Västtrafik
Period
Sept 2021 - Oct 2021
Team Project
5 members
My Role
Ideation | User Research | Prototyping | User Testing
Project Overview
Exploring a city for the first time can be a daunting experience. Without prior research, finding your way from the arrival point to your destination can be confusing and time-consuming. This project aims to develop an interface for an automated kiosk situated in key locations in Gothenburg, such as the central station and the Korsvägen junction. These kiosks will enable first-time visitors to easily obtain tickets and information for their initial use of the public transportation system, eliminating the need to download an app. The problem statement for this design project is as follows:
"First-time visitors to Gothenburg require a convenient, efficient, and cohesive method to purchase tickets for their inaugural use of public transport."
Design Process
Empathise
Territory Map
The objective of this method was to add a visual dimension to the universal platform illustrating the relationships between stakeholders and functions. Through this territorial map, one could grasp the broader context, specifically in our scenario, involving companies in the travel industry and their users.
This method involved documenting each stakeholder and categorising them into subgroups represented by bubbles. The relationships between these stakeholders were depicted through overlapping bubbles, providing a clear visual representation.
In the end, we opted to refine the focus from a system connecting various modes of transportation for intercity travel to a system specifically designed for first-time visitors using public transport in Gothenburg. The initial scope appeared too expansive for effective management.
Semi-Structured Interview
Participants?
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6 individuals who visited Gothenburg for the first time within the past few months
Objective?
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Gain deeper insights into the users, specifically first-time visitors to Gothenburg
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Understand the challenges they faced with purchasing tickets and navigating the city as newcomers
Duration?
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20 minutes
Questions?
The predetermined questions covered topics such as:
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The interviewee's most recent visit to Gothenburg
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Their method of acquiring their initial public transportation ticket
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Their overall experience with purchasing tickets
Define
KJ Technique
The KJ Technique was employed to organise data gathered from the interviews. This information was then utilised to identify the users' needs and pinpoint the issues with the current solutions.
From the 10 categories generated by the KJ Technique, we formulated a problem statement related to purchasing tickets and outlined the objective of the solution:
Ideate
6-3-5 Braindrawing & Crazy 8
For the project, the 6-3-5 brainwriting method was adapted into 6-3-5 braindrawing, involving sketching our ideas instead of writing them down. This visual approach was chosen to initiate the exploration of our thoughts, considering that determining the product's visual appearance was a crucial starting point.
During the session, two concepts were developed, they both offer users information about transportation within Gothenburg and the To Go App:
A ticket machine enabling users to obtain either paper tickets or a QR code for their mobile phones.
An app/webpage accessible via a QR code. If users have unused days, they can receive a refund.
The app concept was discarded due to the requirement of not needing internet access, and the money refund feature was also removed.
Following this, a Crazy 8 session was conducted to generate design ideas, covering aspects like the machine's appearance and interfaces.
Prototype
Wireflow
To assess a typical task using the interface effectively, we required higher-fidelity mock-ups. Wireflows were developed to visualize the system's dynamic changes based on user interactions. Unlike wireframes and flowcharts, wireflows offered a more interactive representation, incorporating various interactive elements.
The outcomes included wireframes detailing the workflow of specific tasks. These were showcased within a Figma template, designed as a desktop application. Users could interact with individual frames, observing the dynamic changes based on their interactions.
Cognitive Walkthrough
We aimed to address the following research questions during the session:
• Are there any gaps in action sequences, such as missing functions, feedback, and icons?
• Are there any convoluted action paths?
• Does the interface assist or impede users in performing the correct actions and achieving their goals?
Goal?
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Enhance the prototype's usability.
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Gain valuable insights into how the product compared to their experiences with the current transportation methods in the city.
How?
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Evaluate method-specific questions about users' experiences.
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Observe their interactions with the prototype.
Who?
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Individuals who had recently visited Gothenburg for the first time.
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Individuals who had recently moved to Gothenburg.
The qualitative data collected encompassed participants’ actions, comments, and responses to the questions.
Solution
Test
Competitive Testing
Objective?
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Evaluate our product in comparison to the competitor's offering, pinpointing strengths and weaknesses.
How it works?
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Provide insights into our competitor's strategies, allowing us to understand their approach and effectiveness
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Facilitate understanding users' perspectives by focusing on their behaviours.
Participants?
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Newcomers to Gothenburg, distinct from those in the previous Cognitive Walkthrough session.
Why?
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Capture users' initial encounters with the solution and prevent biases from prior interactions.
The participants completed the same tasks as in the previous session, using a computer with a touch screen for the new solution and a smartphone for the existing To-Go-App. After each test, participants evaluated their experience using a semantic differential scale, categorising their experience in various aspects.
The main aim was to enhance the product's user-friendliness for first-time users compared to the current app. The data collected served as a basis for further evaluation and helped identify potential user confusion or unanticipated issues with both the product and the To-Go app.
The feedback for the new version was generally positive. The results from the semantic differential scale indicated that the new ticket machine version was easier to use, understandable, pleasant, and accessible, with excellent learnability.
However, the design lagged in two aspects: it was slightly slower than the To-Go app and not as efficient.
Conclusion & Reflection
The product addressed the problem statement to a certain extent. The results from the final phase indicated that the ticket machine functioned as intended in terms of ease of use. It proved to be more user-friendly for first-time visitors compared to the app, indicating a successful fulfillment of the stated problem statement. However, the results also highlighted that the product was slower and less efficient than the app. This wasn't necessarily a drawback, as the ticket machine was designed to be straightforward, allowing users to navigate through the necessary steps for purchasing a ticket and understanding the ticket types available.
In addition to ease of use, accessibility for visitors was a key consideration. Early interviews revealed that first-time users found it challenging to access ticket purchasing options, leading to the decision to create an accessible ticket machine instead of an app.
One area that could be further improved is the comprehensibility of the transportation system. While it was mentioned in the problem statement, it was not extensively tested. Although there was an information tab on the welcome page and details about zones were provided during ticket purchases, the question remained: could users understand the system with the provided information, or would it require a learning curve after using our ticket machine?