Crafting the Ultimate 'Arrival Day Experience'
Imagine landing in a foreign country, tired and eager to settle in, only to face a maze of check-ins and instructions. See how we transformed every touchpoint of the arrival journey for DIS international students, making the process seamless, welcoming, and efficient.
Client
DIS
Industry
Travel & education
Key deliverables
App design & user journey mapping
disciplines & Services
From Logistical Chaos to a seamless Experiences
DIS is responsible for managing the arrival and orientation of thousands of international students each year. With over 1,500 students arriving per arrival day at Copenhagen Airport and more than 10,000 students annually, DIS faced a significant logistical challenge.
Their previous system involved renting an entire hotel to manage check-ins, which was both costly and inefficient, often leading to confusion among students and long waiting times. DIS needed a solution that could streamline the arrival process, reduce costs, and ensure a smooth, welcoming experience for every student.
To meet this challenge, we employed the Double Diamond framework, focusing on structured problem-solving and innovation, grounded in rigorous user-centered design.
This method allowed us to explore the problem space thoroughly and iteratively refine solutions based on real user insights, ensuring that the final outcome directly addressed the students' needs. By addressing the core challenges of the old system, we've managed to save costs while improving overall student satisfaction.
“The arrival went incredibly well — we successfully implemented a 100% no-hotel flow this time, and it exceeded all expectations with 1,600 students. We couldn’t be more thrilled today!”
The Challenge
DIS faced the challenge of managing the arrival of over 1,500 international students per arrival day, which required renting a hotel to handle all the check-ins. The process was seen as inefficient, costly, and often led to confusion among the arriving students.
The Approach
The approach was rooted in detailed user journey mapping to fully understand each step of the student arrival process. By mapping out key touchpoints, we identified pain points and inefficiencies. We used these insights to iteratively refine our solutions, ensuring each phase of the journey — from arrival to check-in — was smooth, efficient, and user-focused.
The Output
Our approach led to two major outcomes. First, by refining the user journey and service design, we optimized the existing flow, ensuring students had clear and intuitive guidance throughout the check-in process.
This significantly reduced confusion and created a more seamless experience for students navigating the various steps of their arrival.
Second, we designed and implemented a digital check-in system integrated into the existing DIS app. This new system eliminated the need for hotel-based check-ins and allowing students to board buses more efficiently.
The result was improved coordination, reduced wait times, and enhanced the feeling of security during the arrival process.
