The user’s needs were prioritized based on the impact compared to the amount of effort it would take to deliver. Based on user research, adding a new card, adding money, viewing card balance and accessing help were considered to have a high impact on the user and were determined to be a low effort to deliver. Though users wanted the ability to view card history (balance, spend and money loads) and have access to a transit map within the app, these were considered high impact and would take a high amount of effort to deliver. Deleting a card was considered a low impact/low effort.

The UX team’s goal was to create a mobile solution that will put Orca2 card management in the hands of transit customers.

Project Timeline: Two Weeks
The UX Team: David McLean and Carmen O’Toole

My Role: Project management | Interaction design | Visual design
—Task analysis, user-needs prioritization, sketching, storyboards, interactive prototypes and visual designs.

Problem
The Orca card system isn’t meeting customers’ needs to manage their cards, causing a feeling of uncertainty, frustration, and distrust. How might we improve so that their experience is more successful based on providing them with a mobile solution that aligns with their needs and on-the-move lifestyle?

Of the 262,000 daily computers to downtown Seattle, 126,800 are daily transit commuters. We project that 38,040 of 126,800 transit computers will shift to using the mobile app to manage their Orca card in the first six months.

Source: Commute Seattle, Seattle Department of Transportation

Early in the research process, the team determined that managing an Orca card’s funds is crucial and a pain point. A task analysis was performed on the website and kiosk system to determine the number of steps (taps or data inputs) it would take to complete the task of adding funds to an Orca card. These findings set a baseline and influenced the design solution.

Task Analysis (Website)
The website took 10 steps. The system took 24-48 hours for the funds to appear to the Orca card.

Task Analysis (Kiosk)
The kiosk took 9 steps. The funds appeared immediately on the Orca card.

“I use my Orca card for speedier entry and so I don’t have to keep cash on me. Time and convenience are most important to me.”

Jane is a 35-year-old HR junior manager at Amazon. She has a personal car but mainly takes the bus and light rail to work, and drives to the grocery store. She also often goes out for drinks with friends in Ballard and either takes an Uber home or a bus depending on convenience/cost difference. Her parents live in Bremerton and every other week, she takes the ferry to visit.

Jane Adams
Age: 35
Gender: Female
Work: Amazon
Income: $50,000
Transportation: Personal car, bike, Uber, bus, light rail
Tech Empathy: Medium
Favorite Brands: Apple, Uber
Favorite Channels: iPhone, email, twitter
Has: iPhone, Mac,
Uses: Apple Wallet, Venmo, Uber

Pain Points
—Deleting cards, adding cards
—Adding money and knowing the balance
—Where to get help
—Knowing ride history/cost per ride
—Feelings: anxiety, embarrassment, stress, frustration

How we can serve: Simplify the process of managing her Orca card
Needs from Metro: Get to and from work without parking a car.

The user’s needs were prioritized based on the impact compared to the amount of effort it would take to deliver. Based on user research, adding a new card, adding money, viewing card balance and accessing help were considered to have a high impact on the user and were determined to be a low effort to deliver. Though users wanted the ability to view card history (balance, spend and money loads) and have access to a transit map within the app, these were considered high impact and would take a high amount of effort to deliver. Deleting a card was considered a low impact/low effort.

These features informed the design phase::
—Add a new card
—Add money
—Able to view card balance
—Access to help
—Transfer card balances and delete a card
—View card history (balance, spend and money loads)
—Integrated a transit map

The design process included the team process of concept sketching and lo-fidelity wireframes to prepare for usability testing. As the team researcher progressed with usability testing, I parallel their work with a task analysis of our preliminary mobile design, storyboarding to illustrate design vision and high fidelity prototypes.

Sketches
The team sketched layout ideas for the app screens to kick off the project’s design and prototype phase. The result was a wealth of ideas that could be taken forward to wireframes and user testing.

Design studio
The team held a design studio exercise to explore the option of adding a map to the design. I presented our final results for critique and feedback.

Task Analysis (Mobile)
A third task analysis compared the number of steps it took to complete the task of adding funds to an Orca card. Preliminary designs for mobile reduce the process five steps vs. the 11 and 10 steps for the website and the kiosk.

Storyboards

Storyboard 1
Jane receives her Orca card in the mail, she opens the envelope, downloads the Orca2 app to her mobile phone, snaps a photo of the card and adds a balance to her card. The next day, she heads off to catch the bus.

Storyboard 2
A few weeks later, Jane heads out the door to catch the bus, the bus arrives and she boards. After tapping her card on the reader, it indicates she has no funds. Pulling out her phone, opening the Orca2 card app, and adds a balance from her stored credit card. She then taps her Orca card to the reader as the bus pulls away.

High Fidelity Prototypes
The high fidelity prototype consisted of individuals screens and an interactive prototype. These final prototype designs reflect the findings of usability testing.

The MVP will address the user’s highest impact needs. While the follow up release will include adding the ability to view card history and a transit map.

MVP
High Impact/Low Effort
—Add a new card
—Add money
—Able to view card balance
—Access to help
—Transfer card balances and delete a card

Follow up release
High Impact/High Effort
—View card history (balance, spend and money loads)
—Transit map

The long-term strategy for Orca2 is to move to an account-based system. Card refills will be usable instantly, not after 24-48 hours like today’s Orca. This move would open the opportunity to leverage Near Field Communication (NFC). NFC technology is available on mobile phones.