UX Design

MTA TrainTime

TrainTime simplifies ticket purchasing and train tracking on the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad, providing a seamless experience for both new users and regular commuters.

VIEW UI CASE STUDY

My Role

My Team

Tools

Duration

UX Research
UI Design
Design Systems
Prototyping

Gabriella Ramirez
Angela Chen
Lavan Chxeidze
Julia Iannacone

Figma
Miro

4 months

The Problem 🤔

The Solution 💡

Commuters on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) face high costs, safety concerns, reliability issues, stress, and navigational confusion, highlighting the need for improvements in the service. How might we make a more streamlined travel experience for commuters?

We redesigned the app and added more features to be more user-friendly, accessible and convenient to provide a more seamless trip for all commuters

03. Discover

Empathy Interviews 💬

We interviewed a variety of commuters who the LIRR and Metro-North with diverse demographics and pyshcographics

Competitive Analysis 📊

In our competitive analysis, we discovered several key insights. Successful apps prioritize simplicity, intuitive design, and accurate real-time information. To differentiate our app, we will focus on reliability, user-friendliness, innovative functionalities, and fostering community engagement.

Affinity Mapping 🗒

After discovering what their main problem were with commuting, we organized overlapping categories through affinity mapping.

User Personas 👥

STUDIOUS STUDENT

Amanda Zhou

Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Location: Staten Island, NY

ARTSY AMBITION

Beka Gibson

Age: 29
Occupation: Art Director
Location: Brooklyn, NY

NURTURING NURSE

Jennifer Moore

Age: 42
Occupation: Nurse
Location: Westchester, NY

BUSY BUSINESSMAN

Jeffery Brown

Age: 60
Occupation: Businessman
Location: Long Island, NY

Qualitative Personas

Journey Maps

04. Define

Theme 1: Safety 🔒

Safety is a concern for almost everyone when taking the train, however many thought the LIRR felt safer than the subway.

Theme 2: Multiple modes of transit 🚗 🚌 🚄

Many people who live outside the city use a car to get around their area and most use connecting modes of transit such as the subway and buses.

Theme 3: Grievances 😤

It was common for commuters to experience last minute track changes, delays, and crowded trains with no seating.

05. Ideate

Solutions

FEATURE 1

Swift Reorder

Users can efficiently reorder trips and search for destination stops within the app, enhancing convenience and organization in purchasing LIRR tickets.

FEATURE 2

Cart Updates

With the update section, users can connect with fellow travelers to discuss concerns and select the most convenient route and car for travel.

FEATURE 3

Seamless Travel

Users effortlessly choose transportation options with GPS and real-time updates, streamlining travel without app-switching.

FEATURE 4

Sleep Detection

Sleep Detection on your smartwatch measures your heart rate, producing a vibration when your stop is near. The smartwatch also displays an easily scannable Ticket QR code.

Takeaways

• Prioritize user-centric design to meet specific commuting needs.

• Ensure a simplified user journey for planning, booking, and tracking transportation. Place a strong emphasis on user safety through accessible emergency features and real-time alerts.

• Design an efficient information architecture for clear and quick decision-making.

• Offer personalization options for notifications, route suggestions, and trip planning. Collect user feedback and regularly update the app for continuous improvement.