The Project: CBX Platform
In the redesign of the CBX Platform, my goal was to transform the digital ecosystem of the Cross Border Xpress —the binational bridge connecting San Diego with the Tijuana Airport— from an operational obstacle to a high-speed transit tool. My goal was to regain traveler confidence and digitize a process that, due to poor execution, was collapsing physical terminals.
The Problem: The Collapse of Trust
The core problem was a crisis of clarity that affected both the logic and the aesthetics of the site. The original platform was a visually incoherent environment, where there was no clear hierarchy or consistency to guide the user. This visual disorganization, coupled with technical flaws like duplicate tickets and a total lack of feedback on what was being purchased, generated deep insecurity. The situation was so critical that users preferred to travel physically to Tijuana to buy their tickets at the ticket office rather than risk using an unreliable digital tool. For CBX, this meant a failed digital channel and a physical terminal saturated with unnecessary manual processes.
The Actors: The Binational Transaction
I identified that the solution had to respond to two main actors: • The Traveler: Operating under the pressure of airport time and needing absolute certainty not to compromise their flight. • CBX (or the Agent): Requiring the platform to act as an efficient filter to optimize migration flow and reduce the operational load at terminal counters.
The Discovery: Incoherence as a Psychological Barrier
My main finding was that the lack of a consistent visual structure was breaking the user's mental model. It wasn't just that the site 'looked bad', it was that the lack of coherence prevented the traveler from intuitively understanding what steps to follow or what products they were selecting. The user not only needed the platform to work; they needed the design to communicate that they were in a safe and professional environment.
Strategy and Solution: Zero Friction
My strategy was to merge an Information Architecture reengineering with a Consistent Visual System: • Product Taxonomy: I separated the crossing ticket from additional services, eliminating visual competition. • Strategic Shopping Cart: I designed it as a constant validation component that solved the lack of feedback at its root. • Unified Visual Language: I created an interface where every element followed the same logical and aesthetic line, allowing the user to 'read' the process effortlessly. This combination eliminated duplication errors and gave the traveler absolute control of their purchase, transforming a blind process into a transparent travel guide.
Business Results: Profitability and Flow Efficiency
The results showed that a coherent design directly impacts the bottom line: • Digital Migration: We successfully migrated demand from physical ticket offices to the digital channel, optimizing human resources. • Impact on 'Dwell Time': By eliminating crossing stress, the passenger arrives at the terminal with the necessary peace of mind to consume in the infrastructure's shops and services. Thus, the design not only resolved a technical problem but also enhanced the profitability of CBX's entire value chain.
