Overview
Tackled two distinct design challenges: simplifying the flight search experience for travelers and empowering flight revenue analysts.
Role
UX Design Intern
Vibe Designer
UX Researcher
Time
10 weeks (Summer 2025)
Team
Design Director
1 UX Strategist
1 UX Researcher
2 UX Designers
| CONTEXT
Designing for Travelers & Analysts
As a UX Design Intern at PROS, a leader in AI-powered travel software, my summer was a unique opportunity to design for two completely different audiences.
My primary project was co-leading an end-to-end redesign of the Farefinder, a consumer-facing flight-search tool for travelers.
Alongside this, I contributed to a foundational project for the new RM (Revenue Management) AI platform (a specialized pricing tool for airline experts), which was being modernized for a younger generation of analysts and a new AI-driven experience.
PART 1: RE-DESIGNING THE PROS FAREFINDER
The Challenge
The PROS Farefinder presented a classic design challenge: it was failing both its users and the business.
Travelers found the outdated interface confusing and difficult to use, while airline partners had no effective way to showcase their premium, high-value fares. My task was to co-lead the end-to-end redesign, creating a modern, intuitive solution that balanced these two competing needs.
| USER RESEARCH
Making Sense of the Data
Research Synthesis
My process began with a deep dive into the raw research notes from 5 usability tests that the team had conducted on the existing Farefinder. My task was to take this qualitative data and find the "why" behind the user's frustrations.
Finding the Patterns
To make sense of the data, I synthesized all the individual observations and quotes into an affinity map. This process allowed me to cluster the feedback and see clear, recurring patterns emerge.
Snapshot of affinity map with main insights from Fare Finder 5 usability tests
Key Insights from Synthesis
Critical Navigation Issues
3 out of 5 users had significant usability and navigation problems, struggling to find destinations or understand how to move around the map.
Missing Contextual Information
2 out of 5 users specifically mentioned that the lack of country lines made the map confusing to read and difficult to orient themselves.
Unintuitive UI
Users also noted that key interface elements, like the "blue dot" target, were not intuitive and that the map didn't provide enough information on hover.
Main Takeaway(s)
These insights, which I synthesized directly from the user data, gave me a clear, evidence-based direction. The redesign had to prioritize intuitive navigation and a clearer information hierarchy.
| IDEATION & DESIGN
Translating Research into Design
Armed with my research insights (that users needed better navigation and a clearer hierarchy), I moved into the design phase.
My process started broad (understanding the market) and then progressively narrowed down to the final individual components.
Understanding Market Standards
I began by conducting a competitive analysis of major travel and map-based apps, like Google Flights, Kayak, and even Vrbo. This helped me understand established UI patterns that users already know, so I was aware of the mental models that I was designing for.
Snapshot of the competitive analysis in which I looked at direct/indirect competitors.
Defining the New Navigation
My research showed the old navigation was confusing. To fix this, I mapped out several new 'happy path' user flows to ensure the new structure was logical, simple, and seamless for the user.
User flows drafted up in Figma with different filter layouts
Exploring the Core Layout
With a clear flow defined, I explored three distinct layout options for the main map interface (Option A, B, and C).
This was the most critical design decision: how should the map, filters, and results work together? After weighing the pros and cons, Option C (the open/hide panel) was selected as the most flexible and scannable solution.
We explored three main layouts. Option C was chosen for its advantages in user control and progressive disclosure of content.
Iterating on Key Components
Once we had a final layout, I zoomed in on the key components. I designed five different versions of the flight-details card, iterating on the information hierarchy to find the clearest, most scannable way to present a dense amount of data.
5 layouts for the flight information composed of ticket prices/dates and quick facts for users
| STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK
Validating Approach with an Airline Partner
A Collaborative Partner Review
We scheduled a collaborative working session with a key airline partner to review the initial design explorations. This was a two-way discussion: we presented our design approach, and the partner provided expert feedback on their specific business needs and technical constraints.
After the session, I was responsible for synthesizing the detailed notes into a clear, actionable path forward.
A Clear Path Forward
This session was a pivotal moment. The partner not only validated our core layout ("Flow C") as the best approach. They also identified a new list of critical requirements (like new filters and promotional spaces), which I planned to integrate into the final design.
|FINAL DELIVERABLE
Project Handoff
As my 10-week internship was ending, my work on the Farefinder concluded with the following deliverable.
The Validated High-Fidelity Prototype
Here is a video preview of the final "Flow C - Open/Hide Panel Layout" prototype that was validated by the partner. It solved the core usability and navigation problems from our initial research, providing a modern, intuitive experience.
"Flow C - Open/Hide Panel Layout" prototype
Now what?
Future Steps
Since I did not have time to implement the new requirements, my final deliverable was to synthesize all the new partner feedback into a clear "Future Roadmap." This document was my handoff to the design team, ensuring they had a validated foundation and a clear plan for the next development cycle. This is expected to launch in December 2025.
Before and after of the Fare Finder homepage
PART 2:DEFINING THE AI-POWERED RM-AI PLATFORM
The Challenge: A Platform at a Crossroads
My second project focused on PROS's flagship Revenue Management (RM) platform. This tool is used by airlines to determine seat pricing. But it was facing a critical new business challenge.
Our research revealed a major user turnover was causing a rift. The platform was built for long-time experts with decades of knowledge, but an emerging group of new analysts (0-2 years of experience) found the outdated tool difficult to use.
My challenge was to help the team define a modern, AI-powered solution that struck a difficult balance: it needed to empower new analysts to get up to speed quickly, while also feeling familiar and efficient enough for long-time experts to adopt without feeling overwhelmed by the change.
|PROJECT SUMMARY
Initial Solutions & Evolving Feedback
My role on the RM (Revenue Management) AI platform involved translating our research findings into an initial set of design solutions, working hand-in-hand with the UX Strategist and Researcher. My work culminated in the following key outputs: My Markets, AI-Assisted Market Overview, and AI chat support.
Re-design of the Revenue Management platform
A "My Markets" Dashboard
We designed a new, personalized landing page to give all analysts a clear starting point. Instead of the default screen with no clear action items, they see their assigned markets with clear priority indicators, helping them immediately know what to work on.
The new 'My Markets Dashboard' provides a personalized and prioritized starting point.
An AI-Assisted Market Overview
We redesigned the main analytics page to be scannable, with an integrated AI chat assistant that explains insights in plain language and comes in with personalized suggested prompts. This re-design aimed to empowers new users to understand why the data is important.
The redesigned Market Overview page emphasizes key metrics and chart visuals, with an integrated AI Assistant.
Actionable AI Support
Throughout the platform, we designed AI-powered chat support that connects what the data means to what the analyst should do about it. This builds confidence for new users and provides a "second opinion" for experts.
A snapshot of the embedded AI Chat Support provides transparent reasoning and connects insights to the action the user should take.
| REFLECTION
Overall Internship Impact & Takeaways
My summer at PROS was a unique, fast-paced opportunity that pushed me to grow in which I got to gain experience with an AI-integrated design approach while also wearing multiple hats (designer, researcher, etc.) . I'm incredibly grateful to the entire PROS team for the guidance and trust they placed in me across two pivotal product re-designs.
Me with the Houston PROS Design team
Learning Agility: The Process Is Flexible
My biggest growth came from adapting my approach. The Farefinder redesign allowed me to execute the full, comprehensive design cycle - from synthesizing complex research to validating a final prototype. In stark contrast, the RM-AI platform taught me to focus on foundational strategy, using synthesis to map out the future of a major platform. I learned when to dive deep and when to step back and plan.
Designing for Human Conflict
My biggest lesson was gaining experience designing for distinctive user groups, which appeared on both projects.
For Farefinder, the challenge was balancing traveler frustration with the airline’s need to promote high-value fares. On the RM-AI platform, the conflict was between the long-time expert’s demand for speed and the junior analyst’s need for supportive guidance. This taught me to create solutions that simplify the experience without sacrificing the power required by seasoned experts.
The Power of Proactive Handoff
This internship showed me the importance of professional project handoff. By synthesizing stakeholder feedback into clear future roadmaps and delivering validated prototypes, I learned that the final step of design is about creating a clear, strategic handoff that ensures the team can confidently build upon your work.
