Challenge 1: Design Thinking
This is the first of 3 Challenges from the Prework of the Ironhack UX-UI Design Bootcamp and it will be about problem solving through Design Thinking.
Design Thinking is a scientific methodology used for solving problems through a user centered approach. The first step will be understanding who we are designing for in order to empathise with him, that will help us to define his needs, then we will be able to come up with some fresh problem solving ideas, that we will bring into life by building a prototype, to be finally tested by our end user.
THE CHALLENGE
Our client is Citymapper a public transport and mapping start up that solves problems of urban mobility.
Citymapper solves most of the main problems of urban mobility, but the main pain point we will be facing is the amount of different transport tickets the user needs to buy during their trip. And the annoying process the user faces while buying them.
The scope is to create a feature for this app that solves the pain of having to purchase different public transport tickets by different channels.
PROBLEM SOLVING THROUGH DESIGN THINKING
01/ Empathise
Interviewing the users face to face is the best tool for getting to know them better.
USERS:
A - VICTOR MARTINEZ
THE USER IS A 30 YEAR OLD ENGINEER
WHO WANTS TO GO TO AMSTERDAM WITH HIS PARTNER.
City
Likes to plan his trip.
Open to improvisation but do not want to miss highlights!
The more he sees the better, do not like to move without any specific destination.
Complaints about having to carry spare coins in order to pay tickets.
Airport
Always book tickets before starting the trip.
B - DIANA GONZALEZ
THE USER IS A YOUNG LADY
WHO WANTS TO VISIT BERLIN
City
Do not plan the trip step by step, likes to improvise.
Likes to get lost in the city and to discover and get surprised by unexpected spots.
She is a bit claustrophobic and prefers bus and tram rather than tube.
Loves tram but gets easily wrong stop due to distraction.
C - SERGIO VILA
THE USER IS A TEAM LEADER
WHO WANTS TO VISIT NEW OFFICE IN BERLIN
City
He will stay in the city for a couple of days and plans a city visit too.
He likes to walk and discover the city but by the end of the day wants to get back to the hotel by city transport or even taxi.
Does not know the area and would like to get nice spots on his way to work where to have breakfast.
Airport
On Friday he wants to leave the office straight to the airport and needs to set an alarm to remind him while he is focused on a specific project that he needs to leave in about 10min. Would be nice if he can set up the trip in advance and the app will adapt departure time readjusting to any inconvenience in transit or transport delais.
D- ANGELES & JUAN DIAZ
THE USER IS AN OLD COUPLE
WHO WANTS TO VISIT PARIS
City
Paris is a very big city and our users can’t walk very long distances. That is why they are forced to use public transport.
Paris tube is huge and you can get lost inside. You need to know the starting and the end stop of the line to find your destination.
Paris tickets are old and easy to lose due to their non standard measure. It is hard not to distinguish used and unused tickets.
Airport
-Starting point is the connection between the airport and city center.
-Sometimes you can buy a ticket at the bus sometimes not.
-bus drivers and very rude to ask them questions.
-Ticket machines are difficult to understand and crowded.
-Due to the amount of people waiting behind you, it is hard to focus on the ticket you need to buy to reach your destination.
E- JAVIER FERNANDEZ
THE USER IS A HEAD OFFICE ENGINEER
WHO WANTS TO GO TO CHINA TO CHECK PRODUCTION PROBLEMS
Main problem of communication was the language. He planned the trip very accurately. With annotations on the train stops not to get lost! Very focused during the long trip, very stressed and exhausted. Had problems at the train station to buy a ticket with a debit card.
02/ DEFINE
User’s viewpoint
After interviewing our users we can collect very useful pieces of information that we can turn into ideas on how to make their life easier by using our product.
A- VICTOR MARTINEZ:
select hight-lights or favourite places to visit during your trip.
Make a route with pluridestinations.
Buy a ticket through the app to avoid worrying about spare coins.
B- DIANA GONZALEZ:
Warning that lets her know her stop.
Suggesting interesting cultural routes.
Add a filter by transport ( avoid tube)
C- SERGIO VILA:
Suggesting nice cultural spots where to stop or hang out.
Be able to plan a route in advance.
Set up an alarm or warning to start a trip to reach his destination at a specific time.
Set up favourite places like home, office, hotel…
D- Sr & Sra DIAZ
See the entire route of the selected public transport (start & end)
Buy ticket through the app.
Easy way to show the ticket to the inspector, bus driver…
Buy all the necessary tickets for the trip in one click.
03/ IDEATE
Finding a solution
Flows
04/ PROTOTYPE
Put ideas on paper
CONCLUSION
What I learned
It is basic to do an extended research at the first step of the project and avoid going straight forward to put possible ideas on paper.
We need to have a scientific approach to this situation, we need to bring solutions to existing problems and research is the key to discover them.
Good research will help us to discover patterns of behaviour and prevent or correct possible mistakes the user will make.
This pattern of behaviour will help us to understand our user workflows and insert solutions in the gaps. Is the best way for us to generate solutions, ideas.
After all the research is done and its understanding we can put ideas on paper and start to project our solutions. We will create a guide our user will follow by intuition in every step of his trip.
