Ironhack Prework-Challenge #1 Applying Design Thinking

Citymapper, Design Thinking and improvements

When we travel or move to a new big city, we face difficulties in moving around and understanding the public transport on offer. Transport networks are often complex and are managed by different companies (one for buses, one for the metro, etc.). This is problematic for end-users and can cause frustration and be time-consuming. This is a challenge that Citymapper is facing, trying to unify the payment system of the entire transport network in the different cities through its application.

Getting to know the client: Citymapper

Citymapper is a mobile transport and mapping application based in London. It works in more than 30 cities and is available on Android and iOS. Its service consists in offering the user transport directions, connecting different services and unifying all the information to move around the city.

The client’s challenge

Adding buy-a-ticket functionality through Citymapper could solve some difficulties for foreign travellers in terms of payment acceptance for any currency, language barriers or queues.

Once we understand the customer’s needs and expectations, it is important to do some research to fully understand the user’s problem in order to find an optimal solution.

Design Thinking as a methodology of study and execution

As a new student at Ironhack bootcamp I have to complete a pre-work of UX/UI design where my first challenge would be a UX case study of Design Thinking.

As a study method, we will use Design Thinking as an approach to the user, to empathize with them, to better understand how they feel and behave in order to find out what they need from our product.

The steps to follow in this work methodology are:

Empathise

Before starting this step I decided to do a usability study of the competition within the city of Barcelona and test them. I analysed Google Maps, Waze, TMB APP, AMB Mobilitat and FGC. By doing so, I was able to find different solutions from other mobile apps (or the lack of them) and better understand how map indication apps work.

Regarding users, empathizing is a key part of the Design Thinking methodology since it helps us to better see the problems they face on a daily basis and better understand the user’s point of view, desires and needs. Besides, a semi-structured interview style was followed so we can give rise to a more open conversation in order to change topics and find new issues not previously contemplated. . All this, following a main thread that guided the whole conversation.

The interviews were conducted with 5 potential users with diverse lifestyles: people with office jobs, retail jobs and a federated sportswoman, some of them more technology-friendly and others more sceptical about technology in everyday life. These one-to-one interviews were recorded on video so that I could focus on conducting the conversation and later review it to find a common ground, requirements and reactions.

As an introduction to the interview, the users are asked to talk a bit about their transport habits (to go to work, to social activities and trips) to get to know their background. This allows the interviewee to relax and create a pleasant atmosphere.

The questions asked during the interview were:

- What tools they use to get directions, and their opinion of the transport network in Barcelona.

- How they found the relationship between the different transport services and connections.

- How they perceived the payment system and the problems generated by the plurality of options.

- Whether they remember any frustrating situations using public transport abroad.

- What they expect that can be improved related to their experience with the service offered.

Define

Once the data had been collected and and the results compared, I proceeded to define the main problem to be solved. The following conclusions are drawn from the data:

Related to the transport network:

Despite having a good assessment of the transport network in general, users have problems with transfers in terms of discomfort and lack of information.

Regarding the payment system:

Decentralised, no single payment ticket.

Inefficient purchase process at the machines.

Lack of knowledge of where to buy a ticket.

It is not possible to buy certain tickets at the bus stop or inside the bus (Barcelona Metropolitan Area).

Poor resistance of paper ticket

Absence of mobile payment (except bus)

Possibility of buying the wrong ticket

Regarding apps:

Lack of information on metro exits.

Unreliable arrival information

No information on the price of journeys

Arriving late for transfers due to lack of margin or poor indications

Ideate

Understanding the needs of the users interviewed and the main problem to be solved, I proceeded to brainstorm numerous ideas related to the dynamics of the users before, during and after the use of the app.

With an overview of the many possible solutions, I decided that the best option to develop was a functionality that allows a single payment to travel by different transport systems throughout the journey. With the option to pay for specific journeys as well.

Optionally, the platform can be equipped with a pre-charge system that rewards regular users with bonuses. An option compatible with a physical card, useful in case of no battery in the device.

Due to the technical limitations that different means of transport may have, I found it a more universal and easy to adapt solution to use camera and QR codes generated by the device to access the means of transport.

Prototype

With all this information collected and the objectives set, it was easy for me to design an integrated system within the existing app that would allow the buying of a single ticket to cover the whole transport route, eliminating some confusing and unnecessary steps.

Conclusions

It has been a great experience to apply the Design Thinking methodology. This process clearly shows the need to invest time before starting to define a product and listen to the user to empathize with them and find out what the real problems they are facing are. I have discovered much more information than I thought I would. Plus, once the user’s main problems are understood, finding the solution becomes quite simple.

It must be specified that this Design Thinking exercise is not finished, as the last step must be completed: Test. This last step could reveal weaknesses in the design, and would provoke an iteration of the process until the best possible solution is found with the available resources.

Spreading experiences can sometimes be challenging. I have really enjoyed the research process and the results I have obtained. I hope you have also enjoyed reading about the research process. Please feel free to leave suggestions and comments. :)