CAL & GO
CAL & GO
Cal & Go is an app I created throughout the semester long journey of DESINV 15: Design Methodology at UC Berkeley. This was my first exposure to UX research and UI design and this project allowed me to solve an ongoing problem completely from scratch using a plethora of different design methodologies to create something brand new and prototyped!
Project duration: Fall 2024
Team: Aashna, Sejal, Laura, Ava
SOME PUBLIC TRANSPORT RIDER STATS
55% of riders reported real-time tracking as a critical feature that improved their public transportation experience, yet many systems still do not offer this service (Transit App)
8% of students reported using public transportation to get to class in 2021
20% of a bus delay increase between 2019 and 2022, significantly disrupting the daily schedules of many commuters (American Public Transportation Association)
These stats ultimately boiled down to the question:
How might we ensure a reliable public transportation schedule for college students to reduce wait times and improve passenger satisfaction?
Tools: Figma, Adobe Premier Pro, Canva
Role: UX research lead
Research
TALKING TO PROSPECTIVE CUSTOMERS
To better understand the public transportation experience of college students, I conducted semi-structured interviews with a diverse group of 15 students. I aimed to uncover the challenges, needs, and benefits associated with using public transportation for navigating to classes and extracurricular activities. The interviews covered aspects such as availability, accessibility, and user preferences to inform our design process. I wanted to answer the question:
What are the most common problems you encounter when using public transportation to get to class or activities?
“The app is usually 5–10 minutes off in terms of accuracy, and on the north side of campus, the buses stop running by 7:30 PM, which makes it hard for evening classes or events."
— A
Clustering
Each person in the team interviewed two college students and from the insights that were gathered from those customer profiles, I assembled a rose/thorn/bud exercise on FigJam where I put jobs on a yellow post it, common pain points on red post its, and gains on blue post its.
I then clustered each of our insights into different categories we could target to answer our HMW statement.
User Persona
I used Xtensio to create a user profile by synthesizing and consolidating the information from the Customer Profiles and generating a single persona profile. The user persona targeted someone who is super involved with a difficult major who has experienced loss of time due to bus delays and cancellations and would love to have her schedule needs met without the extra hassle.
1. Safety Concerns
Poor lighting and isolated transit areas discourage nighttime public transportation use.
Our app can enable students to coordinate rides, which reduces the anxiety of traveling alone.
“I sometimes feel unsafe waiting at bus stops at night, especially if the area isn’t well-lit or if the bus is delayed. It makes me hesitant to use public transportation during late hours."
— K
Abstract Laddering
Next, we picked ONE cluster to work on and create the initial HMW statement starter.
We then created abstract ladders from the initial statement starter which then generated 18 new statements for us to be able to choose which one to flush out.
Creative Matrix
After conducting abstract laddering, I used a creative matrix to generate actionable solutions systematically. I created a large grid where the columns represented enablers, such as technology and accessibility, and the rows represented design challenges, including safety, reliability, and affordability. Each intersection of an enabler and a challenge became a space to brainstorm ideas, with team members contributing one idea per sticky note.
Ideation and Insights
2. Unpredictable Schedules
Real-time updates and calendar integration can allow students to save time and optimize schedules.
3. Social Integration
Commuters prefer services that match their social behaviors.
Features like adding friends, planning rides, and sharing schedules create a collaborative experience
4. Efficiency
Efficiency and predictability reduce commuter frustration.
Our solution offers seamless updates about travel times removes uncertainty.
Ecological Perspective
The storyboard begins with a student balancing academics and transportation while waiting at a bus stop, highlighting common challenges. Real-time alerts provide timely updates, while a calendar feature helps coordinate schedules seamlessly. A safety-focused panel shows group travel options with peers on the same route, and alternative commuting methods, like walking, add flexibility. The final scene captures the student boarding the bus, emphasizing the app’s mission to make commuting stress-free and reliable.
Design Concepts
I sketched out design concepts on how a user would potentially interact with the product
Interaction Perspective
We outlined the app's primary functions: providing real-time bus notifications, allowing students to navigate routes with ease, tracking buses in real-time, and notifying users of any last-minute schedule changes. These features ensure that students can plan their commutes accurately and adapt when necessary. We envisioned a user experience that leaves students feeling confident and satisfied with their commute. throughout the process, we focused on keeping the design intuitive, minimizing the cognitive load for users, and ensuring all features were accessible at a glance.
Solution!
Initially, I was focused on solving the logistical challenges of campus transportation, such as real-time bus tracking and schedule reliability.
However, through discussions with college students, I discovered two features that significantly enhance the app's value but were initially underemphasized: safety features though connecting with friends and calendar integration with bus routes.
An overlooked opportunity was the social aspect of public transportation.
Through student feedback, I realized how beneficial it would be to allow users to see which buses their friends are taking or schedule trips together. Features like these foster a sense of community and make commutes more enjoyable.
In addition to these updates, I introduced a calendar integration feature, which has proven to be incredibly beneficial for college students juggling busy schedules.
This functionality allows users to sync their class schedules, club meetings, and events with the app and the app would then send them a notification telling the user when to leave for a certain bus on their schedule without manual input from the user.
Lofi Designs
I took inspiration from competitor apps such as google maps, apple maps, and the transit app and tried to mock up a user interface that is easy for users of other apps to adapt to.
I designed screens where the user is able to choose their mode of transport and see a crowd meter for their specified mode of transport.
Hi Fidelity Designs
Landing Page
User is able to open their google calendar to link it to our app and also add favorite locations that they would like to permanently save. Additionally, there is a community tab at the bottom for the user to be able to see who is also traveling at the same time and place they are for added safety.
Watch Live Prototype!
Safety First
I wanted to make sure that students were safe getting home from studying late hours at the library. So, I came up with a feature where students can see people traveling the same route as them with a similar mode of transportation. They can message them to connect.
There is the option to remain anonymous and invisible to others until they request you to maintain privacy. Additionally, after each ride you’re able to rate how safe you felt with someone. Customizable settings for who you want to ride with and connect with are also an option in the second screen.
* I have not included this feature in the prototype below because of time constraints *
Calendar Integration
User is able to click on what parts of their schedule they want to include into the app so our app can tell them when to leave without the user manually having to enter their location and look for busses ahead of time.
Reflection
One of the primary challenges in this project was integrating calendar features in a way that felt intuitive and genuinely useful to users. I wanted to enable seamless import of schedules from platforms like Google Calendar and Notion, but ensuring this integration did not overwhelm users required a careful balance of simplicity and functionality. Additionally, driving user engagement proved to be another hurdle. The target audience, primarily students, needed an app that was not only easy to adopt but also aligned with their fast-paced, dynamic routines. Through iterative user testing and feedback, I refined the interface to prioritize clarity and minimized steps in the journey. This experience taught me the importance of addressing user pain points while maintaining a user-centric design approach. It also underscored the value of adaptability and collaboration in UX design to deliver a product that enhances accessibility and efficiency in public transportation!