Dublin Bus App
Improving the experience for commuters
This a study case, part of the final assignment of the post-graduation course in UX Design. This is a new proposal to improve the user's experience when making a journey plan.
Thousands of commuters use the Dublin Bus daily, from kids to older people, from Dublin citizens to tourists.
The Dublin Bus app aims to help them get to their destination, make journey plans, and get updates from the Dublin Bus about new routes.
The research pointed out that commuters needed clarification on the app's usage and were not exploring all the features.
The prominence of the Real Time Information menu led users to believe this was the primary nav. They missed the hamburger menu.
They had to go back and forth between the Search by Route and Search by Address functions which caused frustration.
When using Route Planner, it was hard to search for the known location if you weren’t familiar with the area, and it was hard to know which side of the street to get the bus on.
When users find the route planner, the task is more straightforward. They felt this should be given more priority on the homepage.
Research Methodology
Two methods of User Research were undertaken: Questionnaire and Observation/Interview.
A questionnaire using Google Docs was sent out to the public through email and social media.
Demographics, Impression of the app, App features, Desires, and limitations were covered. One hundred fifty-eight responses were received. Consent was requested at the start of the survey.
Key Findings
● Users were confused by the homepage being the Real Time Information page
● The prominence of the Real Time Information menu led users to believe this was the primary nav. They missed the hamburger menu totally
● They had to go back and forth between the Search by Route and Search by Address functions which caused frustration
● When using Route Planner, it was hard to search for the known location if you weren’t familiar with the area, and it was hard to know which side of the street to get the bus on.
● When users find the route planner, the task is more straightforward. They felt this should be the leap card app
● Typing a destination to get recommended route would be a nice feature
● Dublin bus pal app seems widely used instead
● Timings and length of the journey be given more priority on the homepage
