An app for purchasing fares for your MetroCard on the go
My Role: User Research, Comparative Analysis, Information Architecture, Usability Testing, Task Analysis, Wireframing & Prototyping.
THE PROBLEM
I suspect that people find checking and purchasing fares as an inconvenient task
Currently there are primarily two ways to refill a MetroCard in New York City; either by a MTA kiosk or by a MTA employee within a booth. Both options prove to be inconvenient and time consuming during rush hours. Furthermore, people are solely limited to being in the subway or bus stop to perform the simple tasks of checking and/or purchasing fares. These very task may cause users to miss their train or bus.
THE SOLUTION
Create an app that allows users to upload their MetroCards, check and/or purchase fares on the go
With their mobile device, users are able to quickly check and/or purchase fares on the walk to the subway or bus stop. This allows for users to fluidly use public transportation without the delay of going to a MTA kiosk or MTA employee at a booth.
MY PROCESS
User Interviews & Surveys
I conducted a study with 13 participants to understand users needs, behaviors and pain points. What I learned from this research was:
People prefer to purchase fares from MTA kiosk
Most people purchase fares as needed
People don't like waiting on line to refill their MetroCards
With my discoveries, I was able to develop a persona to problem solve for a specific audience based on my research.
Persona
Comparative Analysis
Prior to sketching, I decided to do research on devices the MTA utilizes in relation to fare purchasing. There were two devices I used for analysis. The first being the MTA kiosk and the second being the New Jersey Transit app. What I wanted learn was the strength and weakness of both devices in the scope of my persona.
Sketching
Before I did any sketching, I created a task for my persona to take on. After doing so, I was able to develop a rough sketch of the screens the user would see during each step.
When my sketches were achieving the goals of my persona I moved on to wires. The wires helped me understand the functionality of the app where I would later translate into the prototype.
Iterations & Challenges
I came across many challenges while working on this project. The biggest challenge for me was learning not to fall in love with my designs. While usability testing, my designs have proven to fail. Ultimately, I had to make iterations to create a greater seamless experience for users. Here is an one example of my iterations:
My "before" design had too many buttons that proved to be confusing for users while I performed usability tests. For example, the 'My Card' button, a button in my initial design, was completely ignored when I tested it. Also the 'Retrieve' button made users question the purpose of said button. As I refined and understood what the minimum viable product was I developed the "after" design.