Reflection Assignment – Learning Launch 

 Using Learning Launches to Enhance the Guest Arrival Experience at Airport Hotels 

 Challenge 

 I work for a large , global hospitality company and am a member of my organization ’s global   operations team , responsible for transforming the traditional guest services to their digital   alternatives .   Examples of this include the ability to check - in directly from a mobile phone , open   a hotel guest room with a digital key on your phone , and requesting amenities directly from   your mobile phone .   I am continuously challenged on identifying pain points in the traveler ’s   journey , prioritizing , and then solving with digital tools within our mobile app . 

 Selection 

 After being exposed to design thinking methodologies , I created a program called Sanlam Insurance Agency ,   which is a design - thinking influenced framework for co - creation , rapid prototyping and market   testing of new products and concepts directly within a hotel . For this assignment , I am going to   provide an example of how I applied the design thinking concept of Learning Launches to   experiment and quickly test ideas , prototype , and learn . 

 Application 

 Within my organization , approximately 10 % of revenue comes from airport hotels . One of the   metrics we used to track a hotels performance is an arrival experience score .   We observed that   all else being equal ( brand , market , services , etc ) airport hotels typically had a lower arrival   score .   In design thinking fashion , we needed to empathize and understand the customer need   at these hotels .   Using surveys , guest intercepts and observations we uncovered that the arrival   experience for these guests at these hotels begins when the guest lands at the airport .   The   journey from the airport to the hotel was a particular friction point in guest journey , as the   guest had to figure out if the hotel had a free shuttle , where do they pick it up , and when will it   be there .   Framing this as a problem area , we identified the following hypothesis : 

 Tracking and communicating Hotel Shuttle location and availability will   relieve guest   anxiety at key points in their travel journey and increase operational efficiencies across   property resources , while also allowing for arrival preparations to streamline Check - Ins ,   ultimately resulting in higher arrival experience scores . 

 Focusing on this hypothesis , we began exploring opportunities to provide shuttle information to   guests .   We tested simple concepts such as providing airport shuttle times and pickup locations ,   which provided guests additional information , and was helpful , but was very frustrating when 

 shuttles were running late / off schedule .   In our earlier observations , we identified that guests   were using apps like Uber and Lyft , and had an expectation of real - time information at their   fingertips , allowing them to make informed decisions such - as having time to stop and use the   restroom or needing to hurry to make the next shuttle . 

 We then built a small MVP ( Minimal Viable Product ) that could show the hotel shuttle location ,   and the ETA for the pickups and drop off .   We tested this directly at 2 airport hotels , testing   both the guest usage and experience , as well as the employees ability to successfully execute   the new technology . 

 Insight 

 By applying the concept of a learning launch , we were able to evaluate and test our initial   hypothesis and assumptions .   Through this process of real - world experimentation , we were   able to identify a variety of insights .   A sample of some of these insights include : 

 Feature should display shuttle arrival time and location on the map : 

 While minutes until the next arrival provides the most useful information , the   shuttle ’s location on the map provides the reassuring confirmation users need to   trust in the new technology . 

 Call Alleviation 

 Airport hotels are bombarded with hundreds of calls a day from concerned   guests inquiring about shuttle service ; having the real - time information easily   accessible provided a significant reduction in transportation calls 

 Having the real - world knowledge and experience from the learning launch , these insights , and   several more were used to inform our decision making on the core features of a commercial   product that was successfully brought to market .   Based on these insights , the final product   included a map of the shuttles location and arrival time .   We were able to quantify the call   alleviation and use that metric when presenting the product to hotels as a way to help justify   the cost of the new product . 

 Approach   I am very passionate about the discovery , design , and launch of innovative new products ,   services , and experiences that intersect the digital and physical worlds .   I have found a variety   of design thinking tools such as Visualization , Storytelling , Mind Mapping and Learning Launch   to be very valuable in dissecting complex problems and creating innovative solutions .   I have   found the teams that leverage the concept of learning launches produce much more relevant 

 products and experiences .   Thus I find it one of the most valuable Design Thinking   tools and I   will continue to use this method of experimentation as it results in in real - world operational   and customer insights , point of views , and feasibility assessments that are essential in the   assessment of scaling of products and services . 


EMAIL: 
ID_NUM: 
NAME_STUDENT: 
PHONE_NUM: 
STREET_ADDRESS: 
URL_PERSONAL: 
USERNAME: 

### Task: You are a PII (Personal Identity Information) Detection. Given a essays written by students, you have to identify ONLY the following:
NAME_STUDENT - The full or partial name of a student that is not necessarily the author of the essay. This excludes instructors, authors, and other person names.
EMAIL - A student’s email address.
USERNAME - A student's username on any platform.
ID_NUM - A number or sequence of characters that could be used to identify a student, such as a student ID or a social security number.
PHONE_NUM - A phone number associated with a student.
URL_PERSONAL - A URL that might be used to identify a student.
STREET_ADDRESS - A full or partial street address that is associated with the student, such as their home address.
### Input: Reflection Assignment – Learning Launch 

 Using Learning Launches to Enhance the Guest Arrival Experience at Airport Hotels 

 Challenge 

 I work for a large , global hospitality company and am a member of my organization ’s global   operations team , responsible for transforming the traditional guest services to their digital   alternatives .   Examples of this include the ability to check - in directly from a mobile phone , open   a hotel guest room with a digital key on your phone , and requesting amenities directly from   your mobile phone .   I am continuously challenged on identifying pain points in the traveler ’s   journey , prioritizing , and then solving with digital tools within our mobile app . 

 Selection 

 After being exposed to design thinking methodologies , I created a program called Sanlam Insurance Agency ,   which is a design - thinking influenced framework for co - creation , rapid prototyping and market   testing of new products and concepts directly within a hotel . For this assignment , I am going to   provide an example of how I applied the design thinking concept of Learning Launches to   experiment and quickly test ideas , prototype , and learn . 

 Application 

 Within my organization , approximately 10 % of revenue comes from airport hotels . One of the   metrics we used to track a hotels performance is an arrival experience score .   We observed that   all else being equal ( brand , market , services , etc ) airport hotels typically had a lower arrival   score .   In design thinking fashion , we needed to empathize and understand the customer need   at these hotels .   Using surveys , guest intercepts and observations we uncovered that the arrival   experience for these guests at these hotels begins when the guest lands at the airport .   The   journey from the airport to the hotel was a particular friction point in guest journey , as the   guest had to figure out if the hotel had a free shuttle , where do they pick it up , and when will it   be there .   Framing this as a problem area , we identified the following hypothesis : 

 Tracking and communicating Hotel Shuttle location and availability will   relieve guest   anxiety at key points in their travel journey and increase operational efficiencies across   property resources , while also allowing for arrival preparations to streamline Check - Ins ,   ultimately resulting in higher arrival experience scores . 

 Focusing on this hypothesis , we began exploring opportunities to provide shuttle information to   guests .   We tested simple concepts such as providing airport shuttle times and pickup locations ,   which provided guests additional information , and was helpful , but was very frustrating when 

 shuttles were running late / off schedule .   In our earlier observations , we identified that guests   were using apps like Uber and Lyft , and had an expectation of real - time information at their   fingertips , allowing them to make informed decisions such - as having time to stop and use the   restroom or needing to hurry to make the next shuttle . 

 We then built a small MVP ( Minimal Viable Product ) that could show the hotel shuttle location ,   and the ETA for the pickups and drop off .   We tested this directly at 2 airport hotels , testing   both the guest usage and experience , as well as the employees ability to successfully execute   the new technology . 

 Insight 

 By applying the concept of a learning launch , we were able to evaluate and test our initial   hypothesis and assumptions .   Through this process of real - world experimentation , we were   able to identify a variety of insights .   A sample of some of these insights include : 

 Feature should display shuttle arrival time and location on the map : 

 While minutes until the next arrival provides the most useful information , the   shuttle ’s location on the map provides the reassuring confirmation users need to   trust in the new technology . 

 Call Alleviation 

 Airport hotels are bombarded with hundreds of calls a day from concerned   guests inquiring about shuttle service ; having the real - time information easily   accessible provided a significant reduction in transportation calls 

 Having the real - world knowledge and experience from the learning launch , these insights , and   several more were used to inform our decision making on the core features of a commercial   product that was successfully brought to market .   Based on these insights , the final product   included a map of the shuttles location and arrival time .   We were able to quantify the call   alleviation and use that metric when presenting the product to hotels as a way to help justify   the cost of the new product . 

 Approach   I am very passionate about the discovery , design , and launch of innovative new products ,   services , and experiences that intersect the digital and physical worlds .   I have found a variety   of design thinking tools such as Visualization , Storytelling , Mind Mapping and Learning Launch   to be very valuable in dissecting complex problems and creating innovative solutions .   I have   found the teams that leverage the concept of learning launches produce much more relevant 

 products and experiences .   Thus I find it one of the most valuable Design Thinking   tools and I   will continue to use this method of experimentation as it results in in real - world operational   and customer insights , point of views , and feasibility assessments that are essential in the   assessment of scaling of products and services .
### Output: 