Nexus: Digital Transformation for Effortless Customer Experience
The Challenge
British Airways, a global symbol of elegance and reliability, embarked on a digital transformation journey post-COVID-19 to modernise its commercial platforms. The goal was to maintain its premium status in aviation by enhancing the customer experience through Nexus, an initiative aimed at rebuilding the digital landscape for seamless airline retailing.
Client
British Airways, IAG
Category
UX Design, UI Design, Design Systems
Year
2023
To achieve this, British Airways set out to:
Offering best-in-class retailing through an online experience that leverages seamless merchandising
Provide a single stop customer hub to enable 100% digital customer servicing at all points
Be a travel companion for the flying experience by providing helpful trip assistance
My Role
As a founding Product Designer, I played a key role in the Manage Order cluster of the Nexus project, which focused on enabling customers to modify and manage their bookings seamlessly.
Leading the Manage Order experience, improving how users adjust bookings, upgrades, baggage, and flight changes.
Collaborating closely with UX researchers, service designers, and developers to refine workflows and interface components.
Creating low-fidelity wireframes and iterating through usability testing to optimise user flows.
Ensuring alignment with British Airways’ brand tone of voice and accessibility standards.
Design Process & Constraints
Optimising for Business & User Needs
Our goal was to improve business outcomes while enhancing user experience. Key considerations included:
Increasing digital engagement to reduce customer support calls.
Improving ancillary purchases to drive incremental revenue.
Minimising complaints by creating an intuitive and efficient self-service experience.
Establishing a New UI & Design System
We refined British Airways' existing design system to ensure:
Consistency across all touchpoints.
Accessibility compliance with a minimum WCAG AA standard.
A modern, premium feel that aligns with the airline's brand.
Leveraging Limited Research Opportunities
Due to constraints, we utilised BA analytics to gain customer behaviour insights.
Additionally, we conducted guerrilla testing and internal testing with BA Executive Club members to validate key design decisions.
Manage Order: Transforming Booking Management
The Manage Order experience covered all aspects of booking modifications from purchase until check-in (24 hours before the flight). Key improvements included:
Upgrading flights, managing seats, and adding baggage
Handling cancellations, refunds, and rebooking efficiently
Designing seamless flows to ensure intuitive self-service
I led the development of to-be user flows using service blueprints and analytics, ensuring alignment with the broader Nexus vision. Usability testing with BA Executive Club users provided critical insights for iteration and refinement.
Countdown to Drop 1: From Concept to Deployment
The first major Nexus release (Drop 1) aimed to develop and deploy a full end-to-end customer journey, from searching for flights to check-in. To achieve this:
The design and development teams expanded.
The Manage Order elements were integrated into the Customer Hub cluster.
I focused specifically on flight changes due to cancellations, refunds, and rebooking, ensuring a seamless experience.
By applying user journey mapping, interactive prototyping, and data-driven design, we enhanced the Voluntary Changes experience, making it more intuitive and user-friendly.
The Outcomes
The Nexus project successfully modernised British Airways' digital infrastructure, unlocking new possibilities for customer experience:
Improved Customer Service
By moving more services to digital and improving the Manage Order flow, we enhanced the customer experience and reduced the need for phone support.
Increased Revenue
With more personalised offerings and customisations available, we contributed to higher ancillary revenue through increased take rates.
Stable Platform
The integration of streamlined technology and data ensured a more reliable and secure user experience.
Agile Culture
British Airways adopted agile practices, enabling faster, more flexible delivery of digital products.
The Legacy
The changes implemented as part of Nexus continue to evolve under British Airways' internal design team. This transformation set the foundation for an improved digital experience, reinforcing British Airways’ position as a best-in-class premium airline in the industry.
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