Project Impact

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I led the design of an AI-powered airport signage system that increased mask compliance at high-traffic departure gates. The system successfully processed real-time crowd data to display contextual safety messages, serving thousands of international travelers daily.

The Challenge

Airports needed an intelligent way to encourage mask compliance without adding staff or creating bottlenecks. The solution needed to work for international travelers and adapt to changing crowd conditions automatically.

Solution Overview

I led the design and development of a smart signage system that used computer vision to:

• Monitor crowd density and mask compliance in real-time

• Automatically adjust messaging based on risk levels

• Display culturally-universal visual cues that worked across language barriers

The system operated in three distinct states:

1. Low Risk: Standard safety reminders when compliance was high

2. Medium Risk: Enhanced visual prompts when partial non-compliance detected

3. High Risk: Warning displays during peak crowding with low compliance

Leadership & Process

As Lead UX Designer and Project Manager, I:

• Managed Team Growth: Mentored 2 junior designers and 1 developer, implementing a feedback-driven development process that accelerated their professional growth

• Drove Research: Conducted comprehensive analysis of existing airport signage systems to identify best practices and pain points

• Led Visual Strategy: Guided the evolution from text-heavy designs to a minimal, icon-based system that proved more effective with international audiences

• Facilitated Development and Testing: Partnered closely with engineering to ensure precise implementation of state transitions and visual components

• Owned Client Relations: Managed stakeholder communication with the Japanese counterpart, successfully navigating cultural and timezone challenges

Smart Airport Signage: Dynamic Mask Compliance System

Key Decisions & Outcomes

As my UX team handled more projects remotely during the pandemic, I wanted to delegate more responsibility to my junior designers to help them grow while ensuring high-quality outcomes. So I asked them to lead the first design iteration. Instead of imposing strict directions, I ran design critique sessions and provided constructive feedback to guide their creativity.

• Design Evolution: The initial designs included too much text, which posed challenges in multilingual environments like airports. Subsequently, the team developed two distinct approaches:

  1. A visually rich illustration of people wearing masks and maintaining physical distance.

  2. A minimalist design using high-contrast colours (red, yellow, green) and universally recognised icons to indicate risk levels.

• Data-Driven Choice: Client testing revealed the minimalist design achieved better comprehension among airport staff and international users.

• Team Development: Implemented a "design-defend-refine" process that enabled junior designers to own features while maintaining quality.

• User Success: The system deployed successfully at a major departure gate, with the client reporting improved mask compliance.

• Team Growth: Both junior designers progressed to work on their projects within 6 months confidently.

• Design Philosophy: Reinforced that effective UX often means choosing clarity over complexity, especially in high-stress (fast) environments.

• Leadership Strategy: Demonstrated that empowering junior team members with real responsibility, while maintaining a strong feedback loop, produces better outcomes than top-down direction.

Impact & Learnings

Disclaimer: To comply with my non-disclosure agreement, confidential details have been excluded, and the screenshots have been altered accordingly.

Lead Designer, Project Manager | COVID-19 Response Initiative