Efficiency at the Gate:
Designing an Intuitive TSA Security Kiosk Interface
Role: User Experience Designer
Background
In the holiday season, an international airport turns in a 24/7 cycle of emotions. A pandemic, long lines, delays, and missed flights cause frustration, anxiety, and stress. the mix not a jolly experience.
The Problem
How might we expedite passengers through the TSA check-in while enhancing safety?
Proposed Solution
A completely wireless mobile kiosk, with a self-service security check UI for passengers and hands-off/on UI for security staff running market-proven facial recognition matching technology.
The Challenge
Design an interface optimized for ease of use so that passengers and security staff can move quickly to their departure gates and prevent missed flights and delays.
Archetypes to consider
Security Staff
Working long hours (overnight) due to holiday hours.
Under pressure due to increasing traffic.
On the lower pay scale, doesn’t want to screw up.
Passengers
International passenger with language challenges.
In a hurry to connect with other flights.
Arriving after a long 10hr+ flights.
Current Setup
Proposed Security Staff & Passenger Flow
I had the pleasure of working with a great product owner who went out of the way to create some guidance designs that informed the final delivery.
Passenger Wireframes
The interface design considered non-English speakers, who would understand symbols more than text.
Security Staff Wireframes
The interface had two view modes:
1) Auto View - A hands-off design to allow security staff to stand a few yards away and monitor up to three kiosks at once.
2) Quick View - When a security staff is at the kiosk watching the individual steps for each passenger.
The “Look and Feel”
Derived from the TSA logo and expanded with tints, tones, shades, and contrast colors for calls-to-actions, status messages, and step indications.
Production Designs
Several iterations later, our final UI came to fruition and was received well.
Passenger UI
Security Staff UI - Auto View
Security Staff UI - Quick View
Security Staff UI - Detailed view that provides further information and instructions for specific cases i.e. expired document.
Outcome
The user interface was developed and integrated with the new kiosk design. This was a fast-paced project accomplished in just under 2 months.
Take-aways
Clearly understand why the solution is important to REAL people.
Create a comfortable communication environment for on-the-fly Q&A.
Take time to explain your design intent to engineers and invite critique.
Understand what systems the solution is dependent on i.e. info verification APIs.