NYSUB
011/2023 - 02/2024
A digital public transport product for the New York City underground system, including a New York City underground map and an app for easy route planning.
UX Design // Information Design
11/2023 – 02/2024
Role: Research, Ideation, Concept, Design, Testing
Cooperation: Achromatopsie Selbsthilfe e. V., IFFarb e. V., freie Farbe e. V.
Project Overview
In the face of global crises such as climate change, resource scarcity and population growth in urban areas, public transport is becoming increasingly important. Larger cities in particular, such as New York, Tokyo and London, are heavily reliant on public transport to ensure smooth mobility on a larger scale.
Orientation is usually done with the help of a public transport map, which highlights a specific mode of transport within the city. The information on these maps can not only be confusing for tourists and new residents, but is also often illegible for people with visual impairments. Around 300 million people have some form of colour vision impairment, and more than 25% of people worldwide are visually impaired.
User Research
1. Interviews:
I conducted interviews with 5 experts and people with CVD via video calls with prepared questions, to gain insights.
2. Secondary Research:
To understand the themes, I learned a lot on forums and discussions, while also reading scientific papers on color vision deficiency, transportation maps and public transit.
3. Personas:
Using Personas, I created user journeys to define different scenarios and daily schedules of possible end users.
User Journey Map
Wireframes
By creating wireframes on paper, I was able to develop several ideas for the route planner page of the app, which is the main page for planning a route.
The page needed elements to set the location, destination, a navigation bar and access to the profile. A map was optional so that users could explore the map freely.
Low Fidelity Prototype
The elements in the prototype solve user problems like orientation by providing a map, buying tickets with recommendations and connection updates. Scan Code or click on link to test the prototype:
Low Fidelity PrototypeUsability Study
Conducting Usability Studies and testing the prototype led to important insights, which helped to refine the design and increasing its usability.These studies were conducted as unmoderated usability studies with given objectives.
Redesigning public transit maps
Public Transit Maps and Colour Vision Deficiency
The project involved a second layer: Reading public transit maps with vision deficiencies is challenging. Therefore I decided to redesign the public transit map of New York and trying to create a cohesive system for an increased readability. The carousel below allows a little slideshow documenting the design process. For further information please visit the NYSUB Subway Map project page.
↘ I redesigned the system for the public transit map of New York. I chose white circles with a black outline as station icons for better visibility. The train lines have different line styles, which lets the users distinguish the train connections. The colour system is also updated for better readability.
↘ Essential for the Redesign is the exploration of colours, coding the transit lines for better understanding. The coloured trainline logos are iconic for New York and its Subway. The colours were being corrected in a minimal manner to ensure readability for people with colour vision deficiency.
↘ The combination of different line styles and the updated colour system increases readability. The Goal of this examination was to find a system to make transit maps more accessible for people with vision deficiencies, resulting in better readability for everyone.
↘ The map could be coupled with digital interfaces, e.g. with navigation apps or wall displays in underground stations that serve as interactive connection finders. This further increases user-friendliness and accessibility.
Iterations and Usability
The icon colours were changed to be readable for people with colour vision deficiencies.
The contrast of elements and background passed WCAG AAA standards. All buttons include icons for easier access.
High Fidelity Prototype
NYSUB is designed to help people with navigating the confusing labyrinth of subway routes. The design is kept as simple as possible to ensure clarity und usability.
High Fidelity PrototypeNext Steps
1. Test Usability
I would test the usability of my Hi-Fi Prototype again with different people, to ensure the usability.
2. Extending the prototype
Also, I would add more functions in the prototype, such as all the pages in the information architecture.
3. Refinement of the visual elements
For my last stop of the project, I would refine the visual elements once again, to create a polished look.
Impact
The public space is a complex area for a lot of people. I hope, that my design and my considerations provide a new way of thinking about mobility apps and services!
What I've learned
It was a pleasure to talk to experts and users and learn about their needs and problems, but also to include accessible design decisions in the process.
I look forward to learning even more about public space design and accessibility in the future.
