ITA Software’s recently announced acquisition by Google makes us incredibly proud, because ITA was one of SPINE’s first clients. Together, we developed the user interface for an online flight planning application that would transform the travel industry.
SPINE began working with ITA during the dot-com boom of the late 1990s. At the time, ITA was vowing to revolutionize an industry—but so was every other Internet startup. The difference is that ITA actually delivered on its promise.
Back then, the company was comprised of a few computer science graduates from MIT. They had devised an advanced new algorithm to simplify online travel planning, but the company needed help turning this knowledge into a product and marketing it. That’s when ITA approached SPINE.
One of our primary tasks was to make ITA’s technology more user-friendly. We interviewed potential customers and users at the onset of product development to provide a solid structure for the application.
SPINE also helped ITA establish its brand. We designed the corporate identity ITA still uses today, which combines the “@” symbol with an airplane contrail. We also developed a communications system that allowed the startup to present itself to the marketplace with a high level of professionalism.
ITA’s product was a breakthrough success and the company quickly established itself as a technology leader. Before long, it was providing software solutions for major airlines and travel websites including U.S. Airways and Orbitz. Now ITA is becoming part of Google’s ever-growing Internet empire, and we couldn’t be happier for our former client’s success.