UX Product Case Study PWA
Riding around the city with Uber was something magical in 2012.
However, this magic was limited only to the level of municipalities. I was part of an ambitious project aimed at improving intercity public transport through a more fluid transport system with a more personal appearance. Let's say less crowded like a bus and not as tight as a van. It was then that Easy2London was born.
<!--In this case study, confidential information has been omitted and obfuscated to comply with my non-disclosure agreement. Easy2London does not necessarily endorse the opinions expressed in this case study.-->
🤔 Design Thinking
Image Source: Design Thinking 101 — Nielson Norman Group, modified by Rodrigo Felga
Finding the sweet spot where user needs and business opportunities meet: therein lies the mission of every Product and UX Designer. Design Thinking, a methodology that generates problem solving through a human-centered approach - or also User Centered Design to solve a particular problem, so to speak.
Through observations and immersion, we work and develop some ideas that suggest a problem that would lead us to practice for its solution, or prototype of such. We then tested these concepts, created brief studies and field surveys (tests), and fine-tuned the details as you go based on user feedback - validation is the word!
🔍 The problem
The initial idea would not be to solve all the problems that users may face in relation to intercity transport, but to test new opportunities because people continuously want something better or something they don’t have at all.
Solving that problem and easing that pain is the spark and motivation for everything that comes next! So the process of arriving, deparanting, transporting from point A to point B can be very tiring: long lines, confusing ticket selection, vending machines not working, lack of transport from a certain time, never having been to that city, purchasing processes that may differ from one country to another, as well as the exclusive use of credit cards or local bank accounts.
To find a tangible solution to this issue, I committed to following the 5 steps of the Design Thinking methodology.
🤝 Empathize - Step 1
First, I needed to empathize with the users to come up with an initial pattern until I could identify the end users. I conducted some interviews to find out more and develop some knowledge about my users, thoughts, feelings, fears, concerns and motivation. For this, I have prepared some questions to deepen your travel habits and intercity public transport:
How do you usually travel in to another city?
How often do you use public transport or private?
Can you describe your usual journey from point A to point B?
Which itinerary would be most important to you?
How do you get your travel tickets in your hometown?
Can you buy tickets even when you are outside but returning to the country?
What difficulties do you face when buying tickets?
I've had different types of users: some were tech-savvy people who use their phone to buy things, backpackers, business people, or just occasional travelers.
<!--PS: Here we are discovering the opportunity created by market gaps, and I really like this first step because design, technology, and business share the same commun gound: user experience 💡. The users will define the product design and not the product that will select the user. Remember that!-->
Source: interaction-design.org
🎯 Early Insights from the Field🎯
✅ All participants knew or had already used public transit applications to get around a city and learn more about their ETA. However, not everyone knew that it was possible to book an itinerary online with some of the existing and mentioned companies to travel to a different city.
✅ Half of the interviewees prefer to ask family members or friends for a ride when going to a different city, instead of using public transport (for some cities it's not an option), because they find the entire travel process tiring, especially buying tickets.
✅ When traveling to a new city, they are easily stressed when they don't have all the information on how to get around, or where the arrival points are located, and sometimes get frustrated when they don't understand how public transport works (because they tend to think they work like they do in their hometown).
✅ Paying by card or contactless is also a habit shared by my users, however some vending machines do not accept international card payments, or only accept pre-paid tickets. The result: they sometimes had to walk to another station or to an ATM to withdraw cash.
✅ When they are abroad, most of my users approach a counter directly. To avoid buying the wrong tickets at a vending machine, they find it easier to ask someone for guidance.
✅ Overall, everyone agreed that buying tickets (in the country or abroad) is a long and complex process: different price rules depending on the areas of big cities like Paris or London, for example, long queues for both vending machines or counter, out of order machines, tickets that demagnetize, paying too much or too little for a trip or buying the wrong tickets.
✅ Just like they buy books, or food online, buying their public transport tickets directly from an urban mobility app would be a stress reliever and a real time saver (as well as eco-friendly, if you think about the amount of paper and ink used that only serves for a few minutes).
✅ The result is: almost 100% of users are somehow often dissatisfied with their travel journey; They find it complex, confusing, even stressful, and time consuming.
🤝 Define - Step 2
It was clear to me that potential user of the product I was developing simply wanted a timesaving, stress-free digital solution for purchasing tickets online. Therefore, it is important that they have access to accurate information on a platform they can trust. They are ready to bring an app to their daily journey if it can help with the travel process from start to finish.
🤝 Ideate - Step 3
Data analysis revealed some great insights into the collected info. The point where there was a lack of opportunity for punctual rides, which are more sensitive, was the Toronto Pearson International Airport. Nearly all Airport Trips involved some extra coordination effort, such as a phone call to clarify location, limited baggage allowance by cost, and additional physical effort, such as walking somewhere else to meet the driver or the driver going around to being able to park in dedicated spot showed that the experience was hardly the door-to-door magic that we could propose.
🤝 Prototype MVP - Step 4
Source: Current Website with PWA functions but not yet deployed fully responsive https://easy2london.com
Before I could jump into design, it was important to define success and understand the health of the collection experience at scale. According to the report on Pearson International Airport's website more than 50 million people travel through Pearson's Airport every year.
This is a real opportunity for a business model that proposes a combined experience based on those millions of users needing it. They just don't know yet.
<!-- Note that I intentionally omitted confidential data here as the product is still under development. The following is a case study of a Progressive Web Application that started as a website and grew from there by validating the business model.-->
Now that I have an idea of the solution, it's time to prototype. Below are some patterns from the prototype showing design balance, color equity, and recognition of diversity and communities.
In the app it will also be possible for the customer to book their ride within 6 months. The customer has several services included in this travel package. Not only the transfer from point A to point B but also stops included, shopping, and other services. With accessible price! The wallet in the app works like a credit. Being able to add more and receive services as rewards.
My apologies, I need to stop here, as it is still under construction. Soon you will soon have access to this technology. The service is already running. At the moment you can only make appointments through the website.
