SkyMood
Overview
SkyMood is an app-to-in-flight screen system designed to reduce flight anxiety by addressing passengers’ need for transparency and control during high-stress moments. Research revealed that anxiety is often driven less by turbulence itself and more by uncertainty when passengers lack real-time context about what is happening during a flight.
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In response, SkyMood connects a pre-flight mobile survey to the in-flight screen to personalize reassurance tools such as turbulence forecasts, flight tracking, and educational explanations of flight mechanics. By making both flight information and personalization logic visible, the system helps passengers feel informed, prepared, and emotionally supported throughout their journey.
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TIME SPAN
August 2024 - December 2024
TOOLS
ROLE
UX/UI Designer
UX Researcher
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Figma
Photoshop
Key Design Features
Core UX Insight: Flight anxiety is intensified by uncertainty and loss of control, not turbulence alone.
Personal Survey Integration
The pre-flight survey asks focused questions about passengers’ anxiety levels, flying frequency, and coping preferences using a clear, step-by-step hierarchy to keep the experience manageable. Collecting this information before boarding allows the system to tailor in-flight content to each passenger’s emotional needs, helping them feel understood and supported during moments of stress.
AI Infotainment Screen
After completing the survey, SkyMood uses AI-assisted personalization to recommend in-flight content based on passengers’ anxiety levels, preferences, and coping needs. Recommendations are designed to be transparent, allowing users to understand why specific tools or activities are suggested. This approach helps build trust in the system and supports passengers during moments of heightened anxiety.
Flight Information Screen
The flight information tab provides real-time context to reduce uncertainty during the flight. Features include a turbulence forecast, live flight tracking, and a cockpit camera to help passengers understand current conditions. Educational views of aircraft components further explain how the plane operates, supporting passengers who find reassurance through understanding how flight systems work.
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Process Overview
1. Research
USER INTERVIEWS
We interviewed 8 frequent flyers who experience flight anxiety to understand emotional triggers, coping strategies, and unmet needs during flights.
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The interviews focused on identifying:
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Moments when anxiety peaks during a flight
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Triggers that intensify discomfort
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Existing coping mechanisms and unmet needs
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Perceptions of in-flight information and airline communication
KEY FINDINGS​
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Distraction Helps Temporarily, but Does Not Fully Reassure
Many participants relied on entertainment as a coping mechanism.
“Watching a cartoon or movie distracts me from the anxiety.”
“Listening to music helps when my anxiety is extremely bad.”
While distraction reduced anxiety in the moment, it did not address deeper concerns about safety or what was happening during the flight.
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Trust, Connection, and Calm Communication Reduce Anxiety
Participants felt calmer when they could connect with loved ones or observe calm behavior from the flight crew.
“Having inflight Wi-Fi is amazing because I can text my family.”
“It’s helpful to see the flight crew calm since they’re the most knowledgeable.”
Trust in the crew and emotional connection played a significant role in reducing anxiety.
Sensory Overstimulation and Disruptions Increase Stress
Participants described physical discomfort, noise, and interruptions as contributors to anxiety, particularly on long flights.
“Sitting still for almost 10 hours made my nerves go hyperactive.”
“Being woken up for a meal increases my anxiety — I’d rather sleep.”
These moments reinforced feelings of being trapped and lacking autonomy.
Motivation
User Pains
Primary Goals
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​Passengers want to feel reassured and informed, especially during unexpected flight conditions.
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Many expressed a desire for personalized support, rather than one-size-fits-all in-flight experiences.
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Trust in the flight crew and aircraft systems played a major role in emotional comfort.
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Anxiety increased when passengers lacked real-time updates about turbulence or flight status.
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Participants reported feeling overwhelmed by unclear or overly technical safety information.
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Existing in-flight entertainment systems were described as distracting, but not emotionally supportive.
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Feel prepared for unpredictable events like turbulence.
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Gain a better understanding of what is happening during the flight.
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Access tools that help manage anxiety in ways that feel personal and intentional.
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CORE UX INSIGHT
Flight anxiety is intensified by uncertainty and loss of control, not turbulence alone.
“At first, I tried to convince myself it wasn’t something to worry about. But seeing other people panic made me panic as well.”
These needs reinforced the core insight that reducing uncertainty — even in small ways — can significantly improve passengers’ emotional comfort during flights.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
2. Define
Through our research, we identified passengers' needs, motivations, and challenges. This insight enabled us to develop user personas, giving our users a relatable identity.
UX Insights:
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Uncertainty intensifies anxiety more than turbulence itself, leading us to prioritize real-time flight transparency.
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Personalization must be explainable in high-stress contexts to build trust and emotional safety.
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Anxiety management requires both distraction and understanding, not entertainment alone.
KEY FEATURES
Needs
Motivation
Pains
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Real-time reassurance during turbulence (e.g., updates and visual indicators of flight stability).
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Accessible and engaging safety and flight information.
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Distractions for anxiety, such as in-flight entertainment or calming apps.
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Desire for reassurance and control over the flying experience.
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Need for comfort and distraction to manage anxiety effectively.
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Trust in competent and calm crew members for a sense of safety.
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Preference for personalization to make coping tools more relevant.
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Anxiety triggered by turbulence, takeoff, and landing
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Sensory overstimulation from noise, motion, or disturbances.
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Lack of real-time updates about flight status or turbulence.
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Insufficiently calming or engaging safety presentations.
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PERSONA
Based on out findings through the interviews, I created a person of a teenager who would fit the issue we are trying to fix to represent the age range of our participants.
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3. Ideate
STRUCTURING OUR NEW PRODUCT
Our team created a user flow map to sketch out how a user would navigate through the new product made to help personalize the flight experience. This user map connects an app to the in-flight screen.
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The main idea was to allow a user to have a connection to their in-flight screen through a phone app. From this app, they are able to have a curated in-flight screen with different features that appear based on user preferences. We want the user to be able to personalize their experiences with the tap of their phone and feel prepared for the flight.
SKETCHES
I drew out sketches based on the ideas presented above to help the team visualize possibilities of how we could deliver this new product.
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4. Prototype
LO-FI PROTOYPE
SkyMood App: Pre-Boarding
The SkyMood app was designed to allow users to take the flight preference survey through their phone. We also thought it was essential that a user sees other important flying information such as previous flights. The survey asks questions that will help curate apps on their in-flight screen and provide a code to connect their data to the screen.​
SkyMood In-Flight Screen
The SkyMood in-flight screen opens with a "Welcome Aboard!" message where a passenger can easily enter in their flight code. When a user enters the system, the data from their pre-boarding survey curates apps and content that the user would find beneficial in their flight. This is to ensure personalization of the flight experience and make the passenger equip with content that will help passengers during moments of need.​
SkyMood App: Post-Flight
The SkyMood app provides a user with a post-flight survey so that the next time a user takes a flight, the in-flight screen will be better curated to their needs. ​
5. Test
STYLE GUIDE
We created this style guide in mind of theme and feelings on a flight. We decided to go with a simple font to be readable and colors that are not too bright to relax the passenger. The colors also reflect the colors present in the sky at dusk and dawn.
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HI-FI PROTOTYPE
After testing with four candidates, we identified key changes needed to be made to increase the efficiency and usability of SkyMood in effectively delivering flight information to passengers.
SkyMood App: Pre-Boarding
The final design of the SkyMood app expanded on the lo-fi version with key updates. A major addition is flight crew information, allowing users to familiarize themselves with the crew before the flight, as interviews showed this increased comfort. The home page now features updated flight information, including current flight status, past flight experiences (based on survey results), and a tracking map. Additionally, we introduced a fun interactive element—a "spirit animal" that passengers are matched with based on their survey preferences.
SkyMood Inflight Screen
The inflight screen allows for easy and seamless connection to your SkyMood survey through a code provided to you on the app which you type in on the screen. ​
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On the homepage of the screen, we updated it by giving the passenger their user profile and survey personality/trait scores. This is so users can understand why they given certain apps/games to help them during the flight and what the survey gathered.
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Interviews revealed that solo travelers seek bonding during flights to reduce anxiety. Our app allows them to play multiplayer games and connect with others through the "People" tab. We also found a strong need for turbulence prediction, so we introduced a weather turbulence tracker to help passengers prepare. Key features like flight trackers were kept, as participants highlighted their importance. Additionally, we offer informational content about how aircraft components work to help passengers feel more comfortable and less fearful of flying.
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SkyMood App: Post-Flight
The main change of the post-flight survey is that a user is alerted there is a survey on the homepage of the app. The survey asks questions about the flying experience and is used to improve future flying experiences.
