* Three-state system design for rapid interpretation of normal, caution, and warning engine conditions.
Garmin: Engine Indicating System Redesign
A research-driven redesign of the Cessna 172s Engine Indication System focused on reducing cognitive load, improving scan efficiency, and clarifying critical flight data.
Human Factors Design · UX Research · Interface Design
Engine indication systems, scan efficiency, visual hierarchy, and safety-critical decision-making.
Figma · Survey Design · Heuristic Evaluation · Competitive Benchmarking
Human Factors · UX Research · Information Architecture · Systems Thinking · Data Interpretation
View Full Case Presentation →A Garmin prompt. A broader human factors investigation.
As part of an evaluation exercise with Garmin’s Human Factors Design team, I was tasked with redesigning an aircraft system of my choice.
Rather than approaching it as a surface-level interface exercise, I treated it as a full human factors problem. I defined the problem space, conducted a heuristic analysis of existing systems, benchmarked competing avionics displays, and gathered pilot feedback through a targeted survey.
I chose to focus on the Cessna 172S—the aircraft I trained on at Mesa Gateway Airport—because it is a system I understand directly from a pilot’s perspective. Combining firsthand experience with research insights helped surface gaps in how engine data is structured, scanned, and interpreted under pressure.
Key insight
Pilots do not read engine data line by line. They scan for trends, anomalies, and signals that require action.
Approach
I structured the project as a research-backed redesign process rather than jumping straight into visuals.
Heuristic analysis
Reviewed existing EIS layouts for hierarchy, consistency, clutter, grouping, and signal clarity.
Competitive benchmarking
Compared avionics patterns across systems to understand how engine information is surfaced and prioritized.
Pilot survey
Gathered pilot perspectives on scan behavior, information priority, and friction points during interpretation.
What the research pointed to
Trend visibility mattered more than isolated numbers
Pilots were often looking for direction and change, not just a single static value.
Familiarity still matters in high-workload environments
Some visual forms remain effective because they align with trained expectations and support faster interpretation.
Color should signal state, not decorate the layout
Caution and warning color carried the most value when reserved for actual state changes.
Grouping changes scan speed
The way metrics are organized affects how quickly a pilot can understand what matters.