Sep 8, 2023
When you hear the word UX or its full form User Experience – what comes to your mind?
Instagram? Facebook? Google Pay? Myntra? Any other app or website? Yes, you brilliant designer! You got that right- 100/100 (sorry buddy this ain’t your board exam score or maybe…)
Whilst all that does encompass UX, as a user, I recently encountered a very interesting UX.
Before I begin, this is not an opinion poll to advertise or criticize anything. Just my experience.
As COVID-19 set the stage for Omicron to run rampant and wreak havoc, my panicked parents decided to call me back home. I booked my flight from Bengaluru to Delhi with Vistara.
My first encounter with UX- was with a booking app, in my case it was MakeMyTrip. Up next- Any guesses? Vistara website because web check-in is mandatory now!
On the day of my flight, I used Uber to book my very expensive ride to the airport, since Bengaluru airport is really far (It takes 3 hrs to reach the airport and 3 hrs to reach Delhi from Bengaluru…). After the long line at the baggage drop counter, I was finally in.
P.S. I am skipping my food journey here.
Everything was done and dusted, zipped in my PPE (I’ve had COVID, no intentions to contract the creepy zombie again), seatbelt fastened, and mobile phone ready with all episodes of witcher downloaded.
There came the flight attendant. Again this is not a user experience of a rude or cute flight attendant. I was expecting the usual speech – “Deviyon aur sajjano aapka Bengaluru ke Kempegowda antarrashtriya hawai adde pe aapka swagat hai. Aapki suraksha ko dhyan mein rakhte hue aap se nivedan hai ki apne kursi ki peti ko bandh le. Flap ko Iss tarah uthaye… Iss vivaan mein 8 aapatkalin dwaar hai…” .
For my non-Hindi speaking readers:
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Bengaluru’s Kempegowda airport. For your safety, fasten your seatbelt… This flight has 8 emergency exits…”
While you read this, don’t forget the attendants doing all that hand gestures to make their point.
But here’s the catch.
On this flight, the attendants asked us to watch our screens in front of us. It was a video of a yoga instructor talking about the same old flight instructions, but with a twist of nature and yoga.
For those of you wondering what this is about – sharing a link to the video for your reference.
The yoga instructor demonstrated brief asanas, pranayama, dhyanas, and more to help people relax, and breathe properly, and simple stretching exercises for muscle fatigue or stiffness whilst being seated in the flight (don’t hit your neighbor when you do that!). It also provides strategies to help with smoking cravings. Along with these simple relaxation techniques, the video also demonstrated the safety protocols of seatbelts, oxygen masks, and emergency exits.
The backdrop of the video is set in Pan India. In just 4 minutes it takes us on a serene journey across India, starting at Pangong Lake, Ladakh to Kannur, Kerala to Hampi, Karnataka to Chemrey Monastery, Ladakh to Dawki, Meghalaya, and ending at Western Ghats, Maharashtra. The video had very interesting audio to it as well, capturing the basic 5 senses.
Also Read – Top 7 UI/UX Design Trends
I was mesmerized by the interesting user experience on inflight safety instructions. UX is truly being redefined. The sparks of creativity enlightened my day. I am not claiming this to be unique, but it was definitely new for me. Also, it sets the benchmark up high for designers to get their creative juices flowing. Dear designers, are you ready to take the challenge?
In the recent past, if you too have experienced a unique user journey, do share with us at: hello@redbaton.in
