In the sample journey, the traveller has been waiting near B12 when flight BA256 moves to A04. I wanted the screen to answer two questions in order: where do I need to go, and what can I do next? P01’s account of a boarding-area change helped me see why the destination needed to stand out immediately. I kept B12 on the screen and labelled it ‘Previous gate’ so someone who had already followed signs to B12 could understand why the instruction had changed.

Comparing three layouts

I tried three versions with the same information. Route A made A04 largest and kept B12 as a reference. Route B gave the two gate codes similar weight and put the direction in a separate panel. When I compared them, Route B made me look in two places to work out one action. Route C kept the clearer hierarchy from Route A and used a dark ticket to put the destination and instruction together. I moved the mascot below the action so it could still be part of Grounded’s identity without interrupting the reading order.

I gave ‘Go to A04’ the strongest emphasis. The previous gate explains the change, and the next action tells the traveller what they can do with that information.

Making the alert work at phone size

I used SF Pro in native iOS text styles so the labels and buttons could grow and wrap. I wanted the zero in A04 to read clearly, especially when the traveller only had time for a quick glance. The wording does part of that work too. ‘Gate changed’ states what happened and ‘Show next step’ names the action. Colour helps draw attention, while the labels still explain which gate is current and which one was previous.

Working out what happens after the tap

I placed ‘Show next step’ and ‘Not now’ together. In v0.3 I had worked on how the alert looked but had left the return after ‘Not now’ unresolved. Drawing the journey again helped me give that choice a destination. The traveller can return to the screen they were using and open support later if they choose. During the accompanied airport trial I saw someone take that route back. I still want to find out whether a traveller can identify the new gate and say what they would do next on their own.

Studio Practice Draft 4, pp. 33–41 and 50–56 · GDE751: Week 22: What Changed in the Grounded App.

Research behind the screen

Apple’s Dynamic Type guidance gave me a way to think about the alert at larger text sizes. I wanted the button labels to wrap while A04 and the next action remained easy to find. I used the W3C guidance on colour and contrast as a design reference. The words ‘Previous gate’ carry meaning even when the traveller cannot distinguish the colours. My checks were limited to the prototype. Apple’s Dynamic Type guidance · W3C on use of colour · W3C on contrast

Bhattacharya et al.’s research on independence and Thompson-Hodgetts et al.’s work on self-determination helped me think about what it means to stay in control when support is available. I applied that idea to ‘Not now’. The traveller can decline the offer, keep their directions and open support again later. Experiencing Independence · Understanding and Enhancing Self-Determination