Context

Multiple military aviation portfolios within Boeing Global Services were developing mission-critical software for fleet management, maintenance, and operational readiness. UX support had historically been limited to temporary, project-based engagements with no sustained UX leadership, research capability, or integration into product strategy.

As a result:

• Products were conceived primarily from an engineering perspective, often misaligned with technician workflows

• Interfaces were fragmented across dozens of tools and systems

• Maintenance workflows relied on disconnected applications and manual workarounds

• Product teams lacked structured research and user-centered design practices

• Leadership had limited visibility into how UX could reduce operational risk and improve effectiveness

One portfolio, Mission Accelerator, was beginning development of a unified portal intended to consolidate approximately 50 operational tools into a single platform with shared authentication, dashboards, and fleet-level visibility.

I was asked to engage military aviation leadership to establish a sustainable UX capability and support these initiatives.

Objective

The goal was to build a dedicated UX practice and embed user-centered design into military aviation product development.

Specifically, we aimed to:

• Establish UX as an integrated capability within military aviation portfolios

• Build and scale a dedicated UX team

• Improve usability and efficiency across complex operational systems

• Ground product decisions in real-world research and field observation

• Enable future product innovation through design-driven discovery

Approach

I led the effort through leadership engagement, team formation, field research, and integration of UX into product strategy.

1. Establishing UX Leadership and Building the Initial Team

I worked with Mission Accelerator leadership to demonstrate how sustained UX involvement could reduce risk and accelerate product development.

I defined and led hiring for a senior designer to serve as both practitioner and team lead, then mentored her as she established design presence within the portfolio and built cross-functional relationships.

As UX demonstrated value, we expanded the team to support additional military aviation programs, transitioning UX from temporary support to an embedded organizational function.

2. Building Organizational Alignment and Executive Trust

I planned and participated in workshops with senior leaders and subject matter experts to:

• Understand operational workflows and constraints

• Identify high-impact product opportunities

• Demonstrate how design could clarify product direction

These sessions built trust and positioned UX as a strategic partner. I maintained ongoing alignment through regular executive and portfolio-level reviews.

3. Introducing Design Sprints and Structured Discovery

I worked with our lead facilitator and design team to introduce design sprints that involved end users directly in the design process.

These sprints helped teams:

• Define product vision and roadmap direction

• Align stakeholders around shared solutions

• Validate concepts rapidly with real users

Teams often achieved in days what had previously taken months, accelerating decision-making and reducing ambiguity.

4. Conducting Field Research in Active Maintenance Environments

To ground product decisions in operational reality, I led contextual research within active military maintenance facilities.

Designers observed technicians, shadowed workflows, and documented inefficiencies caused by fragmented systems.

This research identified opportunities to:

• Reduce manual data transfer between systems

• Improve access to technical documentation

• Streamline job tracking and maintenance workflows

These insights directly influenced product roadmaps and modernization priorities.

5. Designing a Mobile Application for Aircraft Maintenance Operations

Based on field research, we initiated design of a mobile application to support technicians working on the shop floor.

Previously, mechanics relied on multiple desktop systems and manual data transfer. The mobile solution unified:

• Job assignments and status tracking

• Access to technical documentation

• Maintenance workflow coordination

We began development through design sprints involving technicians from multiple global maintenance facilities. The application progressed into field trials and represented a major shift toward field-optimized tooling.

6. Scaling UX Across Military Aviation Programs

As UX impact became clear, additional portfolios requested support.

I hired additional designers and expanded UX coverage across multiple programs. I later promoted the initial team lead to Design Principal, where she worked directly with senior leadership to align UX strategy with organizational priorities.

UX became integrated into product planning, research, and innovation efforts across military aviation.