EVERYTHING IS BECOMING BY WIRE
Airbus Helicopters wanted to rethink how pilots will fly helicopters in the future and how they interact with them. This was my first aviation project. I discovered that through the process of user-centered design, I was able to lead a team of six designers and develop a solution that fit perfectly with the challenges pilots face today, as well as future technology trends. The project was so successful that it is now copyrighted by Airbus.
Role and
Responsibilities
Leading project planning, delegation and execution, streamlining the design process across cross-functional designers.
Conducted user research through interviews with pilots and crew members.
Synthesized research findings using design thinking workshops customised for the project context.
Explored future aviation trends by conducting market analysis for the year 2040.
Applied the principles of information architecture to decode the helicopter cockpit which further helped in identifying key interactions for the pilot.
Studied aviation and pilot workload principles to conduct test and interviews with pilots.
Created AI agent logic for cockpit HMI reducing 70% of startup time in the context of rescue missions
Lead the team in developing the entire helicopter including exterior and interior AR prototype along with interactive display prototypes.
Project
Case Study
Helicopter pilot experience and cockpit HMI
1. ANALYSIS
EMPATHIZE THE PILOT FIRST AND
THEN HIS COCKPIT
None of the team members were pilots, although we all knew how to drive a car. I could see that everyone was feeling confused about where to begin. I suggested that we start with empathy: what if we focused on understanding the pilot first, and then the cockpit?
THIS APPROACH HELPED THE TEAM INITIATE THE PROJECT and we conducted interviews with helicopter pilots and crew members from various backgrounds, such as rescue, the army, and private aviation. Additionally, we visited the STB helicopter pilot training school in Belgium, where we got a closer look at the cockpit. Thanks to Mario, a flight instructor there, we began to understand the basics of flying a helicopter.
Challenge
ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
Although we were happy that the project had started, I noticed that the team members were not aligned. We each had our own perspective on the helicopter and how we wanted to move forward. For me, it was about the usage of the helicopter and how the pilot flew it.So, I decided to teach myself how to fly a helicopter by watching flight simulator videos on YouTube. That’s how I cracked it. Because I now understood the entire rescue mission and all the touchpoints a pilot has with their helicopter, I was able to quickly visualise a diagram showing how a pilot uses the aircraft and its cockpit.
RESCUE MISSION SCENARIO
HELICOPTER STARTUP FLOW
POST LIFT-OFF
PERSONA
THE USER SCENARIO PLAYED
A KEY ROLE IN THIS PROJECT
With the help of the above user scenario, I was able to align the team with a shared understanding. This scenario greatly benefited the project by also helping us identify the pilot's pain points, goals, and motivations.
Flight Instructor
Age 50
"I Feel a sense a duty when I save human life"
PAIN
- Safety of the crew is priority
- Information overload on cockpit
- Less vigilance under bad weather conditions
- Difficult to locate the victim
GAINS
- To be more aware during auto-pilot
- Be efficient during missions
- Better emotional management during missions
- less interactions to lift off
MOTIVATIONS
- I want to save lives
- Sense of duty
- To be able to fly
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, MENTAL WORKLOAD, PILOTING PRINCIPLES
FUNDAMENTAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MAN AND MACHINE
Upon concluding our research with the team, I realised that the challenges we aim to address are fundamental to defining the relationship between a pilot and the cockpit. These include situational awareness, mental workload, core piloting principles, and related factors.
"How might we be able to design a cockpit for the pilot so that he can successfully complete his mission by reducing mental workload and maintaining situational awareness?"
2. CREATIVITY
WORKSHOPS
I ran several creative workshops using methods like Crazy 8s and Round Robin to brainstorm around three main problem areas
1. LESS VIGILANCE
Adverse weather conditions can significantly impair external visibility, making it challenging for pilots to maintain situational awareness and navigate safely.
2. BAD COMMUNICATION
Due to natural cognitive limitations and workload stress, pilots and co-pilots may unintentionally deviate from mission-critical communication, impacting coordination and decision-making.
3. LOCATING VICTIM
Locating a victim in a complex or hazardous environment while simultaneously operating the helicopter poses a major challenge, often stretching the pilot’s cognitive and physical capabilities.
SEEDING TEAM MEMBERS
3. DEVELOPMENT
I WAS FULLY AWARE OF RESCUE MISSION
AND THE COCKPIT TOUCH POINTS
DURING THE MISSION
To support the project's success, I leveraged the team's diverse skillsets by gathering and developing ideas through both individual sketches and group discussions at strategic moments.
Interaction Design
is not limited
to screens.
Get in touch to discover more about this project and how it addresses pilot challenges while reducing rescue mission time by 40%.
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