Metropolitian Transit Authority
Simplifying the navigation of public transporation in New York.
Simplifying the navigation of public transporation in New York.
Simplifying navigation of the New York public transportation
The New York City subway system is one of the largest and busiest in the world, serving millions of commuters daily. The MYmta app, launched in 2018 by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), provides real-time updates on train and bus schedules to help commuters navigate the city’s complex transit system. While essential, the app has faced criticism for its usability challenges, making it unreliable for users during daily commutes.
Shortly after moving to New York City for graduate school, I was still getting familiar with the city, and navigating the busy subway system felt intimidating. I planned a trip to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden with a friend. Instead of making the journey smoothly, we were stranded at the station with no updates or explanations from the app. As someone who had experienced firsthand the impact of these usability gaps, I felt compelled to get involved and pitch a redesign to the Product Director and, if possible, be contracted to bring the feature to life. My goal was to propose a solution that could improve the navigation and tracking experience for everyday commuters and tourists alike.
Validating my personal assumptions
After identifying the problem and outlining the frustrations I personally encountered, I wanted to understand if these challenges were shared by others. To ensure my design would address real user pain points, I needed to validate my assumptions with real-world data. Hence, I conducted a survey to capture a wide range of perspectives on how people navigate New York City's public transportation system.
Surveying daily commuters and tourists
The survey collected responses from 121 participants, encompassing a diverse range of age groups, subway usage purposes, and varying degrees of familiarity with New York City’s transit system. This diversity ensured a well-rounded understanding of the challenges faced by different commuter profiles.
By gathering valuable feedback from daily subway riders and occasional travelers alike, the survey aimed to understand how participants navigated New York's public transit and their usage of the MyMTA app. Below are some key statistics and findings from the survey that highlight the areas where the current system falls short and where improvements could have the most impact.
100%
Use Google or Apple maps to navigate along with another app to verify timings and train construction updates
89%
Use the MTA app to check the timings of their trains and buses to reach the station or stop on time.
81%
Use the MTA app to check delays and route changes of public transport caused by maintainance and upkeep.
Analyzing online reviews
To gain deeper insights into the challenges and strengths of the MYmta app, I decided to tap into the wealth of feedback available from real users. Reviews on platforms like justapp, apple app store and google reviews provided a treasure trove of user opinions and experiences.
Using web scraping, I gathered data from tens of thousands of reviews across these platforms. Rather than manually combing through this massive dataset, I leveraged my data visualization skills in Python to streamline the analysis process. By creating word clouds, I could identify recurring themes and extract keywords from user feedback. You can check out the python code and explanation of the analysis here.
Word cloud reveals key user insights
I crafted a detailed word cloud using Python, which vividly illustrated the most prevalent user sentiments and frustrations. By analyzing the standout keywords, I gained a swift understanding of what users valued in the app and, crucially, the aspects that left them dissatisfied. This insight was instrumental in pinpointing key areas for enhancement and provided a clear direction for the redesign.
Favorite Trains or Routes
Want to easily check on their favorite (saved/most used) trains and lines.
Next Trains
Check the next train's arrival time and status when they miss a train they intended to get on
Update Changes
Immediate updates on service changes, alternate options and information detected clearly.
Analyzing large collections of data and visualizing it in different ways based on the requirement of the project can be very helpful in getting insights. It could also be used to study the various competitors and what users like and dislike about them.
How might we simplify navigating and tracking New York public transit?
Tourist Tanvi
Tanvi is thrilled to finally explore New York City, but the thought of navigating its vast streets and subway system fills her with apprehension. Her pain points and goals are:
Easily comprehend the intricate layout of New York's subway system.
Prefers efficient routes with minimal walking to maximize her time exploring the city
Save routes for offline use to feel secure while traveling
Commuter Chris
Chris relies on the subway for his daily commute to work and often needs to travel to different offices or meet friends for lunch. He has a different set of needs, he wants to:
Quickly access essential transit information
Get alerts for train arrivals, ensuring he can adjust his schedule promptly.
Easily comprehend the intricate layout of New York's subway system.
Solving for Tourist Tanvi
Feedback
Incorporating filters for various trip types significantly enhances user preparedness for their journey, allowing them to tailor their travel experience to their specific needs.
The opening screen make
Many find themselves walking long distances due to unfamiliarity of the subway system leading to a sense of heightened confusion.
Visual indicators to show which filters are active, helping users understand their current settings and make adjustments as needed.
Visual feedback of filters that were applied.
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Solving for Commuter Chris
Feedback
Reminder feature will alert the user when they need to leave to catch their train.
Favorite Trains, stations and other entities should be segretated.
Entry point to set reminder feature is unclear.
Service Change details need to be clearly explained
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Getting initial feedback is an important step for a successful product. Low fidelity models are often simpler and more straightforward, making users feel that their feedback is more likely to be understood and addressed. High fidelity models might seem more sophisticated, and users might feel intimidated or hesitant to provide feedback on something that appears complex. Low fidelity models may be perceived as more approachable.
Widgets and Watch app to track at a Glance.
Watch app
The Apple Watch app allows users to check if they can walk leisurely, run, or sprint to the departure station. It displays how many minutes away the train is and provides the times for the next train if the current one is missed. Tourists can also save upto 3 routes for offline viewing during their commute.
MyMTA Fast Track
A widget provides users with a convenient way to monitor their location and track train arrivals without needing to open the app. This feature allows users to stay updated on their commute in real-time, ensuring they can easily check train schedules and arrival times directly from their home screen.
Plan your commute based on your preferences.
Filter and Browse routes
The home screen mirrors the familiar layout of Google and Apple Maps, featuring an interactive map, destination search bar, and filter icon. Users can customize their routes with filters such as least walking, avoiding transfers, or opting for buses only. This intuitive design enhances the commuting experience by catering to riders' specific preferences.
Get updates of your daily commute
Favorite most used trains
The home screen mirrors the familiar layout of Google and Apple Maps, featuring an interactive map, destination search bar, and filter icon. Users can customize their routes with filters such as least walking, avoiding transfers, or opting for buses only. This intuitive design enhances the commuting experience by catering to riders' specific preferences.
Set reminders for train arrival
The home screen mirrors the familiar layout of Google and Apple Maps, featuring an interactive map, destination search bar, and filter icon. Users can customize their routes with filters such as least walking, avoiding transfers, or opting for buses only. This intuitive design enhances the commuting experience by catering to riders' specific preferences.
User testing insights
Favorites Tab
I added a delete button to remove favorites from the list. The favorites are also segregated as "train lines and bus routes" and "stations and stops."
Reminder pop up
Added more search tabs in the reminder pop up to make searching for desired trains/buses easier.
Strategic segregation of information emerges as a key consideration. A sophisticated search bar adeptly interpreting user queries, providing a stream of relevant outcomes. The favorites tab is a personalized space, offering quick access to preferred content. This organized setup makes the interface easy to use, balancing complexity and making interactions meaningful
Delays, service changes and saved routes
Clear visual delays and service changes
The home screen mirrors the familiar layout of Google and Apple Maps, featuring an interactive map, destination search bar, and filter icon. Users can customize their routes with filters such as least walking, avoiding transfers, or opting for buses only. This intuitive design enhances the commuting experience by catering to riders' specific preferences.
Delays, service changes and saved routes
The home screen mirrors the familiar layout of Google and Apple Maps, featuring an interactive map, destination search bar, and filter icon. Users can customize their routes with filters such as least walking, avoiding transfers, or opting for buses only. This intuitive design enhances the commuting experience by catering to riders' specific preferences.