Project overview

The challenge

Designing a navigation interface for glider pilots meant working within the constraints of a compact cockpit display, where information needed to be clear, accessible and easy to interpret.

The challenge was to organize flight-related information into an intuitive interface while balancing readability, functionality and visual clarity.

01 - Understanding the users and context

Designing an interface for glider pilots required understanding both the flying environment and the different ways pilots interact with navigation instruments.

The process began by exploring the product's functionality, technical constraints and user needs. Working closely with the client, who brought specialized knowledge of gliding technology, helped establish the context for the design.

Particular attention was given to the limited display space, readability in changing lighting conditions and the need to make flight-related information easy to locate and interpret.

Main identified challenges:

• Bridging the gap between traditional analog instruments and digital interfaces.
• Accommodating different types of pilots and their needs.
• Ensuring readability and clear information hierarchy on a compact display.
• Designing intuitive navigation and task flows within the device's technical limitations.,
• Supporting usability in real flight conditions, including changing lighting and the need for quick interpretation of information.

02 – Identifying user needs

Different pilots have different levels of experience, flying habits and expectations of their navigation instruments.

Four user profiles were considered to represent these differences and help guide decisions about information hierarchy, navigation and functionality.

The aim was to create an interface that could support different user needs without compromising clarity or consistency.

03 – Exploring the interface structure

With the main design challenges and user needs identified, the next step was to explore how flight-related information could be organized within the limited display space.

Early sketches and wireframes helped define the screen layouts, navigation structure and placement of key indicators. The focus was on establishing a clear information hierarchy, making important data easy to recognize and keeping interactions straightforward.

These explorations provided the foundation for a consistent interface structure that could accommodate different functions and screen configurations.

04 – Interface design

The interface design focused on creating a consistent visual language that supported readability, clear information hierarchy and quick interpretation of flight data.

A system of typography, colours, icons and reusable interface elements was developed to maintain consistency across different screens and functions.

Typography and information hierarchy
Particular attention was given to numerical values and measurement units, which needed to remain legible on the compact display. Typography was carefully structured to distinguish primary flight information from supporting details while maintaining a consistent visual appearance.

Colour and visibility
The colour palette needed to work in two different environments: the physical navigation instrument and its desktop simulator. Contrast, lighting conditions and the use of colour to distinguish information were important considerations in developing the visual system.

Icons and interface elements
A consistent set of icons and graphical elements was developed to support navigation, communicate system states and make functionality easier to recognize across the interface.

Beyond the interface

Following the GUI design, my involvement extended to the broader visual presentation of Fenix, including the product website, packaging, manuals and promotional materials.

The work focused on translating the product's visual identity into different digital and printed formats, maintaining consistency across the interface, product presentation and supporting communications.

This allowed me to contribute beyond the core interface design and help shape how Fenix was presented as a complete product.

Early results

The project received five preorders, providing an early indication of interest in the product.

Initial user feedback was positive, although no formal usability metrics were available to evaluate the interface's performance..
100 % positive user Feedback.

Customer opinion