DFF - Direct Fare Filing
Direct Fare Filing is Sabre’s web-based fare management tool that enables travel agencies to file private fare and rule data directly through the Sabre® system. This tool further automates the management of negotiated fare contracts by providing the ability to input, edit, manage, and distribute multiple negotiated fare types.
UX Challenge: To design a new platform with easy to use GUI for both novice and expert users, that works with all browsers and reduces time on task by 20%. and more on an ongoing basis
UX Challenge: To design a new platform with easy to use GUI for both novice and expert users, that works with all browsers and reduces time on task by 20%. and more on an ongoing basis
CHALLENGE
The current DFF product is 12 yrs old and does not work well on all browsers, at times it freezes up, and screens like Fare Creator may not display. To be competitive with ATPCO, we need a new platform and a easy to use GUI for both novice and expert users, that works with all browsers. DFF is based on super old tech stack that needs updating.
APPROACH
Step 1: Quick design strategy session to introduce process to the team and collaboratively work on research insights
Step 2: Generated mockups to use for initial validation (pre development) with the users and ongoing work on stories with dev and product team
Step 2: Generated mockups to use for initial validation (pre development) with the users and ongoing work on stories with dev and product team
OUTCOME
Working within an agile team we were able to deliver a first round of code in about three months. We relied on the Lean Startup frame work to build, test, and learn while delivering MVP's through out the season. We had a regular cadence of customer research and usability testing all in service to learning fast.
DESIGN APPROACH - Discover | Define | Design | Validate
Scenario Mapping: Multiple scenarios (example shown above) were developed to understand the workflow as Pricing analysts sees it
Time was of essence as project team wanted to get started on this ASAP. Most of the team was spread globally. Best starting point was to conduct a design studio using MURAL (https://www.mural.co/)
PROJECT SYNOPSIS: Our goal was to achieve an optimal user experience of the Agency Retailer Direct Fare Filing category 12 for Sabre internal APO Fare Filing Services. To deliver a solution that was scalable to accommodate the growing segment of high volume of Fare Filing Service Bureaus that have emerged around the world in the last 12 months and the pending growth through Sabre’s GDS partners Abacus and INFINI.
Workshop activities -
- Introduce the scope by UX and Product
- 2-minute Readout | Project Definition | Readout of persona (novice and expert users)
- Workflows exercise
- Sketch and Feedback with full Team and define design drivers collectively
Workshop participants -
- Product owners, Pricing Analysts, SMEs (Subject Matter Experts), Developers, Architects and teams across shopping and pricing.
PROJECT SYNOPSIS: Our goal was to achieve an optimal user experience of the Agency Retailer Direct Fare Filing category 12 for Sabre internal APO Fare Filing Services. To deliver a solution that was scalable to accommodate the growing segment of high volume of Fare Filing Service Bureaus that have emerged around the world in the last 12 months and the pending growth through Sabre’s GDS partners Abacus and INFINI.
Workshop activities -
- Introduce the scope by UX and Product
- 2-minute Readout | Project Definition | Readout of persona (novice and expert users)
- Workflows exercise
- Sketch and Feedback with full Team and define design drivers collectively
Workshop participants -
- Product owners, Pricing Analysts, SMEs (Subject Matter Experts), Developers, Architects and teams across shopping and pricing.
Persona Development: Two methods were used for persona development, Empathy mapping and user interviews. Based on the synthesis “Pricing Analyst” persona was developed.
As a final step this persona was validated with users we interviewed, to ensure none of the unsaid things were missed out. This gave us the clarity into user’s pain points and motivations.
As a final step this persona was validated with users we interviewed, to ensure none of the unsaid things were missed out. This gave us the clarity into user’s pain points and motivations.
DESIGN DELIVERY:
First delivery was initial DFF screens used for prototype testing. These were 4 weeks before the actual start of the sprint.
Post that UX is continuously working with dev and product to ensure that all UX stories are in parallel to dev stories and in the RALLY (Software development tool). UX participates in Iteration planning and demos, similar to core team participation.
METRICS:
One of the key metrics for this product is “time on task” basically a baseline has been established and it is tested at constant period of 4 weeks. As all category filing is not developed, it takes only each category filing into metric evaluation.
ONGOING TESTING:
Ongoing testing/user validation is key to continuous improvement, it also aids in creating real scenario user stories based on selected defects or deficiencies of the tool that is constantly brought by users and upvoted.
Validately tool is used for the testing of prototypes of DFF. Also plan is to add feedback tool (ex: Usabilia) and Google Analytics.
First delivery was initial DFF screens used for prototype testing. These were 4 weeks before the actual start of the sprint.
Post that UX is continuously working with dev and product to ensure that all UX stories are in parallel to dev stories and in the RALLY (Software development tool). UX participates in Iteration planning and demos, similar to core team participation.
METRICS:
One of the key metrics for this product is “time on task” basically a baseline has been established and it is tested at constant period of 4 weeks. As all category filing is not developed, it takes only each category filing into metric evaluation.
ONGOING TESTING:
Ongoing testing/user validation is key to continuous improvement, it also aids in creating real scenario user stories based on selected defects or deficiencies of the tool that is constantly brought by users and upvoted.
Validately tool is used for the testing of prototypes of DFF. Also plan is to add feedback tool (ex: Usabilia) and Google Analytics.
Project - Direct Fare Filing
/ DFF Direct Fare Filing