About Smartair
01 | Research
Smartair faced critical obstacles in a crowded market, with generic interfaces, high abandonment rates, and minimal brand connection.
Travelers (especially the Israeli users) needed more than just a booking tool we wanted an experience that resonated emotionally and practically with their needs.
Persona Insights
The Budget-Conscious Traveler:
Value-focused, these users needed an affordable, straightforward booking process. They would often leave the site if it became cumbersome.
Seeking affordability and simplicity, these users prioritized a streamlined, quick booking process without excessive steps or complexity.
The Experienced Planner:
Savvy, frequent travelers sought customization options (seats, upgrades) with a fast, flexible booking experience. Often traveling for both business and leisure, this group valued customization options but expected a smooth, reliable experience with minimal friction.
Through user research and data analysis, we uncovered several critical pain points that affected user engagement and loyalty.
After the initial user research and careful examination, Ive written down the conclusions, which summed in 4 main pain points the users were having with the platforms and services of Smartair's product
Outdated and Non-Responsive Design
The original platform’s design lacked the flexibility and intuitiveness required by modern users. The static layout did not adapt to mobile and tablet screens, leading to high abandonment rates, especially among on-the-go users.
Our personas showed that the Experienced Planner often browsed on a mobile device but found Smartair’s limited responsiveness discouraging, which reduced overall engagement.
Complex Processes
Smartair’s booking process was tedious and unclear, causing both our Budget-Conscious and Experienced Planners to struggle with navigation. Many were lost during essential steps, like selecting seats or understanding luggage options. For those simply looking to find the best deals quickly, the lengthy process led to high drop-off rates and frustrations.
General Brand Language and Inconsistent Engagement
Our users described the brand language as “robotic,” and “disconnected,” reducing emotional connection and brand loyalty.
They wanted a brand voice that felt relatable, inspiring that would engage them to take action —something that would differentiate Smartair from its competitors.
Limited Interaction
Newsletters, originally sent out weekly, struggled to engage readers due to repetitive designs and minimal interactive elements.
While informative, they did little to inspire excitement or brand connection.
Users reported that they wanted newsletters to have personality and reflect the destinations they loved.
02 | Solutions
Solution Development: Starting to build an Experience
Once the initial research phase was done, it came time to start addressing each of the pain points we identified. This required a structured, research-driven approach that aligned with our user personas and business plans.
The following solutions were crafted to address core issues while elevating the brand’s appeal and usability:
Enhance User Experience:
Create a seamless, easy-to-navigate booking process that builds trust and encourages users to complete their travel purchases effortlessly.
Increase Brand Engagement:
Establish a relatable brand identity with a distinct tone and presence that resonates with both Budget-Conscious Travelers and Experienced Planners. This included creating a consistent, engaging voice across all channels, especially on social media.
Boost Conversion Rates:
Improve functionality and interactivity to reduce drop-offs and increase completed bookings by addressing specific pain points in the user journey.
Drive Revenue Growth through Retention:
By building a community and fostering loyalty, aim for increased customer retention, reflected in metrics like repeat bookings, newsletter engagement, and social media activity.
Build Brand Recognition through Innovation:
Differentiate Smartair with cutting-edge UX/UI design and creative interactions, ultimately gaining recognition in the industry through awards and user satisfaction.
Designing & Innovating for Engagement and Conversion
Smartair’s design challenges required a structured, insight-driven approach. We knew that improving usability meant looking beyond just visual updates; it involved rethinking how users interacted with the platform.
Our goal was to address core pain points by grounding our approach in thorough research, close alignment with user personas, and an emphasis on responsive design.
Research & Pain Point Identification
Starting with heatmaps, navigation patterns, and interviews, I analyzed the areas where users faced friction. questioning and returning to the data I had available. This data informed our overarching goal: to create a fully responsive platform that would transform the travel booking process into an enjoyable experience.
Responsive Design Implementation
With a significant portion of users (67%) accessing the platform from desktop, our solution focused on creating a fully responsive site rather than over-relying on a mobile app that was created before my time at Smartair and would cause endless bottlenecks and availability of the developers on a weekly basis. Collaborating with the development team, I designed adaptive templates that aimed and provided a seamless experience across devices without the reliance on a mobile app.
Advanced Design Methodologies
We applied Design Thinking and User-Centered Design, incorporating continuous feedback to refine the interface. This iterative process, which involved prototype testing and real-world feedback, ensured that our platform aligned with user needs and business goals.
Key Outcomes
Enhanced User Experience:
A smoother booking process with clear, guided flows encouraged users to complete their bookings effortlessly.
Increased Brand Engagement:
A relatable brand voice and consistent, engaging presence across all channels created stronger connections with users.
Boosted Conversions:
Addressing user pain points led to reduced drop-offs and increased completed bookings.
Simplifying processes
Smartair’s booking and reservation processes (among others) were overly complex, creating unnecessary friction that often led to user drop-offs.
The journey was intimidating, with cluttered steps that confused users and made it difficult for them to understand the process. In many instances, this complexity drove users to call the sales team for assistance or to complete their booking through a representative—sometimes at the cost of a less favorable deal.
Although there was nothing wrong with assisting and selling the flights for them, we always pride ourselves knowing we made better consumers who can test and book their flights and vacations on their own.
Simplifying the process
One of the main pain points in Smartair’s initial booking (and some other) flow was its multi-step process, which lacked clarity and created confusion, ultimately leading to frustration.
By reimagining this journey with a focus on simplicity, we were able to remove unnecessary steps and streamline the entire process. The new design featured clear, guided flows that empowered users to navigate the booking experience with ease.
We conducted extensive prototype testing to gather real-time feedback, which allowed us to identify and eliminate redundant or confusing steps.
By focusing on user-centered design principles, we applied visual prompts, tooltips, and instructional guides that provided clarity at every stage.
These changes significantly reduced cognitive load, helping users focus on making decisions rather than blankly starring through an overwhelming maze.
Adding Visual Guidance for User Empowerment
In addition to simplifying the flow, we introduced visual cues throughout the journey to guide users and reduce their mental effort.
Research showed that visual aids can significantly enhance usability, especially in complex systems, so by helping users make decisions faster and with greater confidence.
These visual cues, including progress indicators, highlight important actions, and subtle animations, all worked together to make the booking process intuitive.
This approach resonated particularly well with our primary personas:
Budget-Conscious Travelers, who appreciated the simplicity and transparency of the process, and Experienced Planners, who valued the predictability and structure it provided. As a result, users were more likely to complete their bookings, contributing to a notable increase in conversion rates. This solution not only improved the user experience but also aligned with Smartair's goal of providing a seamless, stress-free booking journey.
Simplifying processes
Booking process
The old Reservation Process:
In this example shown from the old process, as users arrived into this step the are overwhelmed by the size that opens up the accordion
(users were left to try and guess what the process wanted from them,
with the over usage of green and non intuitive usage of space to select luggages. this is where most of the abandonment happened
The New Reservation Process:
To ease the pain for many of our users who felt confused as the booking process started, we changed the steps, instead of double up, we've doubled down- making it easier for them to take it step by step, with less of the distractions in the green
as for the luggages and other offered services, I have decided to incorporate a more pleasant and easy to understand button (or a message to let them know their flight includes a luggage)
indications with icons have improved and eased the process.
Simplifying processes
Reservation summery form
The Reservation Summary:
On the left:
The old order summary form sent to users once the booking stage is done and reservation is processing. this caused a lot of uncertainty over time since most users would read too much thanks to the structure which was like a receipt, many users would complain that some things are missing, only to realize it was written
On the right:
The new version of the summary, the structure and visual cues allowed more users to understand it better by 45% and reduce calls to support by 62%
(*as tested over a period of 2 months )
Heatmap from early testings showed where users would stop to read, the visuals allowed them to be sure of the reservation they made and scramble less
Simplifying processes
FAQ page
Evolution of FAQ page
On the top-left:
the initial FAQ page, where users could try and find answers for thr the frequently asked questions in the world of aviation and tourism
On the top-right:
this was the first version Ive created, when we first thought of testing the possibility of letting the filtering possible using the search engine. after many tries we have discovered that many users misused the search bar and still couldnt find the answer they were looking for.
On the bottom:
this was the last version, more fluid and responsive, where users could choose the topic and get directed in an expending accordion which led them to finding the answer they were looking for.
This solution worked better, was more pleasant and reduced the support contact, though it was in plain sight.
Simplifying processes
Vacation package
Introducing the Vacation builder
The vacation package builder was an all-in-one innovative new phase for us, allowing the users to do it all in a single place, something that had always bothered the users (and we listened)
By structuring everything as a wizard type flow, we were able to introduce the users to the flow and give them the power to build and search for the desired vacation from the flight—to the hotel—the secure payment and successful reservation, the banners on top would indicate the step with slight animation and using helpguided tooltips in case of idle movement on the screen
Of course we were always available for them in any situation, but this structure had shown very positive results which were later adopted by other collaborations we had.
Crafting an Identity: Playful Brand Voice & Visual Appeal
To differentiate Smartair, I crafted a playful, personable brand voice that resonated with users, fostering authentic connections that went beyond just booking flights and accommodations. By humanizing the brand with a tone that felt both approachable and relatable, we stood out in a competitive market.
Creating a unique brand and visual Identity
One of the first things I did was establish a brand voice that truly reflected Smartair’s values while also connecting with users on a deeper level.
This voice was playful, lighthearted, and infused with tongue-in-cheek humor, something I was personally familiar with.
In fact, we were one of the first in the industry to embrace this approach, making the brand feel more human and less like a faceless corporation.
With the CEO's support, I pushed the boundaries of this tone, experimenting with humor to create a more intimate, familiar feel—one that was less about marketing and more about forging genuine relationships with users.
This approach allowed me to immerse myself in a style that felt natural and true to who we were as a brand, yet fresh and unexpected in the travel industry.
Vision for the Brand’s Visual Identity
The vision I had for Smartair’s identity extended beyond words. Inspired by cinematic imagery—wide, scenic shots that capture the vastness of travel possibilities—I wanted Smartair to visually immerse users in the experience of exploration.
Inspired by cinematic visuals, our brand visuals aimed to evoke a sense of wonder and exploration. Large, scenic images of destinations were paired with motion graphics to create an immersive experience, encouraging users to envision their journey every part of the platform, from the homepage headers to destination pages, creating a dynamic and cohesive visual language that felt both expansive and personal.
Above: Headers from out BestFlights engine launch and destination page and 2 of the 404 pages we had - the visual language was always aiming for possible vivid vacation, sometimes animated slightly in order to induce engagement and a tone that relates more to the audiences in Israel, allowing ourselves to be more open and humorous at time
on the right side: from the SEO section of the platform, giving a story and some taste of various destinations
Above: The old loading gifs from the stages along the platform, although never a dealbreaker but I found the visuals less than what I wanted the presence of Smartair to be and there was a need for change of tone
Bottom: the new design of gifs, allowed us to engage, even for a few seconds (always hoping for less) the need for something different is something I enjoy very much, in knowing its not all just a sliding progress bar (**though, when I created the one for SkyMAX, which is still there, the unique element was more about the logo itself, which represents the companys identity)
Crafting an Identity: Playful Brand Voice & Visual Appeal
Newsletter personalizations and community involvement
Newsletter personalization for community involvement
In our newsletters, I took a personalized approach by featuring user-generated content (with their approval, of course).
This included photos and stories from travelers who booked through Smartair, which added authenticity and depth to our communication.
Every other edition was a mini-journey, with a distinct focus on the destinations we were promoting. I used engaging visuals, animations, and even videos to craft an immersive experience that felt cinematic—like a scene from a movie waiting to unfold.
This was a major departure from the traditional, static newsletters that dominated the tourism industry, particularly in Israel. With three newsletters a week, we tested various formats to see what grabbed attention, from destination spotlights to themed content that gave users a "taste" of what they could experience. By integrating this kind of dynamic, visually-rich content, we not only kept users engaged but made them feel like they were part of a community—a key factor in building lasting loyalty.
On top-Left: the old style of Newletters, the destinations were good, but not as I envisioned the experience to be
on right: the visual experience language I pushed, giving the users a taste of the vacation they want, the atmosphere, I wanted the users to feel first then build the desire to fly to the destinations at the great prices we had. In many cases incorporated users who booked through us and posed for the camera, giving them the 15 mins of fame
Crafting an Identity: Playful Brand Voice & Visual Appeal
Social Media engagements
Social media engagement
Social media became a cornerstone of our strategy, where I took an active role in pushing the envelope. I didn’t just rely on static images or generic posts
I created dynamic video content and experimented with new design formats to appeal to a younger audience.
By infusing posts with the playful, tongue-in-cheek humor, I encouraged users to comment and engage in conversations, making our brand feel like part of their social sphere.
Social media was integral to Smartair’s strategy. By creating engaging, humorous posts with dynamic visuals, we fostered meaningful interactions with users. This approach grew our Facebook audience from 18k to 65k, proving that our voice resonated strongly with our target market.
This wasn’t just about attracting likes—it was about creating meaningful interactions that built trust and connection.
Over time, this approach led to remarkable growth, as we saw our Facebook audience expand from 18k (when I joined) to 65k followers!
showcasing how well our playful voice resonated and how users appreciated the real, human side of Smartair.
Iterative Testing, Refinement, & Continuous Optimization
The lifecycle of any product is constantly evolving, and I thrive in the iterative process of testing, analyzing, and refining to fully understand where we can grow and enhance the experience for both our users and ourselves. This ongoing cycle isn’t just about solving problems—it’s about anticipating them and proactively fine-tuning every aspect of the user journey.
To maintain our competitive edge, we took a comprehensive, data-driven approach to ensure we were always optimizing for the best user experience and business impact. This meant going beyond just tracking bugs and issues; we focused on refining each touchpoint to support both user satisfaction and the broader business goals of Smartair.
A/B Testing for Conversion Optimization
A/B testing was central to our optimization strategy. We implemented rigorous tests across the entire user journey—from booking flow adjustments to testing email subject lines. These tests gave us invaluable, real-time insights into user preferences and behavior, which allowed us to make data-backed decisions. Whether it was adjusting the tone of messaging, changing visual elements, or fine-tuning the booking steps, each tweak was made to reduce friction and enhance conversions.
Through this ongoing cycle of testing and refinement, we were able to increase user engagement, ultimately driving better conversion rates while aligning with broader marketing goals like revenue growth and customer retention.
User Feedback Loops
We recognized the importance of direct user feedback in shaping the future of our product. By conducting interviews, surveys, and behavioral tracking, we gained deep insights into pain points, desires, and unmet needs.
This data helped us prioritize which features needed improvement and ensured that our product remained aligned with users' evolving expectations. For example, user feedback led to the simplification of the booking flow and the introduction of personalized themes—small yet powerful changes that made a significant impact on user satisfaction and retention. By maintaining a consistent feedback loop, we not only optimized the product but also cultivated a sense of ownership and community among our users, strengthening their connection with the brand.
Continuous Community Engagement
Iterative testing didn’t just stop at the user interface; it extended to our community-building efforts as well. Social media strategies and newsletter content were frequently tested and adjusted to keep our audience engaged and aligned with our business objectives.
We knew that engagement was key to retaining users and building brand loyalty, so we adapted our messaging to reflect current events and user interests. For example, special campaigns like election-themed newsletters or destination polls offered users an opportunity to interact with the brand in a way that felt fresh and relevant.
This approach didn’t just boost engagement—it also demonstrated Smartair's commitment to understanding and responding to the interests of its user base, which aligned perfectly with our marketing strategies to drive brand visibility and customer loyalty.
By keeping the testing, iteration, and optimization process at the forefront of our strategy, I was able to ensure that Smartair’s product and marketing initiatives were always aligned, allowing us to create an experience that was not only user-centric but also strategically valuable for the business.
After a lot of hard work, endless hours put into the brand and product of Smartair, our transformation efforts yielded clear, quantifiable results, proving the value of user-centered, data-driven design.
Smartair was established as one of the leaders in the industry with some amazing results:
User Engagement:
A 37% increase in user satisfaction was recorded, with social media interaction up by 42%.
Newsletter Open Rates:
The personalized, destination-focused newsletters achieved a 30% increase in open rates and click-throughs that translated into more sales being done online and using sales department.
Revenue Growth:
A 45% increase in revenue, attributed to improved booking conversions and a streamlined user experience.
Awards and Industry Recognition:
Our partnerships grew bigger and better with more of the biggest brands in the Israeli market including the collaborative creation of SkyMAX which was received very well and still to this day is one of the most liked services in the Israeli market.
Smartair had also partnered up with the South African company TravelCheck, which we took under our wing, and I took charge of the user experience and visual design division there.
As for the redesigned platform and innovative solutions we introduced, we have earned Smartair two consecutive Product of the Year awards, an international known award that highlighted our industry impact. SkyMax had also provided us with another award for best launch of 2020 .
A/B Testing for Conversion Optimization
A/B testing was instrumental in our success. We tested various elements, from booking flow adjustments to email subject lines, refining our approach based on real-time insights.
User Feedback Loops and Continuous Community Engagement
User feedback shaped every stage of our development. Through interviews, surveys, and continuous optimization, we aligned our product with user needs and fostered a community of engaged, loyal travelers.
in the images: from the awards we've received over the course of time, some of the tone and fun times at Smartair with the celebration of new office (a short period prior to the pandemic) some from our small team meetings and 1 car of yours truly, at around 1 a.m leaving for the day
(btw- Harry was never in the office)
