The client approached us with the request to redesign AirlineSim in the form of an MVP that would modernize the user experience while preserving the depth of the simulation. A key requirement was to shape the interface in a way that visually feels closer to a game, making complex processes more intuitive and engaging for players.

The goals were to clarify the flow of onboarding and user progression, ensuring that new players understand their next steps and are continuously motivated to advance.

The overall objective was to build a foundation for a platform that not only reflects the strategic complexity of airline management but also communicates it through a clear, accessible, and visually compelling experience.

To redesign AirlineSim, we began by analyzing how players interact with the platform and what makes the simulation both challenging and enjoyable. Our research focused on the balance between realism and usability: the game delivers large amounts of operational data, but the interface often felt overwhelming and lacked the visual appeal expected from a game.

Through UX audits and competitor analysis, we identified key opportunities: simplifying data presentation with widgets, integrating maps and 3D visuals in meaningful ways, creating a clear notification system, and adding customization options to strengthen player immersion. These insights guided the design direction toward a more intuitive, engaging, and game-like experience.

We conducted a detailed audit of the existing AirlineSim platform. The focus was on understanding how users interacted with complex data, what slowed them down, and where they experienced friction. By mapping out key flows such as onboarding, flight scheduling, and aircraft management, we highlighted usability gaps and areas where the interface felt more like a spreadsheet than a game.

This gave us a foundation for creating a design that balanced realism with engagement.

AirlineSim is a deep and data-driven simulation where every decision relies on accurate operational details. The challenge in redesigning its interface was to keep the realism and complexity of airline management while ensuring that players are never overwhelmed.

The new design system tackles this by introducing a modular dashboard with widgets, maps, and real-time data visualization. Instead of forcing users to parse endless rows of numbers, information is grouped into meaningful blocks, creating a quick “at a glance” overview while still allowing access to detailed insights. This mirrors how airline managers in real life work with multiple screens to monitor operations – only here, everything is carefully prioritized and layered into one clear interface.

The result is a design that balances simulation depth with accessibility: engaging for players who want immersion, and approachable for newcomers who need clarity.

Next, we created wireframes to test new layouts and flows. These wireframes simplified the presentation of information by grouping related elements and introducing widgets as the core building blocks. This stage allowed us to quickly validate ideas like collapsible navigation, customizable dashboards, and notification systems. It helped define how players could move smoothly through the game without feeling overwhelmed by data.

At this stage, we developed a complete design concept, combining structure and style into a unified vision. It included modular widget systems, immersive maps with neutral palettes, customizable branding options, and categorized notifications. The concept captured the client’s request for a “game-like” interface while keeping the simulation’s complexity intact.

The redesign of AirlineSim’s interface had to respect the complexity of airline operations while making the simulation easier to navigate. Since every decision in the game depends on detailed data, the goal was to present this depth without overwhelming the player.

To achieve this, the interface was built around a modular dashboard that uses widgets, interactive maps, and live data feeds. Information is no longer buried in endless spreadsheets but arranged into clear, functional blocks that highlight what matters most at a glance, while still providing access to full detail when needed. This layered structure takes inspiration from how real-world airline managers monitor operations across multiple systems, but condenses it into one streamlined view.

Finally, we adapted the design for mobile platforms. Given the large volume of data in AirlineSim, the challenge was to keep critical information visible while optimizing layouts for smaller screens. We introduced collapsible menus, simplified widgets, and prioritized landscape view, ensuring the same immersive experience was accessible on the go.

Modern frameworks and development practices were applied to ensure performance, scalability, and a seamless user experience across all devices. By focusing on modularity and reusability, the platform was prepared for rapid feature expansion without compromising stability.

The implementation of responsive layouts and optimized rendering allowed the simulation to handle large volumes of data while remaining accessible and engaging on both desktop and mobile.

As a result, the product achieved consistency in design, reliability in performance, and the flexibility required to support the growth of AirlineSim as a complex, data-heavy platform.

At this stage, the interface was built on top of the existing APIs and data storage. A reusable UI kit was implemented, providing ready-made components that simplified the creation of new features and ensured consistency across the platform.

Several core features were developed to enhance the user experience: an interactive background map was introduced, dynamically highlighting active countries depending on the account settings; the ability to switch between airlines was implemented, with the interface smoothly adapting its visual style to the chosen airline’s branding; and a set of widgets was created to display financial metrics, scheduling statistics, and progress tracking, with flexibility for future customization.

These solutions allowed users to interact with complex data in a clear and intuitive way, while also giving the platform a dynamic and personalized look.