Towards a better Metro Fare Card Machine

1. Towards a better Metro Fare Card Machine By: Bhumi Deliwala Final Project: LBSC 795

2. Landscape

3. Comparative analysis New York citywith metro machines Flip side: • Use of strong colours and animation Interactive–(Holman,2009) • Intuitive Interface Similar to ATM Machines. – -(Deliwala,2010) • Less instructions on machines. Neatly organized. - (Deliwala,2010) • Adaptable to changes. -(Deliwala,2010) • Less steps to perform a task : • For e.g The regular subway riders took about 10 seconds to finish a transaction when it came to selecting a new card, paying, and retrieving a fresh MTA subway card(Assumption: Regular commuters purchased monthly passes) –(Cindy,2009) Image from: (Cindy,2009)

4. Comparative analysis New York citywith metro machines (cont..) • Flop side: • No idea what the big silver button is for ? - (Deliwala,2010) • No pointer as to where to insert metrocard to refill -(Cindy,2009) • Options on first screen confusing -(Cindy,2009)

5. Methods of study

6. Field research for initial data collection: Observation, Personal experience & Expert Review Image: Deliwala,2010 • Bad Information Architecture: • Information overload  cluttered • Touch Smarttrip to refill slot towards the bottom results in people not noticing it • General Instructions often ignored. • List of stations and fares  less prominent • Map missing

7. Field research for initial data collection: Observation, Personal experience & Expert Review Image: Deliwala,2010 • Interface design: • A,B,C buttons for selecting mode of payment confusing • Toggle button for increase and decrease $ and cents was misleading and annoying • LED screen too small • Too many buttons same color &size  No distinction • All text in white color- occupy space on machine • Too many input/output slots • No Back and Next button to navigate

8. Filed Study: Expert review • No adaptability • Lack of awareness  even a farecard could be recharged. • Farecard options terminologies  ambiguity • Users need to calculate fare  annoying • Poor money management algorithm Image: Deliwala,2010 Image: Deliwala,2010

9. Prototype Development

10. Prototype development • Based on the data collected via field study research, personal observation and expert review  Prototype version 0.0 • Created the prototype in Power Point

11. Prototype version 0.0

12. ? Select type of fare card you want to purchase Back Online help English Spanish Chinese Round Trip Farecard One way Fare card Hindi Polish Italian Unlimited monthly pass One day pass Weekly pass Greek German French Purchase ticket here (scrolling alerts) Select a Language to Begin Push to call Station manager for help Cash Accepted Coins 5c,10c,25c,$1 Insert Coin Push for Audio Accepted Bills Push to cancel transaction Insert Cash $1 $5 $10 $20 Credit/Debit Card Insert Credit /Debit Card Change/receipts Collect Tickets Change/receipts Accepted cards Metro Farecard /Passes Dispatch machine

13. First Evaluation method and Findings

14. Class critique rounds • Feedback and key findings: • Online help option would be helpful. • Keep Back and Next button on each screen to allow users to navigate back and forth. • Arrow pointers to point to each card slot and flash light border around that slot should blink when that slot will be in use intuitive interface • On the screen that displays farecard options to purchase, have a ‘?’ button to provide brief information about each one of them • Limitation: • With PPT prototype, drawing a 3-D view of the metro machine was difficult to draw.

15. ? Select type of fare card you want to purchase Payment method details displayed ? Back Next Online help Next Back Round Trip Farecard Online help One way Fare card ? ? Select mode of payment Unlimited monthly pass One day pass Weekly pass Credit Card Cash Debit/ATM Card ? ? ? Purchase ticket here (scrolling alerts) ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Push to call Station manager for help Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Cash Back Back Next Next Online help Online help Back Back Back Back Back Back Back Back Back Back Back Back Back Next Next Next Next Next Next Next Next Next Next Next Next Online help Online help Online help Online help Online help Online help Online help Online help Accepted Coins 5c,10c,25c,$1 Round Trip Farecard Round Trip Farecard Round Trip Farecard Round Trip Farecard Round Trip Farecard Round Trip Farecard Round Trip Farecard Round Trip Farecard One way Fare card One way Fare card One way Fare card Insert Coin Push for Audio ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Accepted Bills Push to cancel transaction Unlimited monthly pass Unlimited monthly pass Unlimited monthly pass Unlimited monthly pass One day pass Weekly pass Insert Cash $1 $5 $10 $20 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Credit/Debit Card Insert Credit /Debit Card Change/receipts Collect Tickets Change/receipts Accepted cards Metro Farecard /Passes Dispatch machine

16. Evaluation-Round II: Usability Testing and its findings

17. Usability Testing and its findings • Methods: • Scenario based testing Think Aloud • No. of participants: 4 (2 visitors + 2 regular commuters) • Interview • No. of participants: 2 (1- frequent rider, other one rides once a month • Surveys – 12 people responded (Deliwala. Web Survey, 2010) • Observation : • Less suggestion from regular commuters vs visitors. • Interview was more useful for knowing user preferences • Detailed and interesting suggestions were derived from Scenario based testing method of evaluation • Survey was just helpful to get a broader picture of some features

18. Interview and Scenario based testing • Key Findings: • Having a map on the LED screen to select destination for purchasing a farecard was more intuitive. • Payment Interface should be in the same vicinity. • Combine Smart trip card and fare card machines. –All 3 methods • 70% users had heads up for touchscreen interface. - All 3 methods • Allow recharging card online, but not buying. • No elimination of smart trip card option. • Mixed reviews on allowing Touch interface for smart trip to be kept intact. • Prefer having separate farecards and smart trip both. • Contrastingly, 55.5% users prefer having farecard and smart trip combined. –Survey • 80% said – no need of separate kiosks for visitors and regular commuters. – All three methods • All passes should be applicable in buses also. -Interview Interview and Scenario based testing

19. Final Prototype version 2.0

20. ? ? Push to cancel transaction Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Online help Back Next Next Online help Online help SmarTrip Card Round Trip Farecard Round Trip Farecard One way Fare card One way Fare card ? ? ? ? ? Monthly pass One day pass Weekly pass Unlimited monthly pass One day pass Weekly pass ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Back Next Insert Credit /Debit Card Accepted cards Touch Smartrip card here to refill Purchase ticket here (scrolling alerts) Purchase ticket here (scrolling alerts) Credit/Debit Card Push to call Station manager for help Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Select type of fare card you want to purchase Next Next Online help Online help Back Back Back Next Next Next Next Next Next Next Next Next Next Next Next Online help Online help Online help Online help Online help Online help Online help Online help Push for Audio ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Cash Push to cancel transaction Accepted Coins 5c,10c,25c,$1 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Insert Coin Accepted Bills $1 $5 $10 $20 Insert Cash Collect FareCards/ Passes Change/receipts Metro Farecard /Passes Dispatch machine

21. Why buy my Design? • As per my survey, 62.5% claimed that the part they hated most about existing machines is : too many steps to perform and 37.5% complained about bad information architecture and information overload. • My Design Solution: • Less steps to perform. • Improved first try transaction success rate • Big LED • Touchscreen  cool feature • Use of distinct strong colors  improves interactability • Strategy: Put all instructions/content within the screen and keep it brief • All action oriented content/features are in the left and central parts of the machine and optional features on the right  avoid confusion • Compartmentalization information into groups based on purpose. Simplicity + Cool design interface and automation  sellable in the market.

22. Open issues • PPT prototype did not give idea of the exact size and look of the actual machine. • Absence of interactivity aspect in the PPT prototype as there were no scope of creating linkages between different phases. • Was not able to do the evaluation on old users • Did not consider blind and impaired users in my design. Would want to consider them as well and refine my design in the future. • Cost was not considered. • More people for survey need to be recruited

23. References [1] Holman, Kathleen. New York Subway Ticket Machine Design by IDEO. Serial Pioneers Limited, 2009. Web. 8 May 2010 [2] Cindy. New York MTA Ticket Machine. Digital image. Pixel Punchout. Pixel Punchout, 19 Oct. 2009. Web. 5 May 2010 [3] Deliwala Bhumi. “Personal site visit at NYC subway station”. April 17, 2010. [4] Deliwala, Bhumi. ”DC Metro Ticket Machine- personal site visit”. Image. April 8, 2010. [5] Deliwala, Bhumi. ”Survey on DC Metro Ticket Machine”. Web Survey. April 28, 2010.

24. Thanks

25. Appendix • Farecard options: Terms that are frequently confused are listed below: (Most people rarely know/understand the meaning of each term below) • No clear or prominent instructions are specified explaining these terms: • One Day Pass:Pass is valid for one day of unlimited Metrorail travel on weekdays after 9:30 a.m. or all day on Saturdays, Sundays, and some federal holidays (unlimited Metrorail travel begins after 9:30 a.m. on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Columbus Day, and Veterans Day). Pass expires at the end of the operating day: 3 a.m. on weekends, midnight on weeknights. • 7-Day Short Trip Pass:Pass is valid for seven consecutive days for Metrorail trips costing up to $2.65 from 5-9:30 a.m. and 3-7 p.m. on weekdays. If the trip costs more than $2.65, you must use the Exitfare machine to pay the additional fare. The pass is valid for any rail trip at other times. The pass will be returned for continued use during the valid period. • 7-Day Fast Pass:Pass is valid for seven consecutive days of unlimited Metrorail travel.