CONTEXT

Limited public transportation alternatives in the suburbs.

In recent years, the issue of traffic congestion between Montreal and its suburbs, particularly Longueuil, has reached unprecedented levels. Despite initial hopes that the COVID-19 pandemic would alleviate this problem, the situation has only intensified. The following points shed light on the complexities of vehicular congestion and the challenges faced by taxi services in this region:

1. Rising Complexity of Traffic Congestion:

The daily commute between Montreal and its suburbs has become increasingly complex, with thousands of individuals opting for private vehicles, most of which are occupied by a single person. Despite being available, public buses often run at half capacity, failing to address the high demand for transportation efficiently.

2. Post-COVID Expectations vs. Reality:

Contrary to expectations, the post-COVID period did not witness a significant improvement in traffic congestion. The pandemic seemed to fuel a surge in private vehicle purchases as individuals sought alternatives to public transportation to ensure a safer and more isolated travel experience.

3. Challenges Faced by Public Buses and trains:

Public buses and train services, serving as an alternative to private transportation, face their own set of challenges. Irregular schedules throughout the day, particularly in adjacent cities like Longueuil and Laval, discourage commuters from relying on bus services, prompting them to choose private vehicles for a more reliable and convenient travel experience.

4. Impact on Taxi Services and Preference for Uber:

The advent of ride-sharing platforms, notably Uber, has had a substantial impact on traditional taxi services. Taxis have experienced a decline in business due to Uber's convenience and user-friendly interface. Many commuters now prefer the flexibility and ease of use provided by app-based ride-sharing services.
Uber's success in the region can be attributed to its flexibility and user-friendly application. Commuters appreciate the convenience of hailing a ride with just a few taps on their smartphones, often opting for Uber over traditional taxis due to the seamless experience it offers.

• How could we change this consumption pattern?
• How to raise awareness about energy waste?
• How can we achieve more efficient transportation?

RESEARCH

Kick Off

Early Insights from the Field

I begin my search for answers from my own experience. I lived in one of the most congested neighbourhoods in Montreal, and as a driver, I travelled alone in my vehicle and saw most people travelling alone. As for public transportation, in this area, it was fluid, and during rush hours, they were packed! It was hell!
Now, I live on the outskirts of Montreal, quieter! But if you want to enter the city, you will still go through a via crucis. The line of cars begins several kilometres before taking any of the access bridges, and public transportation here is scarce and infrequent.

RESEARCH

Discover

“We are heading towards chaos”

Several problems generate the problem of vehicular chaos that continues to grow in the city,
• On the one hand, there are repair works on some critical roads and new works throughout the city.
• The number of private cars circulating at the same time during peak hours.
• Traffic accidents that have increased.
• Truck trafic (Port of Montreal)
• Bad condition of the roads

“Minimizing private cars or having rideshare, park and ride options, or mass transit options can have a significant impact,”

Anjali Awasthi

Professor, Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering

Metro & commuter train

The commuter train, buses and metro service already have a plan that integrates them, making them functional, but more is needed.
The needs of private vehicle drivers must be met in the same way.
The public transport service in the suburbs works very differently than in the city.
• The frequency of the buses
• The number of routes available
• The schedules
• The Metro service does not reach these places
• The train only runs during the week and at limited times

How might we create synergy between all transportation systems?

Private car mobility in the greater Montreal area

77.3%

Since before the COVID-19 pandemic, Northern Crown has been the area where the most private vehicles come from.

“In downtown, between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m., more than 250,000 vehicles circulate there, more than half of which (55%) come from other sectors. In the morning, more than 80,000 vehicles from the suburbs head towards the center of the city.”

La Presse+

2017

DEFINE

User Persona

Our App could reach a vast type of users, some of the main use cases we found during research are:
• Self-employed person who is frustrated by the high gasoline costs and faces.
• Full-time workers with a fixed schedule who'd like to share rides when going to their workplace.
• A professor who wants to set the example among her students and walk the talk by sharing her car to be part of a positive change!

DEFINE

Customer Journey Map

Our App could reach a vast type of users, some of the main use cases we found during research are:
• Self-employed person who is frustrated by the high gasoline costs and faces.
• Full-time workers with a fixed schedule who'd like to share rides when going to their workplace.
• A professor who wants to set the example among her students and walk the talk by sharing her car to be part of a positive change!

DEFINE

The Opportunity

Taxi service - Carpooling!

Around the world, taxi services have suffered a negative impact with the entry of Uber and the offer of pirated transportation services. Protests have been organized in many cities where Uber has a presence, and Montreal was no exception. Taxi drivers have called for a ban on the service by disabling the Uber mobile application, but this service continues to work as of today.

Reinvent the taxi service?

Could the taxi service contribute to improving mobility?
Being an expensive service, how could the taxi be affordable to become a more helpful service?
How might we make citizens aware of not using their private vehicles and encourage them to share a taxi with other people?
How can the taxi service be profitable and more functional for the general public?

DEFINE

User flow

IDEATION

Wireframes

PROTOTYPE

Mid Fidelity Mockups

PROTOTYPE

High Fidelity Mockups

PROTOTYPE

Style Guide

Prototyping

During the development of the application, prototypes were made, and several tests were carried out. During the mid-fidelity stage, I evaluated the overall usability of the application through interviews and subsequently conducted another more advanced usability test. The application underwent adjustments based on user feedback.

USABILITY

Introducing Greenline

For smarter mobility!

With Greenline and its application available on mobile and the web, we seek to contribute to improving mobility by sharing the daily route and meeting new friends.

USABILITY

Interactions

I prioritized an intuitive flow between the frameworks so users could quickly find what they needed. Below, I present some of the interactions resulting from my work.

USABILITY

Results

Comparative table

This table highlights the most complex moments for participants regarding the tasks they were asked to do.

Task 1

Start the first frames and understand overall what this app does.

Task 2

Create an account

Task 3

Find a Carpool Home to Work Service

Task 4

Go to setting options and find the dark screen appearance.

Thanks!

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UX/UI Case Study - Mix Master
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LET'S WORK TOGETHER!

Feel free to hit me up. I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

edison@casallas.design 

casallas.design@gmail.com

Montréal, Québec, Canada

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