How Might We help everyday commuters effectively manage their travel passes and reduce their handoff to 3rd-party apps?

Apr 2019 - Jun 2019

Thousands of daily commuters rely on Chicago's bus and metro train network to reach their destination, but finding accurate and latest schedule is a challenge with 3rd-party apps. Working in a team of UX Designers, I researched, designed and tested a new experience that solves the daily commute needs of riders.

My Role

User Research
Competitive Analysis
Wireframing
Prototyping
UX Design
Interaction Design
Usability Testing

Platform(s)

Mobile (Android/iOS)

Tool(s)

Trello
Google Slides
Adobe XD
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator

01. Identifying the Problems

Scenario

Thousands of daily commuters use the Ventra App to manage their Ventra Cards and Metra Passes, as well as navigate to their destinations using third-party navigation apps.

Problem

Users often mistakenly reload the wrong cards or purchase tickets for the opposite destination, which can be frustrating.
Users primarily rely on the Ventra app to manage their accounts while depending on third-party apps to navigate to their destinations.
Managing Ventra and Metra accounts and passes can be quite inconvenient.

Image showing 3 screenshots of Ventra app screens.

Screenshot of Ventra app from 2018

02. Researching the Root Cause

We conducted interviews with daily commuters to collect crucial information regarding their commuting challenges and to understand why they prefer third-party apps for transit information instead of the Ventra app.
In addition, we designed a survey to gather specific details from participants. The survey included questions about their preferred daily commute app, the purpose of their commute, whether they have ever missed important announcements, and more.
Furthermore, we conducted a Competitive Analysis to assess the strengths of each app in comparison to the Ventra app. This analysis assisted us in identifying the features that the new user experience should offer to meet the users’ needs.

Screenshot showing competitive analysis between different apps

Screenshot of Competitive analysis comparing CityMapper, Transit, Transit Stop, Ventra and Google Maps.

Pie chart showing distribution of app usage

Distribution of app usage among users we interviewed.

Bar Chart showing feature usage distribution

Distribution of feature usage in compared apps among users.

Creating Personas and Mapping Journeys

Through our initial research, we gained valuable insights into the different types of commuters and identified two distinct personas: the working professional and the student. Each persona has unique requirements and expectations for their commuting experience. Based on these findings, we developed detailed personas and mapped out their individual journeys to better understand their needs and pain points.

Image detailing Persona of a daily commuter

Lily Ford, the daily average commuter persona.

Jake Shapiro, the tech geek persona.

Graphic showing journey map of Lily ford

Daily commute journey of Lily ford.

Graphic showing journey map of Jake Shapiro

Daily commute journey of Jake Shapiro.

03. Designing a Balanced Experience

We conducted comprehensive testing throughout the design process, starting from the baseline vanilla Ventra app and progressing through sketches, mid-fidelity wireframes, and high-fidelity prototypes. At each stage, we focused on continuous improvement and closely monitored our key performance indicators (KPIs):

Usefulness: The new app’s features should fulfill users’ needs and enable them to efficiently accomplish their tasks.
Findability: Users should be able to easily locate not only the app’s features but also the options to customize and modify the app’s functionality.
Ease of use: The new app should provide a user-friendly interface that simplifies the management of commuters’ journeys and passes.

Photo of a hand glancing over paper prototypes.

Testing the paper prototype with a participant.

Flow of the wireframe for recharging a Ventra Card.

Flow of the prototype with recharge and navigation.

Usability Test Results

80%

Average Task Completion Rate

67%

Average SUS Score

04. Aiming for an Accessible and Humane Experience

Based on the feedback and issues identified during our usability tests, we made significant efforts to enhance the findability and usability of the Ventra Pass management feature.
To further enhance accessibility and provide additional convenience, we also developed a smartwatch app that complements the main Ventra app. This expansion into the smartwatch platform allows users to access key features and information directly from their wrist, offering a seamless and convenient experience for managing their commute.
By addressing the usability issues, improving findability, and expanding to new platforms like smartwatches, we aimed to provide users with an enhanced and accessible Ventra app experience.