Shaping a strategy for digital transformation to enhance cabin crew experience

A leading global airline was on a mission to enhance its cabin crew digital experience by consolidating fragmented applications into a cohesive, intuitive, and efficient platform. The Cabin Crew App Strategy aimed to streamline workflows, improve service delivery, and enhance operational coordination for crew members. With a growing number of digital tools; including a cabin crew supporting trip app, a personal development app and a meal ordering app. This recognised the need for a clear, structured approach to prioritise and integrate crew requirements. 

To ensure the strategy was practical, data-driven, and aligned with business goals, Project One was engaged to lead the discovery phase, consolidate requirements, and develop a roadmap for implementation and a successful digital transformation. 

This global airline faced several operational and technological challenges that hindered the crew’s ability to deliver seamless service: 

• Fragmented digital tools: Crew members used multiple disconnected applications (their central document repository, their customer passenger information lists, their crew flight companion app, etc.), creating inefficiencies and frustration

• Lack of governance: The absence of structured decision-making meant that new digital tools were often developed in silos without considering the end-to-end crew experience

• Overwhelming number of requirements: More than 166 requirements were initially identified across multiple teams, making it difficult to determine where to focus investment

• Technical constraints: Some requirements were not feasible due to existing system limitations, requiring close collaboration with their Digital teams, IBM, and other vendors to explore realistic solutions. 

Without a structured digital transformation approach to prioritisation, feasibility, and governance, the airline risked investing in disjointed solutions that would fail to deliver meaningful impact for cabin crew. 

Project One led a structured discovery and prioritisation process to ensure their digital transformation investment focused on high-impact, feasible solutions. Key activities included: 

Stakeholder Engagement & Research

• Conducted interviews and shadowing with 85+ crew members and operational leaders to map pain points and digital needs
• Facilitated requirements workshops to align perspectives across flight crew, customer experience and innovation teams
• Delivered a Crew Feedback Report highlighting digital inefficiencies, crew frustrations, and areas for immediate improvement. 

Prioritisation & Feasibility Assessment

• Refined 166 requirements down to a focused list of 27 high-impact items for Year 1 implementation
• Conducted a technical feasibility assessment with their Digital team and IBM to determine what could be integrated vs. newly developed
• Developed a business case proposal requesting £1.39M in Year 1 funding to deliver core capabilities. 

Governance & Roadmap Development

• Established a structured digital transformation governance model with strategic, tactical, and operational oversight
• Created a Year 1 Roadmap defining the phased rollout of digital tools and app enhancements
• Led vision refinement workshops, ensuring strategic alignment across senior leadership.

Through Project One’s structured approach, the airline successfully: 

• Achieved cross-functional alignment, ensuring all teams worked towards a shared digital strategy
• Prioritised high-value requirements, reducing complexity and duplication in app development
• Developed a draft business case securing investment for Year 1 enhancements
• Established governance structures, enabling the airline to sustain digital transformation efforts long-term
• Enhanced crew experience insights, ensuring future digital investments are crew-led and operationally viable. 

This airline now has a clear roadmap and governance framework, setting a strong foundation for a modern, integrated digital experience for cabin crew. 

Project One value Add:  

• Independent voice to align siloed teams and cut through noise 
• Structured prioritisation of 160+ crew requirements into a clear, fundable strategy 
• Practical delivery experience, not just theoretical advice 
• Trusted to balance empathy for crew with commercial rigour 
• Rapid mobilisation, visible impact.

Do you need change expertise? 

Whether you’re wrangling hundreds of competing requirements, seeking cross-functional alignment, or trying to bring structure to digital ambition, we can help. We bring clarity, momentum, and a people-centric lens to change. We turn complexity into action and ideas into real outcomes your teams and leaders can get behind.