Charlie
Passion Project
My Role
UX/UI Designer
My Team
Kanksha Dixit and Shivani Bhosle
Mentor
Prof. David Scharn
Timeline
May 2023 - July 2023
Tool Utilized
Figma, Adobe Photoshop, Google Forms, Draw.io, Zoom
My Contributions
Conceptualization, Market Research, Problem validation, Problem Solving, Wireframing and User Interface Design
Living as a graduate student in bustling Boston was exciting but equally challenging. My day often began with rushing to catch the subway or bus, only to realize my Charlie Card had insufficient funds. Reloading wasn’t simple; the only available option was to head back to a subway station, queue up, and inevitably miss my transport. This daily inconvenience quickly became a pressing design challenge I wanted to solve.
I initiated a focus group amongst my friend circle to understand what everyone felt about this. I received so many thoughts, frustrations and one of my classmate decided to join me on this challenge of solving the common problem we have been facing
In pursuit of a comprehensive app solution, what additional features can be integrated to ensure seamless balance management and an enhanced user experience?
Since we were all international students who lived for a brief time, our mentor suggested that we research the internet to see if the local transport Authority is doing the same or not, and also talk to local people.
To validate if this frustration was widespread, we conducted surveys through Google Forms and in-depth in-person interviews at subway stations and bus stations, talking to over 55+ fellow commuters.
Uncovering common but critical pain points among diverse transit users
Daily Customers
User frustrated with existing system
Physical Reloading issue
Physical card issue
I recently lost a fully loaded card, and I couldn't track it. It was so frustrating.
I am usually running late due to the service disruptions, which I have no clue about until I reach the subway.
Not sure why we need the card in the first place, why don't we have a digital system like direct tapping the card
The machines are so far and so time consuming to load the cards which makes me miss my trains
I need receipts to submit for reimbursement at my office, and I don't get that through the machines so I end up taking my car instead
We mapped these insights using affinity mapping, which revealed three major pain points :
- Managing Funds and reloading methods
- Service disruption notifications
- Transaction history
Three clear personas emerged from this research:
Sam, the busy university student, always rushed, constantly missing transport while reloading funds.
Olivia, the occasional rider, faced issues keeping track of balances, transactions, and reimbursements.
Carl, the older adult, struggled navigating the physical card system and finding reloading machines.
These personas shaped every part of our design thinking process.
By deeply empathizing with users, we arrived at user journeys to recognize the struggles of manually reloading Charlie Cards. Leveraging iterative design thinking, we envisioned a simple, intuitive digital solution that transforms how commuters manage balances, enhancing accessibility for everyone.
With a clear understanding of user pain points, I led ideation sessions, sketching multiple user flows and wireframes. My focus was on simplicity, accessibility, and convenience, aiming to address core issues:
Digital Wallet Integration: Effortless fund management, no physical reloading required.
Real-time Notifications: Service disruptions, low-balance alerts, and train timings delivered instantly.
Personalized Journey Planning: Tailored travel recommendations and comprehensive route suggestions.
Inspired by Boston’s vibrant MBTA train line colors, I developed a visually engaging yet minimalist design. Through iterative prototyping, I crafted interactive, user-centric screens that were intuitive, clear, and welcoming—suitable for all age groups and technical abilities.
