Inside the data-driven design philosophy behind our new signs
The countless signs that fill our world give us a sense of direction as we move from point A to B. Signs take on extra importance in the airport, an environment where time and safety are of the essence.
Of course, signs are capable of so much more than stating the obvious. So, when several teams across United set out to remake airport signage for the modern travel landscape, they weren’t just looking to slap on a new coat of paint.
“We understand that an airport can be a chaotic, stressful environment for travelers,” says Amy Thornton, Director of Brand at United. “We’re re-envisioning our United-branded signage system as a beacon or a landmark that travelers can rely on to guide them through the United experience confidently.”
Informed by customer feedback, employee experience, and data-driven design, we reimagined airport wayfinding and are in the process of updating signs across our network. Our new and improved signs make more effective use of color and iconography to cut through the noise—and even cut across language barriers or different abilities to guide travelers on their journey through the busiest of airports. Those colors and icons are integrated across the digital experience in areas including the United app, creating a cohesive experience from before you’ve set foot in an airport through when you step off the plane at your destination.
This design system came together after many months of user testing, involving more than 100,000 travelers. It provides a unified experience at every step of the way, as travelers move from the lobby, through security, and to their departure gate. Signs anchored in light blue direct travelers to key landmarks, such as bag tag kiosks, while purple signs denote the location of premium services, like Premier Access®. Bolder pink and yellow signs highlight areas where travelers can get additional assistance, if needed.
“Our wayfinding system is rooted in the unique color, nomenclature, and iconography of each lobby check-in area,” says SueSan Chen, Senior Manager of Brand. “Regardless of how a person prefers to learn or communicate, there’s an element within this system that is designed to help them navigate the airport.”
When paired with action-oriented icons, the colors and designs work together to communicate information in multiple ways. This allows the messages to effectively reach a wide range of people, including non-English speakers or those who experience colorblindness.
As the new signs began rolling out in select United hubs last year, the impact was felt almost immediately. Customer service agents in hubs such as Chicago O’Hare were the first to report on the early success of the rollout, saying they now had better tools at hand to assist travelers.
“This project isn’t just about refreshing our signs, it was about destressing the journey,” says Kenny Frank, Senior Manager of Lobby Strategy and Innovation. “Throughout the entire process, from testing to installation, our frontline employees provided so much feedback on what customers relate to and how they navigate the airport. As we began transforming our lobby spaces with these new signs, I had so many colleagues come up and personally thank our teams for helping make this vision come to life. It’s a tool for both our customers and employees to help remove stress from the travel experience as much as possible.”
You may have spotted some of our updated signs on your trip through the airport today, and you can expect to see more of them as we continue to roll them out over the next year. It’s all part of our ongoing effort to make each and every moment of your trip easier, with results you can see firsthand every time you fly with us.
