Overview
NJ Transit is a public transportation agency that provides bus, rail, and light rail services across New Jersey and into the neighboring states of New York and Philadelphia. They serve nearly 270 million passengers a year through their extensive network of bus routes and rail lines.
This project was done in collaboration with a fellow Google UX Design student, Jen (Jihyun) Kwon.
Problem
While the NJ Transit mobile app offers numerous features, it consistently falls short of user expectations, leaving many frustrated in their commute. Our analysis of user reviews across the App Store, Google Play, and Reddit revealed significant difficulties with app usability and navigation, especially in regards to the bus features. Users reported confusion over fare zones, determining bus routes, and other bus-related functionalities.
Research & Pain Points
We began our research by combing through the NJ Transit app's reviews on the App Store and Google Play Store. This helped us identify common user complaints and gain a general understanding of users' sentiments towards the app. We then conducted an online survey among friends familiar with the NJ Transit app. Additionally, we posted the survey on the subreddits “r/NJTransit” and “r/newjersey” to reach a larger audience and obtain more diverse feedback. The three main pain points we came across in our research were: confusion over fare zones; difficulty determining bus routes; and difficulty knowing which tickets to purchase.
User Personas
Information Architecture & User Flows
Sketches + Ideation
We began our design process by bringing in screenshots of the current NJ Transit app, paper wireframes, and inspiration materials into our Figma file. We brainstormed ways to improve the app's flow and navigation by analyzing its current state. We sketched out our ideas and noted potential improvements to guide our redesign. Some changes we planned to implement include:
- Redesiging the layout of the Home page to better distinguish each service line (rail, light rail, bus) from one another
- Redesiging the app's Trip Planner page to include an interactive map and a search feature, allowing users to input their origin and destination
- Replace the "Origin + Destination" option for purchasing tickets with a search option
- Include a map that allows users to see the nearest bus stops and the different bus routes they can take
Brand Identity
Low-Fidelity Prototype
For this redesign project, we wanted to simplify the commute planning and ticket purchasing process for all users. When creating our low-fidelity prototype, we focused on improving four user flows: repurchasing used bus tickets, purchasing tickets using a route + zone feature, purchasing tickets using a search feature, and trip planning.
View Lo-Fi Prototype
Usability Testing
We conducted usability tests with four friends to gather feedback on our designs. The tests were conducted remotely and consisted of 4 main prompts. Through this process, we were able to identify usability issues, pinpoint areas of confusion, and recognize opportunities for improvement.
- Confusion over the Trip Planner page
- Some of the users felt that the trip planner and search option for purchasing tickets were too similar
- Some of the users felt that the name “Trip Planner” was misleading
- Felt the route options shown on the Trip Planner and Search page lacked information
- "I wish there was more information or a way of being able to differentiate between the routes shown, such as arrival times"
- "It would be nice to see an information icon next to each nearest route option and when you click on it, you can see more information"
- Overall, users thought that it was easier to navigate than the current NJ Transit app and found it easier to purchase / re-purchase tickets
High-Fidelity Prototype
After organizing and ranking the feedback from the user studies based on priority, we began creating our high-fidelity prototype. Some changes we made include: combining the Trip Planner page and the Search page; replacing the Trip Planner page with a Service Alerts page; replacing the "Service Alerts" section on the Home page with "Schedule"; and adding more information on the different route options.
View Hi-Fi Prototype
Overview of the new Home page + Buy Tickets screens
Purchase a bus ticket using Route & Zone — this flow is targeted towards those that are more familiar with the app
Purchase a bus ticket using Map Search — this feature allows users to browse the different routes they can take
Easily purchase used tickets by navigating to the Tickets page and selecting "Re-purchase"
Reflections & Next Steps
The current NJ Transit app assumes users already know information about zones and routes; the app fails to provide instructions or guidance to new users or returning users who are trying to get to a new destination. I believe that our redesign alleviates user frustrations by simplifying the ticket-purchasing process. We included features that automatically generate the type of ticket the user needs for their commute, so that they don’t have to stress over the zones and routes.
Though we attempted to gather responses from a diverse audience by posting surveys on forums, I wish we had received feedback from a broader group of people. NJ Transit has a diverse user base, and I would have liked to explore accessibility needs among this varied user group and conduct more tests centered around usability. Moving forward, I aim to gain more experience in designing for accessibility and working with a more diverse body of users.
