Aircraft Instructor: App Redesign
Aircraft Instructor is an app network that makes it simple for students pilots to find flight instructors, book lessons, and get licensed to fly. I worked as the brand & product designer, collaborating with an engineer, and a product manager.
Student pilots have options when it comes to obtaining their licenses. They can go the traditional university route, attend a flight school, or work directly with a flight instructor. Working directly with a flight instructor is the most cost effective way to go about obtaining your license because it cuts down the overhead. However, finding a flight instructor can be difficult because there’s no centralized place to search for instructors in your area.
Problem: The app has hit their first 100 users, but there was little engagement between students and pilots. We’ve gotten students and instructors onto the app, but now we need them to lock down flight lessons. Without students and pilots engaged, the company won’t be able to grow development as projected and face financial hardships.
Goals:
Get students and pilots to engage & book flight lessons.
Target Users:
Student Pilots
Instructors
Success Metrics:
Increased Message Activity
Increased Bookings
Increased Revenue
Research: From the beginning, the company was always very good at communicating directly with the users. When I was brought on board, I had direct phone access to key student pilots and instructors.
Instructors told me that although the app did find them new students, outside of that, there was no other real benefit of managing their students through the app. They felt limited in the way scheduling worked and that was a big reason for them not to engage more with the app.
Solution: I gave the app a complete visual overhaul. Working along side the development team we thought through new user flows that would help both student pilots and instructors.
Improved dashboard
Give priority to instructor stats
Keep messages prominent
Gamify Experience
Instructors see their growth
Track their students growth
Availability
Give more control to the instructor
Move away from time of day slots, to open calendar
Bring option of overrides
Direct feedback from instructors tells us that the changes are exactly what they were looking for and are excited for the new experience.
Success:
Our engagement with instructors grew
Instructors used the app more
We increased revenue by 20% while still in beta
Future Changes:
Add even more control from overrides. Allow Schedule groups to attach to certain airplanes
Continue to gamify the experience
Bring in Instructor goals