Reimagining an iconic attraction and driving revenue with 0-1 product design
Company
Intersection x Sidewalk Labs (Google)
Timeline
2018
Role
Lead Product Designer
Team
PM, Dev
The challenge
This was The Empire State Building’s first complete renovation of the visitor experience in decades and it reimagined every touchpoint from street to summit for the over 2.5 million yearly visitors.
As lead product designer at Intersection (an Alphabet backed company), I created entirely new digital experiences that modernized operations while honoring the building's iconic status.
My approach
A research foundation of comprehensive interviews with stakeholders and visitor observation.
Operations, visitor services, and business development teams revealed competing priorities. Visitors showed that visiting the Empire State Building is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. First impressions are critical for visitor emotions and, therefore, business success.
The impact
Two completely new products: a comprehensive self-service ticketing system and an interactive postcard experience.
These experiences reduced operational friction, met business goals, and enhanced rather than replicated the building's timeless appeal by balancing hardware constraints, diverse user needs, operational requirements, and business objectives.
The results
15%
decrease in average transaction time
7%
increase in upgrade conversions
20+
kiosks deployed with 42" portrait touchscreens
Streamlined ticketing
Transforming the critical first touchpoint with a self-service ticketing kiosk
The research insight: Visitor interviews revealed that anxiety caused by purchasing tickets in a busy space could overshadow excitement about the visit. Meanwhile, stakeholder research showed that manual ticketing created bottlenecks that limited visitor throughput and revenue potential.
The solution: A comprehensive self-service flow optimized for diverse user needs and operational efficiency. The experience accommodates multiple languages, wheelchair accessibility, various ticket types, and upgrade paths—all within a sub-2-minute interaction goal validated through weekly user testing.
Measurable impact: A complete UX overhaul covering ticket purchasing, pickup, upgrades, and accessibility that delivered operational success by significantly improving visitor throughput during peak periods (thousands of visitors per day).
A modern spin on a classic experience
The Digital Postcard is as classic as the Empire State Building, gives visitors a memento to keep and share, and creates a new revenue opportunity.
The strategic opportunity: Visitors spend significant time moving through the building before reaching the panoramic views on the observation decks. This journey presented an untapped opportunity to create an engaging, revenue-generating experience that would decrease bottlenecks and make the experience even more unforgettable.
The solution: A digital-physical experience modernizing the classic postcard. The design balances nostalgia with contemporary technology, creating a shareable moment that extends the Empire State Building brand beyond the visit.
Product development: I designed the complete end-to-end experience: template selection, custom drawing tools, message composition, address input, and dual output options (physical mail and digital sharing). The interaction design delights visitors while keeping engagement time brief.
Impact: A new revenue stream, extended brand reach via social media sharing, and improved visitor satisfaction.