVJYNONG2VOSCVR7/Ask+A+Question+Flow.png Chicago Design Museum Our most successful concept centered around an Ask an Artist feature and we translated this concept into the most prevalent feature of our converged prototype. 4 out 5 users in usability testing wanted to ask a question, and the 5th user mentioned she would enjoy browsing all of the questions and responses. One user noted that he would be much more likely to share the app with a friend if an artist responded to his question. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541284623192-N87EK6VNC4R3TVKM0K20/DSC_2141.jpg Chicago Design Museum https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541353626291-ML8FPE7BO2UHS7DX4UXH/BottomNavScreens%402x.png Chicago Design Museum Users found browse and search functionality redundant, and expressed delight by the search functionality design patterns. Additionally, the museum’s small scale reduces the utility of browse functionality. I would recommend removing the browse functionality entirely and testing an MVP with only search functionality. Users also found the “By artist” label on the questions page confusing. I recommend removing that organizational principle entirely in an mvp release. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541286277751-0ARX8L8VCNO1PRDSI1EQ/2018-11-03+18.02.41.gif Chicago Design Museum https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541353552937-84CK7CZYQY2XRV3HBQQX/Sign+In+Flow.png Chicago Design Museum Users expressed a preference for the skip for now option in testing, though the system would require users to create an account in order to participate in the Ask an Artist functionality. We could improve the accessibility of our Sign Up screen by adding labels above every input field, which would better accommodate screen readers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541354546942-HOQXFVJYNONG2VOSCVR7/Ask+A+Question+Flow.png Chicago Design Museum Our most successful concept centered around an Ask an Artist feature and we translated this concept into the most prevalent feature of our converged prototype. 4 out 5 users in usability testing wanted to ask a question, and the 5th user mentioned she would enjoy browsing all of the questions and responses. One user noted that he would be much more likely to share the app with a friend if an artist responded to his question. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541284623192-N87EK6VNC4R3TVKM0K20/DSC_2141.jpg Chicago Design Museum https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1541353626291-ML8FPE7BO2UHS7DX4UXH/BottomNavScreens%402x.png Chicago Design Museum Users found browse and search functionality redundant, and expressed delight by the search functionality design patterns. Additionally, the museum’s small scale reduces the utility of browse functionality. I would recommend removing the browse functionality entirely and testing an MVP with only search functionality. Users also found the “By artist” label on the questions page confusing. I recommend removing that organizational principle entirely in an mvp release. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539226001085-7V8DG3HZMS4RIPUE1BIY/ChiDM+Hero.png Chicago Design Museum https://www.joshberman.design/about daily 0.75 2025-06-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/7ace2287-56e6-4205-b344-f6e9677a9b5b/Miami-6+2.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/7a76118b-d528-44af-af03-91ebc39bf83a/IMG_4.jpeg Hi, I'm Josh https://www.joshberman.design/home daily 1.0 2025-10-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1621699677954-GVE9UA2B7RV3L2DFUT9E/UA_Thumbnail.png Work - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/f80c7c39-081c-4930-ba32-88df1a27ff60/Fakespot__Suggest+thumbnail.png Work - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539224716082-OC17DGNPEQXOYG49A3YO/image-asset.png Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/2b9f07ca-1e6d-47e0-b4db-2fbd5f5737ff/Address+Bar+Thumbnail.png Work - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1555985610379-SS1W61ASN38DNHIJNP5G/FF_ThumbnailV2.png Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539224733559-MVM8EN1RDVKDCLNAAGVW/CDM.png Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/207127bf-275e-4972-a0ce-40e65b06e4b6/Temp+Control+Thumbnail.png Work - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1566169302969-L9RS43E2TANNBMMVP9IY/FF_ThumbnailV3.png Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/2b9f07ca-1e6d-47e0-b4db-2fbd5f5737ff/Address+Bar+Thumbnail.png Work - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1566169302969-L9RS43E2TANNBMMVP9IY/FF_ThumbnailV3.png Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1555985610379-SS1W61ASN38DNHIJNP5G/FF_ThumbnailV2.png Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1621699677954-GVE9UA2B7RV3L2DFUT9E/UA_Thumbnail.png Work - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539224716082-OC17DGNPEQXOYG49A3YO/image-asset.png Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/207127bf-275e-4972-a0ce-40e65b06e4b6/Temp+Control+Thumbnail.png Work - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539224733559-MVM8EN1RDVKDCLNAAGVW/CDM.png Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/f80c7c39-081c-4930-ba32-88df1a27ff60/Fakespot__Suggest+thumbnail.png Work - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1539271656044-ZJH6XNP6VGVYZISJ6ZDK/Screen+Shot+2018-10-11+at+10.23.31+AM.png Work https://www.joshberman.design/united-airlines-oneplatform daily 0.75 2025-06-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586804897316-D2HCAEM7HS027DLQHVJJ/Simplified+workflow.png United Airlines: One platform Because we leveraged the shopping team’s code, we also relied on the same third party data service. Functionally, this meant that the core workflow needed to conform to the same step-by-step process used for shopping: Input search criteria, pick a flight, review your trip, pick your seats, pay, confirmation. Because of the linear nature of the workflow, the user needs to enter the new search criteria for the entire itinerary before they can select any new flights. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586968055601-4G7MXGVOVXWVCR6HHWLJ/image-asset.jpeg United Airlines: One platform https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586968018184-Y4WKIOB393L68ZG8U62C/PWTLY+original.png United Airlines: One platform https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586804943157-UP7LYE75U2T7KM5BWXXJ/Ideal+workflow.png United Airlines: One platform I already knew it would be next to impossible to convince our data service to make the requisite adjustments, and it would be a massive investment to build an equivalent system. Such changes to the infrastructure were far beyond the scope of the project. Nonetheless, I felt it important to understand. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586805153829-TPPMM6KF0IK3QTU5S98D/Usability+test.jpg United Airlines: One platform I reduced the volume of information from the 1.0 page, but not as much as I should have. This design also placed undue emphasis on the travelers section, which the majority of users in the change path do not interact with. While this UI brought me closer to my final iteration and usability testing helped me make these final refinements, I believe I could have better internalized and incorporated the results of the concept test into my usability testing change page iteration. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586967747767-ERZ10JJO2YFT3CIQSF6M/Travelers+section+-+final+design.jpg United Airlines: One platform I maintained the Special meals and Special accommodations accordions that testing showed to be more discoverable. I organized the most important information left to right underneath the traveler name and increased the label text size to help with scannability. Because seat information already appears in the itinerary section at the top of the page, I felt comfortable hiding the seat information in a show / hide. Previously, we’d had three separate controls at the bottom of each traveler container for Upgrade cabin, Change flight, and Cancel trip; Analytics showed that users rarely leveraged these controls, and when they did 60% of the time they clicked on the Upgrade cabin link. By removing the least used controls I reduced visual clutter and cognitive load, while potentially driving more upgrades (and therefore more money) through the travelers section — a win win. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586807649888-WP8JCDNON0O53QKW03ID/Control+bar+-+Future+state.png United Airlines: One platform In my alternative solution, I aimed to mimic the visual changes using a button would introduce but without using a true primary or secondary button. I visually offset the controls from the page by using a grey band, emphasized text by increasing the font size, and utilized a visual styling consistent with the larger digital ecosystem. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586807649896-ZB7S03I4RTI62L5IAT81/Control+bar%2C+mobile+-+Future+state.png United Airlines: One platform https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586806511012-C66LTOAPEKW4Z7UQ1UUQ/Change+desktop.png United Airlines: One platform https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586806510398-PNOTYIZZPEQBXLK70Q42/Change+mobile.png United Airlines: One platform https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586807429331-TMX1UA3F1U814K156REV/Control+bar+desktop+-+original.png United Airlines: One platform Top control bar leveraged a button type that the team intended to integrate into the United design ecosystem elsewhere, but never did. I expected that at first glance users didn’t immediately identify these as buttons, causing them to pass over the top controls without a close look. Mobile combined link controls further down the page with the top controls, diluting the significance of the top control bar. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586807428978-XVLFA4W9M8DFI4NNVHBS/Control+bar+mobile+-+original.png United Airlines: One platform https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586968055601-4G7MXGVOVXWVCR6HHWLJ/image-asset.jpeg United Airlines: One platform https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586805153829-TPPMM6KF0IK3QTU5S98D/Usability+test.jpg United Airlines: One platform I reduced the volume of information from the 1.0 page, but not as much as I should have. This design also placed undue emphasis on the travelers section, which the majority of users in the change path do not interact with. While this UI brought me closer to my final iteration and usability testing helped me make these final refinements, I believe I could have better internalized and incorporated the results of the concept test into my usability testing change page iteration. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586804128147-Y5ZVDXB2XQ5QVWFIV32S/Cancel+Desktop.png United Airlines: One platform https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586804574332-OYOED7J6XBD20WE54AH4/Cancel+Mobile.png United Airlines: One platform https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586804131062-50HZFQJ621NEMFLURR4U/Cancel+path+-+foundational+semantic+order.png United Airlines: One platform https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586967341389-AXY8MTFPWB3K2EY25GDA/Travelers+desktop+-+original.png United Airlines: One platform The travelers section lacked hierarchy and failed to prioritize information. It forced the user to search for the most used functionality and information rather than emphasizing it and / or de-emphasizing less important functionality and information. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586967341391-KSTDGDFH7N7ZU6RNC1FJ/Travelers+mobile+-+original.png United Airlines: One platform https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586967653137-CCSQLRYR7J2ORMMJV4D6/Existing+IA.png United Airlines: One platform https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586967652938-LU99DNZ0ZNHHB0ED1P3Y/Revised+IA.png United Airlines: One platform https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586805092966-4GUDP1FJAK2VA9XCALC9/Concept+1.png United Airlines: One platform https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586805094100-1EOI1WNGYVNBOPLYIVYJ/Concept+2.png United Airlines: One platform https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586805094863-6Y949U9CCZQP76LZO191/Concept+3.png United Airlines: One platform https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586805095482-T94BMOAKNZ6D6BXHELS9/Concept+4.png United Airlines: One platform https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586967747767-ERZ10JJO2YFT3CIQSF6M/Travelers+section+-+final+design.jpg United Airlines: One platform I maintained the Special meals and Special accommodations accordions that testing showed to be more discoverable. I organized the most important information left to right underneath the traveler name and increased the label text size to help with scannability. Because seat information already appears in the itinerary section at the top of the page, I felt comfortable hiding the seat information in a show / hide. Previously, we’d had three separate controls at the bottom of each traveler container for Upgrade cabin, Change flight, and Cancel trip; Analytics showed that users rarely leveraged these controls, and when they did 60% of the time they clicked on the Upgrade cabin link. By removing the least used controls I reduced visual clutter and cognitive load, while potentially driving more upgrades (and therefore more money) through the travelers section — a win win. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586968018184-Y4WKIOB393L68ZG8U62C/PWTLY+original.png United Airlines: One platform https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586803765148-9S5A0F7UY733Q0C0VSO0/1.0.png United Airlines: One platform - 1.0 website The 1.0 cancel path displayed the full itinerary information including largely irrelevant data points like whether or not special meals are offered and the distance of the flight. The organization of information on the page and the hierarchy were not always logical which forced the user to piece together information. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586803765224-58VHFTTCCON6SZ9MLZBT/Cancel+path+Big+Medium.png United Airlines: One platform - Big Medium's first pass Big Medium took a first pass at redesigning the cancel path using the new design system. They made some great initial changes such as including the trip name in the page title, but their lack of industry knowledge left room for improvement. For example, we could not use the section header “Refund details” because the user might receive a credit here and we did not want to give that user the false impression they would be getting money back. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586804897316-D2HCAEM7HS027DLQHVJJ/Simplified+workflow.png United Airlines: One platform Because we leveraged the shopping team’s code, we also relied on the same third party data service. Functionally, this meant that the core workflow needed to conform to the same step-by-step process used for shopping: Input search criteria, pick a flight, review your trip, pick your seats, pay, confirmation. Because of the linear nature of the workflow, the user needs to enter the new search criteria for the entire itinerary before they can select any new flights. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1586804943157-UP7LYE75U2T7KM5BWXXJ/Ideal+workflow.png United Airlines: One platform I already knew it would be next to impossible to convince our data service to make the requisite adjustments, and it would be a massive investment to build an equivalent system. Such changes to the infrastructure were far beyond the scope of the project. Nonetheless, I felt it important to understand. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1621699623959-91DI1H6F21E7HK6O4IVD/UA_Header.png United Airlines: One platform https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1621699623959-91DI1H6F21E7HK6O4IVD/UA_Header.png United Airlines: One platform https://www.joshberman.design/firefox-address-bar-enhancements daily 0.75 2025-06-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1749141992545-H68MTYSN3MB4DSY8VFSL/http+screenshot.png Firefox Address Bar Enhancements https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1749141992979-D9751BZENC9ZGG992VO9/https+screenshot.png Firefox Address Bar Enhancements https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1748968880484-0B301X3UZESUPT5IY9AO/Pre%2Bscotch%2Bbonnet.jpg Firefox Address Bar Enhancements https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/1748968820234-O4PGGGBC2HNXD1T1Z2QZ/Post+scotch+bonnet.png Firefox Address Bar Enhancements https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/3be7e731-6ecf-4345-b7be-ade021c50369/Address+Bar+Feature+2.png Firefox Address Bar Enhancements https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bbe98ddaadd342b73417b42/8b33301b-9b1c-4f13-a514-be5bedf7880c/Address+Bar+Feature+2.png Firefox Address Bar Enhancements