Challenge 1:. Ironhack/Challenge 1: Design Thinking
By: Francesca Foiadelli
Tags: Design Thinking, Design Process, Ironhack Prework, Ironhack, User Personas

Ideate

In this section I will focus on different solutions, ideas and any creative key concepts that can help me in my prototype.

Finding solutions and brainstorming

Create a top-up card/pass that you can scan in metros, buses, etc, and even in Ubers or taxis. The card can be topped up with the money needed for the entire journey or with a credit card on file.

2. Create a digital/online itinerary where you buy all tickets at once. This would function similar to an online travel agency. All of the required tickets would be organized and arranged for ease of use. The tickets can be shown or scanned upon boarding.

3. Create an unlimited daily pass/card that can be shown or scanned. It can be used at any time throughout the day.

4. Create a subscription based weekly/monthly pass that can be used anytime and up to a limit depending on the selected subscription tier.

5. Create an integration with ride-sharing services to get the best price for journeys that have multiple passengers when the total cost of public transportation is competitive to that of private.

Prototype

With these ideas we decided to make two different prototypes derived from the same ideas but with some differences. In this low-fidelity prototype we wanted to keep the content and visuals to a minimum and present only the key elements.

The first prototype represents the virtual ticket with all of the routes on it for quick and practical access with just one scan. The virtual ticket contains all of the necessary indications such as the details and directions of each route. The second prototype represents the weekly and monthly pass that allows users to freely use the various transportation options up to a limit described by their subscription tier.

These passes are very useful for power users who use the app frequently. However, they are also useful also for travelers who need unlimited passes when traveling for a limited time.

The following steps explain the interaction between the user and the app.

1. On the first screen we will put the starting point, point “A” to point “B”, and then “GO” to continue.

2. On the second screen, the different options for routes and modes of transport appear; we will select the one that suits us and continue.

3. On the third screen we have the route already selected, the cost and time of the route. If we scroll down we will see the details to follow if the ticket is not bought. If we want to buy, we will see the option “PAY” or “PASSES ‘’ which are WEEKLY/MONTHLY PASSES”, in this we will continue with “PAY”.

4. By paying directly with integrated payment systems such as Apple Pay or Android Pay, we will have our virtual ticket with the “QR code” ready to scan. The ticket can also be downloaded or printed. This ticket contains all of the tickets for the route.

5. In this case we are going to click on “OPEN TICKET” which shows the details of each route, the schedule and also the directions of how to go from one place to another during transportation transfers.

3.2. If we go back to screen number three, we also have the option “PASSES” for “WEEKLY/MONTHLY PASS”. So we are going to select “PASSES” and in the next screen we will see the two options.

4.2. In this example we are going to select the “WEEKLY PASS” and next.

5.2. In the next screen we can see the payment options. After paying it we’ll have the ticket ready.

6. And in the last screen we can see all the details, like the name, date, etc. The same exact procedure for the “MONTHLY PASS” in screen 4.2.

Essential things I have learned

One of the most important things I learned was the importance of analyzing the problem. It is vital to understand the difficulty that exists to generate realistic solutions that focus on the real issue. Another thing I learned was that interviewing and talking to people is a mind opening experience and not only helped me to understand the problem better, but also presented me with many potential solutions than I would have imagined on my own. Finally, I learned that it is very important to create the first prototype with a paper and pencil. It was really useful to help me imagine every possible step. I think it is fundamental to understand how to capture the solution and to not be distracted by other details in the prototype. It is very easy to think about all of the details of the process and all of the “problems” within each “problem”. I think that focusing on the priority and the process and taking it step by step is essential.