BART Connected  Journey

OPTIMIZING RIDERS' COMMUTE WITH

Overview

BART's first official trip app provides companionship and step-by-step directions for riders on their smartphones. Since its launch, it has been downloaded over 100,000 times, received many positive reviews, and featured in tech blogs. 

BART is a public transportation system in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, the US’s 5th busiest. Until 2018, the primary way used to communicate with users was through Twitter.

Working with stakeholders, developers, and a project manager to devise solutions for an interactive, easy-to-navigate design that reflected the institution’s academic mission.

Background

BART is a public transportation system in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, the US’s 5th busiest. Until 2018, the primary way used to communicate with users was through Twitter.

GOAL

Although many people are familiar with the system, there are still a lot of questions about the various ways to get around. We aimed to create an app with a reliable interface and fluid experience for users plan their travels, resulting in a good acquisition to collect better data and provide a better transportation service.

My role in this project was to work as a designer, teaming up with stakeholders to develop a consistent brand, and listen to users through BART’s research and marketing. I updated some of the screens you see here visually, as a personal project. It was launched in 2018, and the screens shown in this case study were designed by me, as a personal project.

Discovery, Analysis & Research

Based on user needs and business requirements, highlighting user pain points and finding ways to address them based on client requests.

Listening to riders who took surveys on what they wanted from BART, we found out that people really wanted to see real-time service updates so they could make decisions about when it was best to use BART, highlighting options of places and events happening in nearby stations.

After gathering these findings, we developed user flows and journey maps that laid out all possibilities in a clear and logical manner, for easy use in the app.

Branding

Consistent Identity

The visual elements created for the app brings BART’s brand identity—which has been established through its use in stations, pamphlets and its website—to the screen. Standing out from other competitors, bringing their established brand.

Experience & Visual Design

BART Trip Planner has an intuitive navigation, follows accessibility standards & supports multiple languages and alphabets.

The app connects with timetables from more than 30 transit agencies. Connected to BART Watch app, it makes easy for passengers to contact security in stations.

Results

Eliminating decision points and reducing stress levels before and during the trip.

Maximizes usability and leads to a non-disruptive navigation. Native gestures and behaviors commonly seen in map apps optimize the user experience, making it easy for users to get familiar with the app

Location

Detailed information about station entrances and exits so riders can find their way around Shows riders where the bike racks, elevator and parking lots are located in each station so they can plan their trip accordingly.

Accessible, reliable

Easy-to-read timetables that support multiple languages and alphabets, Provides real-time updates on delay information so riders can see if they should adjust their plans or just wait it out.

Bite-sized snapshots of the trip steps, task-focused interactions and clear call to actions,

Eliminating decision points and passengers can easily follow along without being distracted by other information or interfaces.

Customizable

It uses your current location to point you in the direction of the closest station, pick a saved address as departure or destination point.  You can also add a starting point, or begin a trip from the home screen.