THE PROJECT
The Revenue Optimizer user is an analyst whose job is to forecast, analyze and optimize all revenue stream to help an airline carrier maximize its revenues and impact profitability. Sabre’s legacy product designed for such users was called Revenue Manager. When I was hired it was being redesigned as a SAAS web product and renamed Revenue Optimizer. Whereas in Revenue Manager the data was presented primarily as tables with functionality similar to an Excel spreadsheet, Revenue Optimizer would present data as visualizations to complement complex tables. A new look and feel was needed and eventually would coordinate with Sabre’s emerging enterprise design language called Spark.
THE CHALLENGE
There are many workflows to the RO app, most of which I was deeply involved with. Primarily the design challenge was to concisely present data on any one screen, giving users options to filter through and drill down into the data with little disruption to their workflow. Screen real estate was a constant issue for presenting large amounts of data on charts and tables. Numerous micro interactions were required where the user would be selecting, editing, adding, deleting, saving, reordering, exporting table or chart data.
I present here several screenshots of workflows that used drill downs in charts, a solution to the problem stated below.
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PROBLEM: Hierarchy of data presentation
Much of the data analysts are looking for is time specific or market specific. Users need a way to drill down into chart data from this starting point.
SOLUTION: Drill down capability
Within the bar charts any one bar could be selected and clicked to see further detail. This action would cause a chart below it to become visible or it would rewrite the data showing in the chart below. Second level charts could lead to third level charts, each leading to a more and more detailed analysis, all related to the initial query in chart one.
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External Links:
Personas
Journey Map
Sabre Revenue Optimizer Website and Video Links
