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Empire State Building Digital Experiences
Role
Lead Product Designer
The Empire State Building underwent a complete revitalization of their visitor experience, transforming and modernizing everything from how someone enters the building to their arrival on observation decks. I led the design of various experiences including the ticketing kiosk and Digital Postcard.
As a lead product designer for Intersection (an Alphabet backed company) I conducted stakeholder meetings, research, ideation, wireframing, visual design coordination and code implementation coordination.
By creating intuitive and entertaining digital experiences that integrate seamlessly into a classic tourist attraction, the redesign of the Empire State Building is able to fulfill visitors' dreams and achieve business goals.
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Ticketing is one of the first, most interactive, and most taxing experiences a visitor faces at the Empire State Building. It sets the mood and trajectory for a visitor in the building because it provides the information and tickets they need while a line of people wait behind them to do the same. From a business perspective the kiosk had to be a one-stop shop for visitors and a way to increase throughput.
A trip to the Empire State Building can be a lifelong dream for some visitors so it was my goal to make it start off right. This project involved a delicate balance of designing an intuitive and seamless digital flow in coordination with physical kiosk interactions in a busy space. Designing the experience correctly, a visitor would maintain their excitement and be ready for their visit within minutes.
Ticketing Kiosk
The project became 20+ self-service kiosks, each with a 42” portrait touchscreen monitor, that provides printing, scanning, and payment functionality for the thousands of visitors that pass through the building every day. I completely overhauled the ticketing experience by providing any visitor with the ability to select their language, access screens if they are in a wheelchair, gather information, purchase tickets, pick up orders, upgrade tickets, and purchase gifts quickly and efficiently.
Digital Postcard
The path to the top of the Empire State Building leads visitors up elevators and through multiple floors before reaching a panoramic view of New York City. Along the way, there is an opportunity to entertain and educate visitors to ensure that their entire experience is unforgettable. We aimed to create an experience that was as classic as the Empire State Building, gave visitors a memento to keep and share with others, and provide a business opportunity for an upgraded purchase, without creating heavy delays to the top of the building.
The Digital Postcard is a nostalgic keepsake that memorializes a visitor’s experience at the Empire State Building. It modernizes the classic experience of getting a postcard from the gift shop, writing a note, and putting it in the mail to family or friends.
A digital kiosk guides visitors through selecting a postcard template, customizing it with digital stickers and drawings, writing a note, filling out an address, and printing it to be automatically sent out physically or emailed for sharing on social media. By using iconic designs on a classic medium with modern technology, the Digital Postcard delights visitors by maintains a sense of nostalgia in a contemporary setting.
