Mar 24
Solving Urban Mobility Problems with Design Thinking: A Case Study
Hey you! Welcome to my very first Medium article! I’m sharing a case-study about Urban mobility problems as part of Ironhack’s Prework Challenge. I used the IDEO design thinking method to approach this challenge, enjoy the reading! 🤓.
In today’s fast-paced world, transportation is an essential aspect of our lives. Whether for commuting, run errands, or exploring new places, we rely on various modes of transportation to get us where we need to go. However, with the increasing complexity of transportation systems in cities and the rise of global travel, finding the best way to get around can often be an overwhelming task. Fortunately, we face this problem in a time full of technology and rapid development. Mobility apps emerged as the possible ultimate solution for our transportation problems. With time these apps have become an indispensable tool for many people yet they still face a major issue.
Company Background
Let’s take the beloved app Citymapper as an example. Citymapper is a mobility app and mapping service for public transit that shows transportation choices between two locations in a supported city, typically with real-time updates. It incorporates data for all modes of urban transportation, including walking, cycling, driving, and public transportation.
Interviewing Citymapper Users
To determine whether Citymapper satisfies the needs and solves the transportation problems of people both locally and abroad, I conducted interviews with several Citymapper users. Based on their responses, I discovered two major problems. The first problem was having to purchase different public transport tickets. Users often had to deal with long queues and vending machines that didn’t work. The second was confusion about which ticket to purchase, especially when traveling abroad. Users agreed that the different and confusing options led them to purchase the One-Way ticket, that one being the most expensive one . These problems were frustrating for users and they often made their urban mobility experience less enjoyable.
The main Problem
After clarifying the major pain points, I decided to focus on solving the first problem. I need to create a feature for Citymapper that solves the pain of having to purchase different public transport tickets by different channels.
Users need a simple, convenient, and reliable way to purchase tickets for all the different public transport systems they use, without having to worry about language barriers, unfamiliar ticketing systems, or long queues at ticket vending machines.
The Possible Solution
As mentioned in the title of this article, I have been using the Design Thinking method by IDEO to approach this problem. At this stage, I have empathised with my audience by seeking and understanding through conducted interviews. I have also defined the challenges and pain points that users face, giving me a clear problem to solve. Now it’s time to ideate.
After brainstorming what urban mobility should include, I decided to create an in-app ticket purchasing feature for the Citymapper app. This feature will enable users to buy public transport tickets, including those for buses, subways, trains, and bike rentals. The feature will include a ticket wallet with a digital ticket containing a QR code.
Users will be able to purchase tickets in advance or at the time of travel using various payment methods, including credit card and PayPal.
Prototyping
From Idea to Solution : Lessons learned
1. The importance of Empathising: Having empath while conducting interviews I was able to understand the users’ experiences. I gained clarification of their needs, motivations, frustrations and pain points. By putting myself in the users shoes, I approached the process with a human centered perspective that enabled me to create a meaningful and impactful solution.
2. The Problem-Definition Process: The problem definition takes real importance within the design thinking process. By defining the problem I clarify needs, challenges, pain points and identify potential assumptions. This allowed me to focus on the core problem rather than small issues and led me to develop a user-oriented solution without any personal preconceptions.
3. The power of ideation: Ideation plays a critical role in the creative process that involves generating new ideas and concepts. It is a vital activity in many areas, including business, design, technology, and arts. I learned that ideation is not only an essential tool for growth and development, it helps individuals expand and develop new skills, and uncover new interests.
4. The importance of Prototyping: Creating a prototype of a proposed solution or system allowed me to visualize an end product where I am also able to make the necessary changes without investing significant resources in development. With prototypes, individuals have the flexibility to identify certain problems, changes, or improvements without the pressure of a finalized project, which assures that the final outcome is exactly what was envisioned.
5.. The need for iteration: Through the design thinking process the final outcome is constantly changing. Iteration involves repetition of a process to make the necessary improvements based on feedback and observations. It helps identify areas that need refinement, test new ideas, and build upon previous changes. I learned that through iteration you continuously improve and refine your work until you have your desired outcome.
