Jacquelinne S. Mejia Sandoval Jennifer Nguyen Lauren Kron

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Memo

Date: October 26, 2015 To: LAX Public Relations Division From: Jacquelinne S. Mejia Sandoval

Jennifer Nguyen Lauren Kron

Subject: Proposal for More Effective Website Use Attached is the report for our proposal. In our proposal, we have a list of tasks that we believe will help improve the LAX airport website: adding photo carousel, updating the font style, adding variations in color, merging LAXishappening.com with the main site, adding the option to translate the website, redesigning the “LAX Marketplace” tab, and combining the “Traffic” tabs. In order to perform these tasks, we performed primary and secondary research. We studied multiple airport sites, conducted a survey on whether the LAX airport website is effective, and came up with an estimated budget needed to implement the proposed tasks. After collecting our studies and the results of our research, we wrote our report. The results of our survey showed that users of the LAX airport website found it ineffective and believe our proposed tasks would improve the website immensely. In addition, we discovered that users of the website would be more receptive if it was not only easier to navigate through, but also if it was more visually appealing. According to our survey, users had different reactions towards our suggestion of improving the “News” tab and they informed us that they preferred the design of it in the LAXishappening site. Further, we found that a well­designed website will increase traffic. Our research indicates that the design of a website is vital in order to attract users. We have noticed you have had a decrease in website traffic. This has led to a decrease in sales. A poorly designed website shows that it is less likely for users to return to the website because it is difficult to use and visually unappealing. Improving the website through design and organization will result in more website traffic, an increase in sales, and the return of more customers. On the basis of these findings, we recommend the designers behind the LAX airport website to take our proposed tasks into consideration in order to create a more effective and visually appealing site for their users. We appreciate the time you have taken to read our recommendation report and proposed tasks, and we hope to move forward with you in the initial stages of implementing our suggestions. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Jacquelinne, Jennifer, or Lauren at (555) 555­1234.

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Proposal for More Effective Website Use A Recommendation Report

Prepared for: Mary Grady, Managing Director of Media and Head of Public Relations Prepared by: Jacquelinne S. Mejia Sandoval, Creative Director Jennifer Nguyen, Visual Media Specialist Lauren Kron, Head Graphic Designer

December 11, 2015

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Abstract

“Proposal for More Effective Website Use”

Prepared by: Jacquelinne S. Mejia Sandoval

Jennifer Nguyen Lauren Kron

In September 2015 a survey was conducted about the effectiveness of the LAX website. At this time, the LAX homepage does not function as well as should be expected. To determine why the website is not as effective as it should be we researched what causes a website to be effective. We found that the LAX homepage is difficult to navigate, is visually unappealing, and is not accessible to all readers. We recommend implementing use of a photo carousel, adding variations in the color scheme, combining the homepage with another existing LAX website, providing the ability for translations, redesigning areas of the banners, and condensing the transportation and traffic tabs into one tab. These changes will increase the usability of the site, and will allow more users to take advantage of the site’s features.

Keywords: functionality, accessibility, aesthetic, translation

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary 5

Introduction 5

Research Methods 6

Task 1. Add a photo carousel 6

Task 2. Add variations in website color 6

Task 3: Merge LAXishappening with the LAX website 6

Task 4: Research Computer Aided Translation tools 7

Task 5: Redesigning the “LAX Marketplace” icon 7

Task 6: Research the organization of transportation information in airport websites 8

Results 8

Task 1. Add a photo carousel 8

Task 2. Add variations in website color 9

Task 3: Merge LAXishappening with the LAX website 9

Task 4: Research Computer Aided Translation tools 9

Task 5: Redesigning the “LAX Marketplace” icon 10

Task 6: Research the organization of transportation information in airport websites 10

Budget 11

Schedule 12

Conclusions 13

Recommendation 13

References 13

Appendix A: LAX Survey 15

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List of Illustrations

Figures

Tables

Executive Summary In September 2014, Los Angeles International Airport conducted a survey on whether or not their website lax.aero/welcomeLAX.aspx is effective. Travelers have said that the LAX website is ineffective. In order for a website to be successful, it has to be able to capture reader’s attention. Due to the surveys that we administered, we had the opportunity to research different aspects of website design and the effectiveness of the goals of an airport website. The

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Los Angeles Airport website needs improvement in the visual design, organizational methods, translation, and merging the LAXishappening website with the LAX website. An example is the LAXishappening website being apart from the LAX website and used for communicating news and updates. This causes traffic to be diverted away from the LAX website. We perform enhancements for each method of development. We used different methods varying from style and organization to research the way that the Los Angeles Airport website could be modified to have more guests visiting the pages. Moreover, the LAX company can increase their profit by having more travelers fascinated in their concessions. This type of marketing happens through high resolution images that make the audience feel that they want to buy the product advertised. We have concluded that returns will go up with a banner of photographs. Moreover, translating the website will be efficient for the travelers that are not proficient in English. Contrasting colors on the LAX website will leave a traveler with a clear memory and a good impression. Entree to the LAX website is a consequence of translating the website into different languages.

To implement the changes that we are suggesting, it will cost around $15,000­$30,000 depending on the circumstances we cannot yet evaluate. Jacquelinne S. Mejia Sandoval, Jennifer Nguyen, and Lauren Kron all have experience with design, coding, or graphics, and have the skills necessary to evaluate a website.

Introduction In September 2014, Los Angeles International Airport conducted a survey on whether or not their website is effective. LAX’s separate website called LAXishappening claims to “help travelers quickly find new airport dining options, rooms, and amenities.” This website’s sole purpose is to provide travelers with news. LAX’s current main website is lax.aero/welcomeLAX.aspx and while the website has links for real­time flight status, parking, and the marketplace, design of the website disrupts the ease of use. Travelers have stated that the LAX main website is ineffective based on a recent series of surveys. By redesigning the website, it would look more clean and cohesive. As a result, travelers would have less trouble navigating through the website in order to find what they need, whether that is checking a flight status or seeing the available parking. LAX managing director of media and public relations Mary Grady says that LAXishappening is a place for travelers to get updates on shopping, restaurants, and potential travel delays. However, having an entirely separate website solely for airport news creates confusion and is unnecessary. Cleaning up and organizing their main website will result not only monetary gain, but also less confusion amongst travelers using their website. The following proposed tasks, such as adding a photo carousel or redesigning the “LAX Marketplace” will hopefully enhance the website and be more efficient.

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The following sections of this memo include the proposed tasks, the schedule, our experience, and the references cited.

Research Methods With Mary Grady’s approval, we suggest the following changes to the LAX website based on our research:

Task 1. Add a photo carousel

Images are a crucial component of a website’s design. They can provide large amounts of information in a condensed manner. They allow websites to convey large amounts of information without over­using text. However, using too many images at the same time can be detrimental to the performance of a website. This is a problem encountered by the LAX website. Research has shown that carousels are useful because they allow multiple images to share the same space of “prime real estate,” or the best spots, on website (Pernic, 2013). Websites that overload their pages with images often do not leave enough white space. White space is necessary for preventing website clutter (Wix, 2014). Using a photo carousel for the images on the LAX homepage will greatly increase the functionality of the site.

Task 2. Add variations in website color

One of the most important elements of a website is its visual appearance. A major visual design flaw is not providing enough color contrast on website. Websites without contrast can be difficult to read. If a website does not have contrast it will appear plain and uninteresting. Users will be less likely to return to websites that do not stand out (DT Blog, 2011). A website with contrasting colors is visually appealing and easily read. The LAX website almost exclusively uses the color blue. This causes the website to look plain and unappealing. Including more colors to the website will greaten its visual appeal and entice users to return.

Task 3: Merge LAXishappening with the LAX website

While LAXishappening.com is effective for providing travelers with news and updates on any construction, renovations, or any other news about the airport, it should not be its own website. Instead, their main website should get rid of the “Airport Conditions” tab and replace it with a tab called, “News” with a drop­down menu containing links such as, “Terminal Updates”, “Newsletters”, and “LAX Upgrades”. The tab can also contain more social news, such as having a section for their Twitter updates or the weather. It can also show videos from their YouTube page. By having its own tab, it would cause less confusion for travelers. Instead of having to go to an entirely separate website, they can stay on the main website and find what they are looking for more quickly.

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Task 4: Research Computer Aided Translation tools

The Los Angeles Airport website offers flights to 34 countries. The “LAX guide and travel tips” icon can be translated to Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish. International passengers not seeing their language on the option of translations may not be able to use the site to get information. The translation company, “Kwintessential”, says that by translating a website it can “ensure maximum potential for your site to be picked up in searches”. Due to this, we have concluded that the Los Angeles Airport website needs to be translated to different languages.

The Computer Aided Translation (CAT) tools are the best choice to translate the Los Angeles Airport Website. A CAT tool is “a computer program help[ing] translate text documents” (Metatexis). Source and target languages are used when translating websites with CAT tools. When a language is converted to a different language, it is called source language (Merriam). A target language is “a language that another language will be translated into” (Merriam). A translational unit is a duo of “source and target language” (TranslationZone). Translational memories are databases that save translations for retrieval in the future (TranslationZone). The TrustedTranslations website said, that a CAT tool works by “sav[ing] translational units in a translation memory.” CAT tools benefit translation because you can edit translation memories or use those translations as a starting point for new memories (TrustedTranslations). Having more translations in the translational memory makes translating segments of text quicker (TranslationZone). The CAT tool uses repetition when the translating memory is used in a new text. Translators need to translate chunks of text when a “No Match” option is displayed in the CAT tools (TrustedTranslations). A “Full Match” means that there is a part of text that matches exactly to an earlier saved translation (TrustedTranslations). CAT tools are very productive increasing a 250 word per hour translation to 588.5 words of translation using the CAT tool “Trados” (Vallianatou).

Task 5: Redesigning the “LAX Marketplace” icon to a single banner including two images side by side

The LAX Marketplace icon uses two photographs to depict food and a shop in a very small image. The user does not get the full effect of the options that he/she has to eat and buy at the airport. Furthermore, the user’s view is not focused on this particular icon because all the other icons are about the same size. Research shows that a website should choose one photo that is the most representative. Then, the website should display a variety of photos that are close­up and have different angles (Nielson, 2007). The images should be high resolution and displayed in a larger scale so the user’s attention is focused on a specific part of the web site.

Many people think that revenue from an airport comes from flight tickets and baggage; this is only a portion of the reality. Advertising restaurants and shops in an airport is part of

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concessions. Research indicates that in­terminal concessions account for 21% of non­aeronautical revenues. (Boudreau, 2011). Due to this, the LAX website should have creative and appealing photographs of the concessions to create a greater demand for their services.

Task 6: Research the organization of transportation information in airport websites

Websites that have diverse kinds of guests should be organized and tailored for the audience (Webdesignerdepot). The Los Angeles Airport website has visitors from all over the world. The website needs to be edited in the traffic info and ground transportation section due to the way that people learn. Webdesignerdepot says that important information takes precedence in the positioning of the website. A way to define the importance of content is through “size and placement of content” (Webdesignerdepot). The placement of the content has to be of a moderate size so that information can be detected faster and keep visitors interested. The Singapore Changi International Airport Website was voted the best airport in 2015. The website has a transport tab that includes information of ground transportation and traffic. This information is organized by terms that are about the same subject. Seoul International Airport has a tab called transportation that includes getting from the airport and parking. This tab uses the same method as the Changi International Airport. The Hong Kong International Airport has a “to and from airport”, “transport connection”, and “parking” options in a transport tab. This site is using the size of the content to show precedence by having all the navigation tabs the same size, but the tabs have small figures that depict what the tab is about. Heathrow Airport in London, England has a transport and directions tab that includes parking, traffic, and travel between airports. The Los Angeles Airport Website should employ this type of organizing techniques to show the learning theory of chunking information of the same subject.

Results

In this section, we explain the results of our revisions.

Task 1: Add a photo carousel

To stop users from feeling overwhelmed we recommend adding a photo carousel to the homepage. Placing these images in a photo carousel will condense the information displayed on the website. This condensing will keep the website sleeker. Users will benefit from a sleek website by being able to locate the information they are looking for. This in turn increases the usefulness of the website.

Task 2: Add variations in website color

The appearance and effectiveness of the LAX homepage will be greatly improved by making changes to the website’s color scheme. Most of the background and all of the text are blue. Because of this the website looks uninteresting and bland. This will not cause them to return to

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the site. The website’s color scheme currently consists mainly of blue so we suggest introducing at least one other color to the website. The homepage will be much more appealing once another color is added.

Task 3: Merge LAXishappening with the LAX website

Based on the survey, the two websites should be combined so users can find what they need on just one website. The website would be less confusing and more organized for users to navigate through. This way, users do not have to look through two separate websites. Having everything on one website would make it easier for users to quickly and efficiently locate what they need.

Task 4: Research Computer Aided Translation tools

The Computer Aided Translation (CAT) tool will be used to translate the website to increase efficiency and save money in making translations using the translation memory. The website will have a Translate tab in the upper right corner of the website. This tab has a yellow tone of color and blue border. In addition, the perspective gives the tab a prominent look in the page. The tab will link to an option of many languages.

Figure 1: “Translate” tab suggestion

Task 5: Redesigning the “LAX Marketplace” icon to a single banner

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Our research indicates that the website should have that most represents the LAX Marketplace. The photo should be visually appealing so the user can immediately recognize what the content will include. The link would redirect the user to a page that offers more captivating photos of the marketplace.

Task 6: Research the organization of transportation information in airport websites

The Los Angeles Airport Website will be modified by a tab called “Transportation and Traffic” that includes the information that traffic and ground transportation icons have. The “Transportation and Traffic” tab will look professional and be in the top of the page since that is where important information is located at. Next, the tab will include an image that depicts the action of transportation. Using this technique will differentiate each tab from another and help the user locate the information that they need in a moment.

Figure 2: “Transportation and Traffic” tab suggestion

Budget

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Based on estimations from multiple companies, we have determined that updating the homepage will cost approximately $15,000­$30,000. This price includes planning, design, content support/migration, programming, client training, testing, and launching the new website.

updating website: $30,000 design team labor: $54,600 Total cost: $84,600

Labor Cost

Name Hours Hourly Rate ($/hour)

Cost

Jennifer Nguyen 150 120 18,000

Lauren Kron 150 120 18,000

Jacquelinne S. Mejia Sandoval

150 120 18,000

Total 54,600

Table 1: Labor Cost

Schedule

Task Schedule

Tasks Dates of Tasks

Task 1: Add photo carousel

Task 2: Update font style

Task 3: Add color variation

Task 4: Merge websites

Task 5: Add translation tab

Task 6: Redesign “Marketplace”

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Task 7: Combine Traffic info

25 1 8 15 22 29 1 3 7 9 Oct Nov Dec

Table 2: Schedule of Project Tasks

Conclusion

Our Los Angeles Airport website survey was a success. We surveyed one hundred passengers of the Los Angeles Airport (LAX). We found out that passengers of LAX agree that changes should be made in the areas of visual, applications, and organization of the site. The most dramatic results came from the question about adding translations to the website. Eighty percent of our respondents agreed with us that translating the website would be more effective. We think that the cause of this is that the passengers were from different ethnicities and thus preferred different languages apart from English. This result shows us that there are many users who do not have English as a first language and would find a translation option very helpful and useful. The question in the survey about implementing a news tab had many different reactions from the passengers. We believe that this reaction occurred because people enjoy the LAXishappening website that is under “News and Traffic Tips” because it has an appealing design. The question about the banner of photographs also had different reactions. Adding a banner of photographs would help the airport increase their revenue.

Recommendation

We recommend modifying the current layout of the website to increase the site’s effectiveness. Implementing a photo carousel to clear up space will keep users from being overwhelmed while still being helpful. The website’s color scheme should have at least one additional color added to add contrast and be memorable to users. We suggest combining the LAX homepage with the site LAXishappening, as having two separate sites wastes the user’s time. More users will have access to the website if a translation tab is added. Condensing the LAX Marketplace tab into one tab will better direct users to the content they are looking for. Also, more research into the presentation of the traffic and transportation topics will allow these topics to be presented in a more professional manner.

Reference List

Boor, B. (2013, December 5). 5 Alternatives to Using a Carousel on Your Website Homepage.

Retrieved October 12, 2015, from http://www.mightybytes.com/blog/5­alternatives­using­carousel­website­homepage/

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Boudreau, B., Davies, G., Hamilton, G., Martel, F., Biggs, D., West, N., & Moore, L. (2011).

Resource Manual for Airport In­Terminal Concessions. Retrieved October 19, 2015, from http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/acrp/acrp_rpt_054.pdf

Changi Airport. (2015). Retrieved October 24, 2015, from http://www.changiairport.com/

Chapman, C. (2010, July 12). Content Organization: Deciding What Matters Most. Retrieved

October 19, 2015, from http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2010/07/content­organization­deciding­what­matters­most/

Computer­assisted Translation Tools used to improve Translations. (n.d.). Retrieved October 19, 2015, from http://www.trustedtranslations.com/translation­services/cat­tools.asp

Cph.dk. (n.d.). Retrieved October 19, 2015, from https://www.cph.dk/en/

Forgione, M. (2014). LAX’s feel­good marketing aims to counter bad traffic problems. Los

Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/la­trb­lax­is­happening­website­20140506­story.html

Kjelgaard, C. (2008, December 10). The world's top ten airport web sites. Retrieved October

19, 2015, from http://www.airfarewatchdog.com/blog/3801628/the­world­top­ten­airport­web­sites/

News Content. (2015, September 2). Retrieved October 12, 2015, from https://www.lawa.org/newsContent.aspx?ID=2063

Nielson, Jakob. (2007, March 12). Retrieved November 18, 2015.

http://www.nngroup.com/articles/10­high­profit­redesign­priorities/ Parr, R. (2015, January 16). How Much Does a Website Cost in 2015? Retrieved October 12,

2015. Pernice, K. (2013, September 14). Designing Effective Carousels. Retrieved December 3,

2015, from http://www.nngroup.com/articles/designing­effective­carousels/

Seoul Incheon International Airport Ground Transportation. (n.d.). Retrieved October 19, 2015, from http://seoul­airport.com/Transportation.cfm

Source Language. (n.d.). Retrieved October 19, 2015, from http://www.merriam­webster.com/dictionary/source language

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Target Language. (n.d.). Retrieved October 19, 2015, from http://www.merriam­webster.com/dictionary/target language

The Importance of Website Translation. (2014). Retrieved October 12, 2015, from http://www.axistranslations.com/translation­article/the­importance­of­website­translation.html

Vallianatou, F. (n.d.). CAT Tools and Productivity. Retrieved October 19, 2015, from

http://translationjournal.net/journal/34CAT.htm

Welcome to Denver International Airport. (n.d.). Retrieved October 19, 2015, from http://www.flydenver.com/

What is Translation Memory? (n.d.). Retrieved October 19, 2015, from http://www.translationzone.com/products/translation­memory/#tag1

Why translate with a CAT tool ? (n.d.). Retrieved October 19, 2015, from http://www.metatexis.com/cat.htm

Zhang, B. (2015, March 23). The 10 best airports in the world. Retrieved October 19, 2015, from http://www.businessinsider.com/the­10­best­airports­in­the­world­for­2015­according­to­skytrax­2015­3?op=1

5 Web Design Tips for a Professional Site. (2014, March 19). Retrieved December 3, 2015, from http://www.wix.com/blog/2014/03/5­web­design­tips­for­a­professional­site/

10 Reasons why you need a Multilingual Website. (2014). Retrieved October 12, 2015, from http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/translation/articles/multilingual­website.htm

Appendix A: LAX Survey My name is Jacquelinne S. Mejia Sandoval and my research partners are Jennifer Nguyen and Lauren Kron. We are researching the design of the Los Angeles Airport Website. We would like to know your opinion about changing different aspects of the design of the website. It is important for us to know your opinion about the website because changes can be done for better design and ease of use. We have identified you as being a user of the Los Angeles Airport Website due to your presence at the Los Angeles Airport and being a passenger. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask us personally at the Los Angeles Airport on October 17, 2015 between the hours of 7AM to 12PM. Please give us your filled out survey within fifteen minutes of when we distributed the survey to you. Note: The survey should not take you more than five minutes.

Los Angeles Airport Website Survey

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1. Would the Los Angeles Airport website be more effective if it was translated to multiple languages? o Disagree o Somewhat Disagree o Somewhat Agree o Agree

2. Would the LAX website benefit from having its own news tab on the home page? o Disagree o Somewhat Disagree o Somewhat Agree o Agree

3. Would the LAX Marketplace icon look more modern by having a banner with photographs of specific restaurants or shops in the airport? o Disagree o Somewhat Disagree o Somewhat Agree o Agree

4. Would merging both traffic and transportation icons provide consistent organization? o Disagree o Somewhat Disagree o Somewhat Agree o Agree

5. Would a photo carousel provide a general view of the information contained in the web page? o Disagree o Somewhat Disagree o Somewhat Agree o Agree

6. Would changing the font and color of the content on the website increase readability? o Disagree o Somewhat Disagree o Somewhat Agree o Agree

7. Would introducing a more varied color scheme help you find information sooner? o Disagree o Somewhat Disagree o Somewhat Agree o Agree

Results of the Survey

LAX Website Survey Data

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Figure 3: Results of the LAX Website Survey.

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