SKM
Finding ways to improve the experience of suburban train passengers by redesigning the ticket purchasing process at vending machines.
But why should the existing interface be redesigned?
Overview
SKM is a polish company that provides a public transit system in the Tricity metropolitan area, which annually moves more than 40 million passengers. SKM ticket machines are available at almost every rail station; however, their usability leaves much to be desired. As a daily passenger of the SKM suburban trains, I believe it needs to be improved!
Challenge
Based on my own experiences and observations of other users’ behavior, I have noticed that the SKM ticket machines do not provide quick ticket purchasing. The existing interface is complicated and unintuitive, while the purchasing process requires too many decisions and clicks, causing confusion and frustration among both regular and occasional passengers.
Solution
Find a way to streamline the ticket purchasing process by significantly reducing the number of steps required from the user. The redesigned interface should meet accessibility standards for all users and provide passengers with a positive user experience through a seamless flow, supported by a clear layout and visually appealing appearance.
Existing interface
Research
I conducted a usability study of the existing interface using the hallway testing method, by asking 10 passengers to purchase a specific ticket. Observations of their behavior, followed by brief interviews, allowed me to understand the passengers’ interactions with the ticket machine and identify pain points in the user flow. Key insights are summarized below:
12 taps
At least 12 taps are currently required from the user during the ticket purchasing process.
60%
60% of the research participants felt confused and got stuck somewhere in the user flow.
20%
20% of the research participants were unable to complete the ticket purchasing process.
60 sec
Participants took an average of 60 seconds to complete the ticket purchasing process.
Seeking for new solutions to improve user experience.
User flow
I developed a user flow of what a basic start to finish user journey should look like while purchasing a ticket. This helped me understand the different paths passengers might take when using a ticket machine, and allowed me to visualize the interface navigation based on user goals. This approach resulted in the concept of a six-step purchasing process.
Six-step purchasing process
Improvements
Redesigned button-based interface clearly indicates the required actions to users. The increased button area facilitates use in a hurry, and varying weather conditions. Carefully chosen sizes, color accents, and placement of elements create a layout with a clear structure and strong visual hierarchy, making the SKM ticket machine easy to use.
Usability study
The concept of a six-step purchasing process was evaluated through a field study with a group of 10 participants, whose task was to purchase a specific ticket. This qualitative research was conducted in a real-world environment, at an SKM station, using a high-fidelity prototype provided on a tablet. Observations from the study led to the following findings:
6 taps
The number of steps required to purchase a ticket has been reduced from 12 to 6 taps.
100%
100% of the research participants completed the ticket purchasing process without any issues.
Average purchase time reduced from 60 to 20 seconds.
Key visual
I chose the neutral yet user-friendly Open Sans font. The font has been specifically optimized for interface screens and features excellent legibility characteristics in its letterforms. The proposed color palette directly references the original colors of SKM company, its suburban trains and platforms, ensuring consistency with the company’s visual identity.
