UTS | Case study — Enhancing the user experience for unreserved ticketing system.
A design thinking exercise to understand Unreserved Ticketing System app and suggest improvements for a better user experience.
Hello, I am an aspiring interaction designer. I have studied Advertising and had a 7-year-long career in Graphic Design. Lately, I’ve been learning UX through various mediums. This case study aims to measure my understanding so far and exercise my design thinking process.
To ensure better readability, I suggest using a desktop to view this article.
NOTE: I have NO affiliation with UTS or CRIS in any way.
Overview
The Government of India has empowered tech services through the revolutionary Digital India program.
Concerning that, Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) happens to be one of the prominent e-services. It promises to ease the process for passengers to avoid long queues and book tickets directly online.
This can also be taken into account for defusing the workload of the ticketing counter staff, as the queues can be dauntingly long during peak hours in metro cities like Mumbai.
According to reports, UTS has noted a significant growth in the number of users post-pandemic. By Oct 2022 — In Mumbai, 11.67 Lakh Daily Commuters were using UTS for their daily use.
The importance of this application is enormous, considering the number of users who use it daily!
Reflection
From personal observation, I have noticed only one major interaction design update with this application so far and it still displays an outdated interface and unnecessarily complicated user experience.
However, this case study is NOT to spotlight the issues that irk me alone but to take a deeper look into current user experience and derive gaps for improvement.
As a designer, I feel motivated to highlight these issues and apply potential solutions through design thinking.
Understanding The Current System
Key Functions -
UTS app allows the users to generate unreserved train tickets, season tickets, and platform tickets (Paperless or Paper-based)
- Paperless: Users can ONLY book this ticket if their detected geo-location is 20 Meters away from the station and 5 km away from the boarding station. This is to prevent users from misusing the app by booking instant tickets only when they spot a TC approaching.
- Print Tickets: Users can generate a paper-based ticket from anywhere through the app. A booking ID and details of the ticket will be sent to the user via SMS/Notification. It is then mandatory for users to take a print-out of their tickets from the general booking counters or ATVM kiosks installed at the station.
- QR Booking: Users can also generate paperless tickets by scanning QR codes from their source stations on the spot.
- The Journey should commence within the given time of 1 hour or depending on the source train's departure.
- Screenshots are not allowed to avoid misuse of the ticket by multiple users.
- In-app R-Wallet offers a 3% Bonus upon recharge. In addition to that, it is the quickest way of transaction.
Availability -
- UTS is currently functional in 7 locations across India.
(Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Patna, Gorakhpur and Secunderabad) - The application is available on Android, Windows, and IOS.
Problem Statement
Evaluate the current user experience and find areas of improvement for a smoother function.
Why and For Whom?
- Most users tend to simply ignore the bad design and reap the service anyway.
- Users with a low grasp of technology often struggle with these services due to poor design.
- An improved product functionality can boost CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score) and possibly reduce the bounce rate.
- Promotion of ease and trust through a system upgrade can generate more revenue through UTS.
- Ultimately improves the technological infrastructure for Digital India.
Research Objectives
Next Steps
Qualitive research — For?
Collection of behavioral data and opinion of the active user in terms of their interaction with the ticket booking system and usage of service. This attempt may give us further clarity on the subject.
I have conducted this study by raising the following questions. The interviewees are mainly from Mumbai. I have tried to circulate the question set around the facility of the application and the general ticketing system.
Question Set:
1) Your Name / Age / Gender / Profession / Location
2) How often do you travel in local / suburban trains?
3) Are you aware of the Unreserved Ticketing System app? How often do you use it?
4) Paperless Booking or Book & Print, which one do you prefer and why?
5) How satisfied are you with UTS on the given scale and why?
6) If there is a long queue at the ticket counter, what alternative do you opt for booking an unreserved ticket?
7) In general context, what mode of online transaction do you usually prefer and why?
8) While traveling in local trains, have you ever been checked by a TC? Where and how did they approach you?
9) There are QR Codes on stations that can be scanned to book tickets through UTS. Are you aware of this and have you used it?
Reflection
This survey was done in a hybrid manner.
The first attempt of this survey was conducted via the distribution of Google forms through my contacts. I did receive a healthy response from 17 different users.
However, it did not provide me with the option of follow-up questions and overall lacked conversational value.
In my second attempt, I made phone calls to 5 of these users with the most constructive feedback which further allowed me to note down my top pointers.
In addition to the interview, I further looked into online discussion forums like Reddit and Google Play reviews as an attempt to broaden my research size sample and gather some more data.
Quantitative Data — From?
Numbers extracted from Google forms on related topics.
Step 2
One of the major finding from my research indicated that despite having the facilities provided to ease the operation other than just paperless booking, users are still unable to access these services effectively. This is either due to design related issue or tech related.
After combing through the data, I found some common problems in the majority of the feedback.
I had to divide these pointers into 2 categories as some of these issues seem to be more technical than design-related. My aim remained to only suggest alternative options to tackle tech problems.
Reflection
Furthermore, I consolidated a unified set of major pain points. The details of which have been laid down as per the order of user concern.
- The Login issue: The app remembers the login details but the users still have to manually log into their accounts each time they use it. This adds an extra step in the task flow and it also tends to lag.
- Location Inaccuracy: Once the system locates the user inside the station premises, the GPS seems to be inaccurate even if the user moves 20 Meters away from the track, thus preventing them from booking a paperless ticket. The app however suggests setting GPS to high accuracy mode, but it only adds an extra task for users to deal with, leaving a bad user experience.
- Online Transaction: Research suggests several users have filed complaints regarding unsuccessful bookings despite the money being deducted from their bank accounts, this is more frequent with Gpay users. I look at this as a technical issue as opposed to a design issue so I’ll steer clear. Considering the design issue: My research dictates that more users generally prefer UPI as their primary online payment mode. While UTS has added UPI as a payment mode in their app, the user still has to go through a least 5 Taps just to get to their preferred UPI payment page. It adds to user frustration of not being able to book tickets quickly.
- Users unable to book tickets on the platform: With the majority of the users preferring paperless booking, when a user has to book a ticket inside the station premises — the paper booking option is mostly ignored. The latter option has no location restriction to it.
Similar to this, QR code scanners can bring the same solution to such a problem. As a matter of fact — QR booking saves users time by instant e-booking! These features are gravely ignored — or we can say, not communicated well to the users. - Tedious task flow: A simple task flow to book a ticket from point A to Point B takes more than 10+ taps.
In response, the application provides a “quick booking” option that remembers the usual source/destination, however, it provides only a static request with no window to edit user details for the journey. - Poor Information Legibility / Confusing Interface: The current visual and placement of information needs to be better laid out and clearer. The interface requires a design treatment that can re-position all the features in the hierarchy of their importance, this can further reduce cognitive load and an aesthetically improved user interface.
Evaluation of current screens.
Step 3
With the collected data in hand, I began putting down possible points of improvement that I could think of. These pointers potentially tackle both common design and tech-related issues.
Notable scope for improvement
Please Note: This is a design thinking exercise. I have NOT considered development and budget restrictions due to lack of internal info.
- Automated Live Features: Linked with GPS, this feature can automatically detect the nearest station and provide live distance accuracy to the users. When inside the station, the system will automatically disable the paperless booking option to prevent errors. This feature can be reset manually by the users or refreshed.
- Train schedule chart: Another live feature in the app that shows the latest scheduling of the upcoming trains for up to 6 Platforms. Users can manually refresh this feature.
- Default payment option: Even though paying through R-Wallet is the quickest way of booking tickets, my research shows that most users prefer UPI. Hence a smart default option to reduce extra taps.
- QR Code visibility on the stations: Stations can install LED Monitors to display QR codes for booking. These monitors can be installed at the entrance or outside the ticket counters. A system that can refresh the code every 60 seconds can also be implemented to deal with passengers misusing the service.
- Info Access: Non-registered users can use the app to get fare + train schedule details.
- Auto detects: System Auto detects source station from live GPS.
- Revised Registration Process: Apart from basic contact details and language preference, users will have to provide at least one valid ID proof for account activation. This will be a mandatory requirement and set as default for any additional service that may require ID proof.
- Additional Registration Requests: The app can ask the users to agree on setting the GPS to high accuracy mode as a mandatory part.
- Booking link: Booked tickets can be linked to User ID/Phone Number. TC can check the booked ticket linked to the user’s ID in case of network issues, low battery, or related problems. An active User ID can function only on one device.
- Login: A fresh login attempt could be required every 30 days cycle. This will ensure disability of the app on a stolen/lost handset. Users can get access to their accounts by logging in through OTP.
Re-thinking the Main flow and Interface of the app — Why?
- Simplification of the structure
- Clear and Quick Navigation
- Prominence of alternative booking options
- Add live automated features
Low Fidelity Wireframes
Step 4
Redesigned screens
Explanations
Throughout the design process, I have maintained the visual integrity aligned with basic UX heuristics.
To sum it up
Throughout this case study I pinned up 3 solid points in my head.
- User-centric design solution.
- Toss perfectionism in the shredder.
- Look at everything as a prototype.
Considering the points of improvement that I have suggested above, this is but a small portion of the work for a robust app like UTS.
I’m positive that a flurry of constructive feedback from an actual user base would get this prototype into a loop of iteration and evolve into a finer product.
Acknowledgment and Learning
This was my very first case study. In 10 days, I have had the opportunity to learn a good deal about Figma and how to conduct surveys on a short scale.
I was nervous and confused with my questions — even more bewildered with the response I had received, but the process of getting clarity from that ambiguity is what kept me hooked.
I will say that my learning has been tested and measured through this. Not having to work with a team and correct resources was a big challenge. But I do believe in a process and I tried my best to conclude this project.
Please feel free to contact me for any feedback or suggestions. I do need them a LOT :)
