MTA BUS APP
September 13 - October 18
ABOUT
MTA BUS APP that helps New Yorkers in the Five Boroughs, find busses and navigate you on how to reach to one. There are similar existing Apps like Google Maps, Citimapper, MY MTA App and more. This App I'm working on is solely only for busses.
PROJECT
This project takes place in my 10 Day UX Design Bootcamp. We are 5 students in total including me. Each student worked on their own project, yet helped each other for things like Interviews, Feedback and Critique.
Research Objectives
Understand how to use the MTA BUS APP
Understand how the users navigate around using to find busses
How to custom search a certain time and date a bus arrives
USER INTERVIEW SCRIPT
INTRO:
Hi participants my name is Anayely, I'll be conducting an interview today. Thanks for coming down. I'm working with MTA to conduct some research about MTA Bus App. Our goal is to improve the experience for users like you. There are no right or wrong answers, just be honest with your thoughts and experiences regarding MTA Bus App. Okay thank you. Now we are going to dive into the interview.
BASIC DEMOGRAPHICS:
Occupation:
age:
Location:
ICEBREAKERS:
Let's warm up with a few fun questions...
What was your favorite childhood movie?
What is your favorite kind of food?
Do you have a favorite movie genre?
If you were an animal , what would you be?
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
QUESTIONS:
~COMPETATIVE LANDSCAPE~
What do you use for transportation?
Have you used apps for transportation?
What apps have you used for transportation?
have you explored other apps?
How often do you use the apps?
~BEFORE THE BUS TRIP~
When was the last time you used (Citimapper, MY MTA)?
Do you frequently use the bus?
What do you use to navigate on MY MTA Bus?
~DURING THE BUS TRIP~
Ever used an MTA Bus App?
Were you able to navigate through the Bus App?
Which MTA Bus App did you use?
Have you ever had a difficult time using the App?
Recall when you had encountered a failed moment with the App?
How did that make you feel?
What did you do during the time of having difficulties with the App?
WORKSHOP INTERVIEWS
PREP TIME
~ZOOM INTERVIEW, PHONE RECORDING, PEN & PAPER~
For the first Interview of this who research, I use the User Interview Script listed above in order to find out what type of users are there. Get to know them better and help me find anything else in between from asking questions to adjusting my questions. This felt like a warmup and what is to come down the road of this project.
The three people I interviewed, were my classmates in the UX Design Bootcamp.
~ Pair up in break rooms from Zoom
~ Conduct 15 minute Interview
~ When 1st Interview is done, switch roles
~ Find a new partner then continue interviews until we have 3 in total
HOMEWORK
Conduct 2-3 more interviews.
AFFINITY MAPPING
SYNTHESIZING RESEARCH INSIGHTS
For this next step after having a total of 5 Interviews, I had to collect and organize my data. I used Miro to place and organize my data in post its using the Affinity Mapping Template.
Right here I'm understanding the goal of my Qualitative Research Observation. From here I was able to observe the information and find trends to turn it into a few Problem Statements.
PROBLEM STATEMENTS
~Carlos, a freshman student in college, needs to quickly find an accurate app that doesn't frustrate him when on the go., in order to arrive to college classes on time.
~Marialisa, a project manager, who works from home , would like to find an app that works accurately when she has o go to the office in the city, to arrive on time for office meetings.
~Maria, a physical therapist, who works 6 days a week in the city, would like to have an app that works accurately to arrive on time at clinics, to see her patients.
PRIORITY MATRIX
Now I get to choose a problem from the 3 problem statements to solve. Can't solve all of them. Using the priority matrix seemed a little tricky to me understand. I had to place what was most or less important as well as most or least urgent. Which I tried my best to place.
MIND MAPPING
For mind mapping I used the main problem statement in the center and just came up with ideas involved around that statement.
CONCEPT IDEATION
In class we got to use the 6-8-5 sketch game. From the sketches our classmates feedback we was able to pick a concept. This will support a process with interactions. Here I have sketched out a few slides. I got to share this with my classmate during Zoom class and got some helpful feedback on the sketches.
USER SCENARIO WORKSHEET
Storytelling about a user interacting with the product
1. A. A female Physical Therapist, Age 40
B. Use local bus to get to work on it me
C. In her Manhattan home
D. Pull out the MTA Bus App, and find when the bus arrives to get to work on time
E. Pulling out the, elect bus to see the route, including its time table
A Physical Therapist needs to arrive to work on time and early, but is frustrated with the app to find out when her next bus ride arrives.
2. A. A male college student, Age 19
B. Use local bus to go to college
C. In his Brooklyn home
D. Pulled out the MTA Bus App and find when bus arrives to get to college on time
E. Pulling out the App for next bus, select bus to see the route, including its time table
A student needs to get to college on time and early, but is annoyed with the app to find out when his next bus is arriving.
While at home, he pulls out the MTA Bus App and wants to find out when the next bus ride to school is. He selects the bus then by zooming the location of the bus in the map, he then taps the bus to show its map route and taps again for the bus timetable.
He views the map's timetable, then gives himself a time it will take to get there, then waits for the bus to arrive right when he shows up.
3. A. Female project manager who works from home, Age 32
B. Use local bus to go shopping
C. Arrives at the bus stop, She needs to shop at 5Below
D. Pulls out the MTA Bus App and find when bus arrives to get to 5Below
E. Pulling out the App for next bus, select bus to see the route and its timetable
A project manager needs to find out when the next bus ride arrives for her to errands at 5Below.
While she is walking towards the bus stop she knows she has to go to the 5Below store. She pulls out the MTA Bus App and wants to find out when the next bus ride is. She selects the bus, then by zooming the location of the bus in the map, she then taps the bus stop to show its map route and taps for the bus timetable.
She views the map's timetable, then waits for her bus. It's a 15 minute bus ride going and coming back. She usually comes back with many shopping bags. That's why she chooses the local bus.
USER FLOW
USER FLOW ON MIRO
From here I practiced the method to turn ideas into user scenarios and flows. I used a User flow template from Miro. I placed a Key Section to let you know what colors and shapes represent. Green means the pages (slides) in an app, orange is the Actions of the user, and gray means settings of some sort.
SCENARIO
The scenario I chose with is Marialisa is about to run some errands near her neighborhood. She wants to go to Marshall's. She will be using a local bus that drops her off near shopping areas.
WIREFRAMES
ADOBE XD
After creating a user flow, I jumped to using Adobe XD to create 3 slide wireframes. That was for homework. We just kept working on 3 slides for a couple days. I managed to make at least 5 and I will post the pic after it has been through a few ideations. I did not get to capture the many wireframes that have changed through the following days. I started basic shapes, space allocation, functionalities available, and intended behavior.
WORKSHOP 5 SECOND CONCEPT TESTING
With my classmates we were broken into Zoom rooms to do a one on one, 5 second meet. This was the chance to show them the prototype for 5 seconds and ask them what do they remember in the displayed app slides.
I need this to capture their feedback. Just like the 5 Second Testing the feedback needed to be short and fast. Keep it simple.
PROTOTYPE
MORE AND MORE IDEATION
Based on my 5 Second Concept Testing, I collected that feedback to continue iterating my wireframes. After many days adding details to my concept wireframes, it was now time to add interactions onto my design. Its demo time!!! It needed to be a functional prototype. My classmates and other interviewees, will once again try out my upto date design. I have added so much details like buttons that link to something, symbols, textiles, ideas for functionality placements.
USABILITY TESTING
It is time to do some final testing. This is my 2nd to last day of class. We all worked so hard on our projects. I was very excited to learn purpose and value of usability testing.
My following interviews will be IN-PERSON MODERATED and REMOTE MODERATED. My participants on Remote Moderated will be using my shared tool(Adobe XD), and test out the Prototype.
But before I get started on Interviews. I need to make a User Testing Plan. Below is my usability testing plan. This will be the plan I use on my classmates, friends and family. I managed to interview 5 in total.
USER TESTING PLAN
PARTICIPANT INFO
Ideal users will be in NYC or visiting.
They'd like to go to places within each Borough.
Go somewhere locally for errands, work, go out to eat, or socialize in location activities.
OBJECTIVES
1. Testing the users if they understand how to use a bus app.
2. Testing how the users navigate around using to find busses.
3. Testing users on how to custom search a certain time and date a bus arrives
AGENDA
Introductions (2 Minutes)
Background Info(2 Minutes)
User Tasks (15 Minutes)
Additional Questions (2 Minutes)
Conclusion & Housekeeping (2 Minutes)
TECH CHECK
Before I get started I'm making sure Audio Recording functions well. Have the proper software up and running.
INTRO SCRIPT
Hi (participant's name) my name is Anayely. I'm conducting a research on how to find busses. Our goal is to improve the experience of finding busses for users like you.
In today's session, I will walk you through the prototype version of our MTA Bus App. A couple things to keep in mind: there are no right or wrong answers in the interview today. Please be honest with your thoughts and feelings regarding the process. Also, "think aloud" as you go through the process so I know what you're thinking and doing. Also, keep in mind this is a prototype and is not completely built out.
Lastly, we'll be recording our conversation today for the purposes of the study. Is that okay with you? Do you have any questions before we get started? Okay, great let's get started.
BACKGROUND INFO
Before we look at the site I'd like to ask you a few questions.
So how did you learn about the MTA Bus App?
Have you used any similar versions of this App?
What's your occupation?
Roughly how many hours a week would you say you spend using similar Bus Apps?
What does a typical day at home/work look like for you?
Do you have any favorite websites/Apps you frequently use for finding busses?
CORE TASKS
~First Impression~
You’re a brand new customer and have just created an account. You log into the app for the first time and you land on this screen. Take a look around and tell me what you see. What do you think you can do here?
~Task 1~
You’re going to shop at FiveBelow that’s accessible by using a local bus to take you there. You want to find which bus will take you there. Walk and talk me through how you’d do that.
Participants were able to go to an address and then see they were given a list of bus options with time left for arrivals, total travel time, and walking distance.
Participants were able to run the app all the way through. This was an easy task since it was just a local shop.
Participants were able to complete the task 30 seconds to 3 minutes.
~Task 2~
You’ve just finished class in the east side of downtown and have to go to the west side of uptown to go work out. As you walk out of school you want to find what busses will take you there. Walk and talk me through how you’d do that.
Participants were able to add their work out location then see they were given a list of bus options that was around their school, with time left for arrivals, total travel time, and walking distance.
Participants were able to run the app all the way through. This task was a little slower due to the prototype being unable to edit a completely different address directly but understood the concept.
Participants were able to complete the task 3 seconds to 5 minutes.
~Task 3~
You’ve just finished preparing your outfit for tomorrow’s work shift. You want to find the exact date and time of a bus to leave to work in the morning. Walk and talk me through how you’d do that.
Participants were able to go to an address they go to work and then see they were given a list of bus options. With the Options button on top right to let them choose a date and time for tomorrow.
Participants were able to run the app all the way through. Two out of Three were able to find the date/time button named Options.
Participants were able to complete the task 2 seconds to 4 minutes.
Open ended feedback
Is there anything else you’d like to share about the prototype?
Options button would like to be called Extras, view the journey in 3-D and skip sign up to get to the point.
~Conclusion~
Of course this is a class since we’re testing with peers and friends, we simply thank our participant for their time. They’ve just provided me with useful feedback on the digital product!
Thank you so much for participating in this interview. This was very helpful.
MTA Bus App
TRY IT OUT --->
Here is my prototype you may go ahead and try it out. This is the same one I used for the interviews. Please keep in mind this is a prototype and is not completely build out.
I have learned so much from the feedback I got from my classmates, friends and family. Thank you so much for looking at my MTA Bus App project.
Anayely Cuacuamoxtla