SEPTA APP Redesign
ROLE: UX Designer
As part of HCI coursework towards my MSIS degree, I was challenged to focus on the intersection of customer service and technology as a manner for improving customer satisfaction for riders of SEPTA services. For this project I served as lead UI/UX designer contributing both towards strategy and visual design.
The process of using mass transit, while imperative for many urban dwellers, can be fraught with frustration. From complicated payment systems involving tokens and passes, to a dearth of real time information regarding arrival and departure times, the realm of public transportation provides a wealth of opportunity related to interactive system design and improvement.
Discovery
Through a combination of heuristic evaluation and user interviews, we aimed to pinpoint the frustrations that current SEPTA users have when interacting with currently available web and app experiences. This information served as the foundation upon which the design process set into motion.
Key Features
Based on the research and prototype exploration done during the discovery phase, the following 5 features were prioritized for the SEPTA APP Redesign: 1) Trip planning by address/location, 2) Geo-located service identification, 3) Customization via saved routes, 4) A full view of timetables optimized for mobile viewing, 5) A section devoted to visitors.
User Flow I: Trip Planning Task
Here, users are able to plan their trip with the app. Users enter the start and end location of their trip. An autocomplete feature represents a significant upgrade over current SEPTA digital services. Then, available routes are provided. The user can choose which route to travel based on their own preferences (location, time, service type). Then, details are provided about transfers, fare, and travel time. Users can see the next departure with a map of the route provided.
USER FLOW II: View Schedules
This capability allows users to see schedules for various SEPTA services. The user chooses which service they want to see, in this example the subway. Then, they choose their preferred start and end locations. This feature responds to the challenge that traditional horizontally oriented timetables presents to a mobile device.