This is my internship project, I have an internship at Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation with 320 hours.
“Taipei Metro Go” is an app with over a million downloads, officially released to provide real-time information on the Taipei Metro system in New Taipei and Taipei region. The system's five lines have an average daily ridership of 1.926 million.
Source: Metro Taipei official website
https://english.metro.taipei/
What do my supervisor wanted to see in the new design version?
Due to limited time and resources for this project, I did not follow the traditional "Double Diamond Design Process." When in need of information, I tended to consult my mentor and supervisor, who often mentioned that my ideas had been considered before, and they explained why they were not implemented at the time. Gladly, I obtained some backend click data and used this information along with feedback from the Apple Store and Google Play Store to redesign this app.
I divided users into two groups, they have different purposes to use our app.
1. People who are familiar with the route map (most take the MRT to commute)
Purpose: to know information related to time and the density of crowd
2. People who are not familiar with the route map (rarely take the MRT)
Purpose: to know information related to the route, and perhaps the most convenient way.
For example, some stations have been designed to be “Same-Platform Transfer,” and both trains will arrive at the same time to allow passengers to walk to another train in a short time.
What’s the difference between our app and Google Maps? What functions does the public want?
I asked for the data from our company’s survey, here are the important functions that the public values.
Important functions for the public
According to the backend data and comments on the app platform, I have summarized the most attractive three functions:
Train arrival time
Coupons
Density of crowd in each carriage
Train arrived time
Our train arrival time is the most reliable for the public.
Feature functions
Such as “get-off alert” and “Density of crowd”
According to the comments on app platforms and employee advises, our disadvantages are:
1. Unfriendly information architecture design
2. Unattractive interface design
3. Non-intuitive operational logic
4. High bounce rate
1. Focus on arrival time and feature functions.
2. To ensure universal applicability, separate the travelers who are familiar with the route map from those who are not.
3. In terms of operational practicality, considering that this app is typically used while taking the metro, the design will primarily focus on one-handed use.
Color Imagery: Clean, Safe, Reliable, Friendly
Width: 390px (100%)
Height: 86px (10.1%)
Gradient Line Length: 354px (90%)
Color: White with 80% opacity, background blur
Separation: Teal gradient line
Adjustments: If the display is too complex, remove the line and add a shadow for separation.
Green text indicates functions that opening in a browser.
Blue text indicates functions opening within the app.
Initially, I wanted to remove infrequently used and repeated features to allow users to find the functions they need more quickly. However, after discussing with my mentor, she suggested that I keep all the features to serve the public but hide those functions in a deeper place. Even if only one user utilizes a feature, it is worth retaining.
Changes I made for information architecture:
1. Journey Planner: provides a non-map-based method for those unfamiliar with the route map to find their routes.
2. Taipei Metro Section: provides feature functions, and ranks them with click data.
3. Combine “hamburger” and “My Account” into “User Center.”
Current:
The homepage is meaningless to users. Only the features in the middle are useful to them. Especially for passengers who are urged to know how many minutes are left to take the next train.
Redesign:
1. Place the Frequently Used Arrival Times on the homepage and allow users to set their common stations, which are likely used for commuting. If users prefer less-crowded carriages, they can click on the arrow to expand and view the congestion level.
2. Customizable, commonly used features.
3. Keep the online store advertisements on the homepage, but position them lower down on the page.
4. Put the Accessibility Mode button in the top left corner to better accommodate the usage habits of visually impaired users.
I added “Bus station name” because many Taipei citizens are not familiar with the bus system. Information like exit numbers and bus directions are not sufficient enough for them to find the bus stop. I also added the bus incoming time.
Move the “metro route lines” buttons from top to bottom for a better experience in one-handed use.
