Introducing the TEDActive Projects: Travel

For our final edition of TEDActive Projects, we spoke with Bryan Yuji Walker, an associate partner at IDEO, a global design and innovation consulting firm. Walker's projects group examined the theme of travel and the customer experience both on the plane and beyond the terminal.

What brings you to TEDActive?

Two things: curiosity and action. Curiosity is a quality shared amongst the TED community and I am no exception. The onstage talks and offstage conversations fill me with emotion and leave me with new questions. Action is the underlying premise of TEDActive. This year TEDActive tried something new projects. Over the course of the week, can a diverse group of individuals come together and identify actions that can be taken today to start solving a big challenge?

What challenge is your project group addressing?

My project group tackled the challenge of how we might create a human-centered airline experience.

What are some of the possible solutions you've come up with?

Flying is an experience where the passenger is not in control (and often for good reasons). Still, passengers want to feel a greater sense of control.

One opportunity to increase this feeling is by remembering and reinforcing what we, passengers and airline staff, have in common origin, destination, turbulence, etc. We are a collective, even if it's only for a few hours.

How can TEDsters begin to act on these solutions?

Next time you fly, act more we and less me, me, me. Passengers have an active role to play in making the experience better for all. Here's one action to consider: when you finish reading your magazine, rather than throw it out, ask if anyone else wants it.

This is only one example amongst many, which is why I ask you - what other we actions could you do next time you fly?

Follow the conversation on Twitter: #TEDActiveFly and on the TEDActive Projects blog.