Uncovering Insights to Improve Airport B2B Operations
Overview
A domestic airport was struggling with fragmented tools and disconnected teams - not just internally, but across the many external businesses that help keep things running, from airlines to food vendors to security contractors. Everyone had their own systems, and no one had the full picture. We were brought in to uncover the root issues and shape a more connected, user-focused B2B solution.
Process
I led the discovery phase, interviewing airport staff and external partners, mapping workflows, and analysing their overlapping systems. Rather than pushing a one-size-fits-all tool, I centred the design on shared tasks and syncing existing systems. The aim was to cut through the noise, not add more of it.
Outcome
The result was a modular platform concept: central dashboards, live alerts, and request tools that pulled in the most important information from across different systems. We delivered wireframes, a feature roadmap, and design recommendations, giving the airport a clear path forward. This was a product discovery engagement, designed to guide future development with a user-first foundation.
The Problem: Tools That Don't Talk to Each Other
Airports are like mini-cities. Dozens of departments and just as many external partners - each with their own systems and processes. But there was no shared source of truth and everyone had their own internal ways of working. Teams were out of sync, updates got lost, and key decisions were constantly delayed by gaps in communication.
Even small changes, like a gate swap, could ripple out across vendors, contractors, and staff without anyone knowing who'd been told what.
We're spending more time chasing information than making decisions with it.
Research First, Solutions Second
I interviewed a wide mix of people and businesses - airfield staff, operations managers, airline reps, and external vendors. Despite the variety of roles, the same themes came up again and again: siloed tools, inconsistent communication, and no easy way to get a clear status of what was going on.
Aside from research on other industries solutions, I audited the tools already in place. Some had potential but were underused or misaligned. Others were deeply embedded and working well. Replacing everything wasn't realistic or helpful. Instead, I focused on how to surface key data from those existing systems and improve coordination between them.
Real-time information is critical
Nearly every role we spoke to relied on timely, accurate updates to make decisions. Whether reacting to disruptions or managing handovers, missing or delayed info had real consequences.
Communication and support are fragmented
From missed notifications to unclear request tracking, people often didn't know who was doing what or if anyone was doing it at all. This slowed down workflows and added frustration.
Integration, not replacement
Users were clear: they didn't want yet another tool to log into. They wanted something that played nicely with what they already used - just smarter, more transparent, and easier to navigate.
Focusing on the Jobs That Matter
Rather than designing around departments or job titles, I created a set of global archetypes, shared ways people work across different roles and vendors. This helped cut through organisational silos and align everyone around a few core needs:
- Reacting quickly to operational disruptions - users needed one place to see and respond to what was happening now.
- Staying up to date without being overwhelmed - not everyone needed the same level of detail.
- Submitting and tracking requests transparently - knowing what had been logged, who was handling it, and when to expect a resolution.
- Resolving disruptions quickly - high turnover and shift-based work meant onboarding had to be fast and self-guided, with helpful cues built into the system.
- A solution that sat outside of their embedded ways of working.
This jobs-based framing let us build around real behaviours instead of org charts. It also gave the airport a framework to scale the platform beyond just internal staff - supporting partners, vendors, and contractors in the same ecosystem.
It's not about what each department wants - it's about what everyone needs to work better together.
The Prototype: Clean, Scalable, and Actually Useful
The proposed platform brought everything together into a single dashboard. It didn't replace any systems-instead, it pulled the most relevant information into focused views based on a user's role or responsibilities. I designed streamlined workflows around common pain points like disruption management and shift handovers.
Key features included:
- Smart notifications tied to critical updates
- A request centre to track operational tasks across departments
- Role-based dashboards that reduced noise
- Optional AI assistant to help new users find what they need
We also delivered a roadmap prioritising fast wins, like live dashboards and alerts, while laying out a plan for future phases with deeper system integration.
Wrapping Up
This was a product discovery engagement, but it gave the airport and its partners something tangible to move forward with: a shared vision grounded in real workflows, not assumptions. By designing around connection, not replacement, we helped pave the way for a more collaborative, less chaotic operation.