See the Work → HotSpot 2.0
HotSpot 2.0 Phase II - Unified Passpoint Wi-Fi Experience
Designing a seamless, loyalty-driven connection for Hyatt guests
Context
Objective
HotSpot 2.0 Phase II aimed to unify Hyatt's fragmented Wi-Fi connection experience across multiple touchpoints: web-based Online Sign-Up, in-room captive portal, mobile app integration, and emerging Passpoint technology. The goal was to create a consistent, loyalty-aware system that would automatically recognize World of Hyatt members and deliver appropriate connection experiences based on membership tier and device capability.
This multi-phase redesign required synthesizing research findings from guest interviews, analyzing competitive hospitality experiences, collaborating with IT infrastructure teams, and designing for both legacy systems and future-forward authentication methods—all while maintaining brand consistency across 28 distinct Hyatt brands.
The Challenge
Guests encountered different Wi-Fi experiences depending on their entry point (web, app, or captive portal), creating confusion and inconsistent brand perception.
Legacy infrastructure limitations meant we had to design for both modern Passpoint-enabled devices and older authentication methods simultaneously.
World of Hyatt members expected automatic recognition and premium connectivity, but the system required manual login across multiple sessions.
28 distinct Hyatt brands required flexible design patterns that could maintain brand identity while ensuring functional consistency.
Hypothesis
By unifying the connection flow across all touchpoints, we can reduce guest friction and improve perception of Hyatt's digital sophistication.
Automatic member recognition will increase loyalty program value perception and drive repeat engagement with Hyatt digital properties.
A well-designed Passpoint implementation will future-proof the experience while gracefully degrading for non-compatible devices.
Serving the Brand
01
Multi-Brand Flexibility
Designed a theming system that allowed each of Hyatt's 28 brands to maintain visual identity while ensuring core UX patterns remained consistent. This included customizable color palettes, logo placement systems, and typography hierarchies that respected brand guidelines.
02
Loyalty Integration
Created seamless recognition patterns for World of Hyatt members, displaying tier-appropriate messaging and benefits without requiring repeated authentication. This reinforced the value proposition of loyalty membership at a critical touchpoint in the guest journey.
03
Premium Positioning
Elevated the visual design language to match Hyatt's premium hospitality positioning. Clean typography, generous whitespace, and subtle animations communicated quality and attention to detail—even in a utility-focused experience like Wi-Fi connection.
04
Operational Efficiency
Partnered with property operations teams to ensure the system reduced support burden. Clear error messaging, self-service troubleshooting, and automated fallback options minimized guest service calls related to connectivity issues.
Serving the Guest
✓ Mobile
iOS & Android app integration
Key Improvements
One-tap connection for returning World of Hyatt members via Passpoint technology
Contextual upgrade messaging for elite members with premium bandwidth options
Streamlined guest registration flow reducing steps from 7 to 3
Persistent connection status indicators across all platforms
Accessible design meeting WCAG 2.1 AA standards for all user flows
Results from Testing
87%
Task Success Rate
Guests successfully connected to Wi-Fi on first attempt during moderated usability testing
42%
Time Reduction
Average connection time decreased from 3.2 minutes to 1.8 minutes for loyalty members
“It just worked. I didn’t even think about connecting—it recognized me and I was online immediately.”
Passpoint 101
Key Players
Passpoint (Hotspot 2.0) is a Wi-Fi Alliance standard that enables seamless, automatic network connection. For Hyatt, this meant partnering with Cisco infrastructure teams, mobile OS platform requirements, and World of Hyatt loyalty systems to create a unified authentication experience.
Collaboration Notes
Weekly sync meetings with IT infrastructure, mobile app teams, web platform engineers, and brand marketing ensured alignment across all touchpoints. Created shared documentation and design specs that became reference materials for future connectivity initiatives.
Evolution
The technology evolved from manual SSID selection and password entry to certificate-based automatic authentication. This shift required educating internal stakeholders on the guest-facing benefits while managing technical complexity behind the scenes.
Design Considerations
Designed progressive disclosure patterns to handle both Passpoint-enabled and legacy devices gracefully. Members with compatible devices experienced automatic connection, while others received optimized manual flows—all within the same design system.
Key Learnings & Reflection
What Worked
Early stakeholder alignment sessions prevented scope creep
Component-based design system enabled rapid iteration
Phased rollout allowed for real-world validation
Clarity Questions
How do we measure long-term loyalty impact vs. immediate UX metrics?
What guest education is needed for emerging auth methods?
How do regional privacy regulations affect global deployment?
Next Actions
Establish post-launch analytics dashboard
Document design system patterns for future teams
Plan Phase III with voice-activated room controls
Outcome & Impact
One-tap connection for returning World of Hyatt members via Passpoint technology
Contextual upgrade messaging for elite members with premium bandwidth options
Streamlined guest registration flow reducing steps from 7 to 3
Persistent connection status indicators across all platforms
Accessible design meeting WCAG 2.1 AA standards for all user flows
Explore the Process
⎈
User Testing
Moderated sessions with 32 guests across 4 properties
Let’s Create Clarity Together.
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