Transpire has won a gold trophy at DRIVENxDESIGN’s 2019 Melbourne Design Awards for our work with Virgin Australia. We are proud to have helped enhance the user experience on mobile for Virgin Australia’s 40,000 guests who book flights each day.
Virgin Australia’s iOS and Android apps were recognised in the ‘Digital – Expanded Service or Application’ category thanks to a number of innovative updates made possible by our human-centered design approach.
Transpire has worked closely alongside Virgin Australia since 2017 to not only meet the needs of its increasingly tech-savvy customer base, but also help deliver on strategic initiatives.
Achieving Virgin Australia’s Objectives by Putting the User First
Achieving Virgin Australia’s Objectives by Putting the User FirstBack in 2017, Virgin Australia was under pressure to evolve its digital footprint due to shifting behaviours and expectations – customers were increasingly engaging with the business via mobile, where effortless and intuitive experiences had become the norm.
Despite the fact that Virgin Australia knew a better mobile app would provide greater business value, it was unsure which features should be given priority and how to increase customer loyalty via a digital channel.
Transpire addressed these challenges by adopting a human-centered design approach. We defined a research strategy that allowed us to understand the attitudes of both business and leisure travellers, which would then determine how a mobile app could enhance motivations and alleviate pain points.
Both quantitative and qualitative insights informed the product roadmap and its priorities – which features should be released together and at what point would they have the most impact.
Collaborative design sessions harnessed the expertise of team members (of both Transpire and Virgin Australia) to rapidly build a solution that was viable, feasible and desirable. Every user flow in the application also went through thorough, hypothesis-driven testing to ensure areas of friction were removed before release.
The end result was a mobile application that has since helped Virgin Australia meet its strategic objectives and provide digitally-engaged customers with better travel experiences.
Transpire’s DRIVENxDESIGN 2019 Melbourne Design Awards Win
Transpire’s win at the DRIVENxDESIGN 2019 Melbourne Design Awards came in the ‘Digital – Expanded Service or Application’ category, which recognises developments that truly enhance the user experience.
Judges were impressed with the following features and functionality:
- Smart home screen – Receive personalised updates about flights and trips via the app’s home screen.
- Search and book for flights – Book your next adventure, business trip or view details of upcoming flights with just a few taps.
- Retrieve upcoming bookings – Access your boarding pass and scan at the gate for effortless travel.
- Velocity Points – Track your Velocity Points and Status Credits balance.
- Special deals – Discover the latest deals Virgin Australia has to offer and book immediately.
- Airport maps and guides – Never lose your way again with navigation to your gate and other essential airport information.
In less than six months after the app was released, its rating on the App Store increased by 137%. Over one million users have downloaded both versions of the app to check-in to flights, scan boarding passes and receive up-to-the-minute flight notifications.
Transpire has been a regular face at the Melbourne Design Awards since 2014. Last year, we picked up a total of seven awards for Vodafone’s DreamLab app and the Sir John Monash Centre in France.
