Streamlining indoor skydiving bookings
iFLY's fragmented booking system created 20+ minute delays for group bookings and a 75% checkout abandonment rate. I redesigned the booking experience across web, mobile, and kiosks, clarifying pricing, digitizing waivers, and streamlining group checkout. The unified system increased online conversion by 23% and reduced group check-in time by 70%.
Company
iFLY Indoor Skydiving
Year
2019
Role
Lead Product Designer
Timeline
4 weeks
01 CHALLENGE
Fragmented systems created friction
iFLY was growing fast, but their booking system hadn't kept pace. The experience was fragmented across web, mobile, and in-person systems, creating friction for both guests and staff.
Group bookings caused long delays at facilities
Waiver process was paper-based and slowed everyone down
Customers abandoned checkout due to unclear pricing
Different systems across channels created inconsistent experiences
02 RESEARCH
Observing the full experience
I spent time at iFLY facilities observing the booking and check-in process. The bottlenecks were obvious: group bookings took 20+ minutes to process, paper waivers created lines, and customers had questions about pricing that staff had to answer repeatedly.
Staff feedback highlighted the operational burden. One manager said: "We spend half our time fixing booking problems instead of helping guests have great experiences."
Customer feedback showed confusion about group pricing and frustration with repetitive data entry. Online abandonment analysis showed spikes in group checkout where users had to enter information for multiple people.
I also audited the technical landscape. Web, mobile, and kiosks used different systems with different pricing rules. This created inconsistencies that confused both customers and staff.
03 SOLUTION
A unified booking system
I redesigned the booking experience as a unified system across all channels, focusing on three areas: group checkout, pricing clarity, and waiver digitization.
I streamlined multi-guest entry by letting the booking lead enter basic info for their group, then sending individual links for each person to complete their own details and waivers. This reduced the burden on the lead booker and sped up checkout.
Pricing Clarity
I redesigned pricing displays to show exactly what guests were paying at each step. Group discounts, add-ons, and fees were broken out clearly. This reduced support questions and increased confidence at checkout.
Digital Waivers
I worked with legal to digitize the waiver process. Guests could complete waivers before arriving, and kiosks handled walk-ins. This eliminated paper bottlenecks and created a single digital record system.
Cross-Channel Consistency
I created a unified booking flow that worked across web, mobile, and kiosks. Same pricing structure, same steps, same visual design. Staff could help customers on any channel because the experience was consistent.
04 impact
Better bookings, better operations
The redesigned system increased online booking conversion rates across all channels. More importantly, it reduced operational costs by speeding up in-facility check-in. The unified experience meant thousands of guests each week received consistent service whether they booked on web, mobile, or kiosks. The digital waiver system eliminated paper waste while improving record-keeping accuracy.
05 REFLECTION
Map the whole experience
Biggest lesson: digital experiences don't exist in a vacuum. Guests who booked online still interacted with staff, encountered physical signage, and navigated real spaces. Fixing the website without considering the full journey would have missed the real opportunity.
The breakthrough came from treating online and in-person booking as one system. By mapping the complete experience and identifying where confusion happened, I helped iFLY reduce operational costs while improving guest satisfaction. The lesson stuck with me: look at the whole system, not just the interface you're designing.
