Graduation Project - Enhancing the User Experience of MMTS Ticket Booking
INTRODUCTION AND BRIEF:
ATVM is a self-service kiosk enabling passengers to buy railway tickets without human interaction. However, concerns persist about the cost of the machine, infrastructure, and the risk of card loss due to unsanitary conditions, troubling those waiting in line to purchase tickets.
The aim of this project is to create a user-friendly and efficient mobile application for booking tickets on the Suburban railway system of India, with a focus on Multi - Modal Transport system (MMTS) in Hyderabad.
PROJECT DURATION:
UNIVERSITY:
4 Months
UnitedWorld Institute of Design
TOOLS AND METHODOLOGIES:
Figma, Adobe Indesign, Adobe Illustrator, User Research, A/B Testing, Design thinking process, competitor analysis
Research Approach
Phase 1 - Desk Research
DOMAIN - Indian Railways
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Rail transport in India is an important mode of conveyance for people and goods in India.
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Indian Railways (IR) is the primary operator of rail operations throughout the country.
SUB DOMAIN - Local Trains
Local trains connect central business districts with suburbs or densely populated areas, commonly referred to as suburban trains. In India's major cities, the suburban rail service includes...
1. Mumbai Suburban Rail
2. Kolkata Suburban Rail
3. Lucknow - Kanpur Suburban Railway
4. Pune Suburban Railway
5. Hyderabad Multi Modal Transport System
6. Barabanki Lucknow Suburban Railway
7. Pernem - Karwar Suburban Railway
8. Delhi Suburban Railway
MMTS Hyderabad - Detailed Exploration
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The Hyderabad Multi-Modal Transport System (MMTS) is a suburban rail system in Hyderabad, India. It is a joint venture of the Government of Telangana and the South Central Railway, it is operated by the latter.
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The 50-kilometer (31 mi) system operates on three main routes: Hyderabad–Falaknuma, Hyderabad to Lingampalli and Falaknuma–Lingampalli with a total of 120 MMTS services.
Ticket Booking at MMTS
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Apart from the option of purchasing tickets at the ticket counters, all cashless modes of purchasing MMTS tickets will be functional for the MMTS travelers.
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Passengers can also buy MMTS tickets through Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) mobile app
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ATVMs (Automatic Ticket Vending Machines) are available at all major MMTS stations, wherein purchases can be done through Smart cards.
ATVM - Automatic Ticket Vending Machine
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Automatic Ticket Vending Machine (ATVM) was introduced by Indian Railways to reduce passengers queuing up at the ticket counters at the Railway Stations.
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ATVMs are touch-screen based ticketing kiosks operated using smart cards. The passenger can purchase and recharge the Smart cards from nominated ticket counters.
Problem Identification
ATVM - Unused?
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SECUNDRABAD installed automatic vending machines at stations to ease crowds at general booking counters.
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Long queues still exist despite the availability of ATVMs.
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ATVM machines without supervisors remain unused.
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Unreserved booking counters at Secunderabad, Kacheguda, and Hyderabad stations are always crowded.
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MMTS passengers complain of delays due to a shortage of facilitators.
Compitetor Analysis
Objective : 1. Find out who is currently trying to solve the problem?
2. How are they trying to solve it?
3. What is their main differentiation or unique value added to their business or products?
4. If anyone approached to solve and failed, why did they fail?
Solution Positioning
After doing a thorough Competitor Analysis, I tried to position my application on four important parameters - functionality, accessibility, experience and inclusiveness.
Problem Statement
Design a user-friendly platform that allows passengers traveling between Kachiguda and other local stations of the South Central Railway Zone in Hyderabad to book train tickets and track/locate local trains easily. The platform should emphasize accessibility and inclusiveness in the design
to ensure an optimal experience for all users.
Phase 2 - User Research
Aim - To understand the complete journey of a passenger while using ATVM machine
Objective
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To understand the barriers faced by passengers while using ATVM machines at railway stations, while making payments on ATVM machines and while selecting the stations while booking the tickets.
Approach
For this project, I will be using a mixed approach that combines observational, attitudinal, and behavioral research which will be qualitative and quantitative in nature.
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Observational Research - To see how people will react when confronted with various choices or situations. Tools - ethnography, field study, guerrilla interviews
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Attitudinal Research- To understand users attitude towards ATVM Machine and the difficulties they are facing. Tools - survey/questionnaire.
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Behavioural research - To understand users behaviour when they use the machine. Tools - survey/questionnaire.
Observational Research - Sketches
Observational Research - Images
Observations
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Promoting UTS - Govt promotes UTS app & would maybe invest in a user-friendly app to reduce queues at ticket counters.
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Toy for local people : It was also observed that passengers visit the machines just out of curiosity.
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Status of the train - Limited access to train information leads to longer queues and wait times at ticket counters.
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Placement of the machines - At times, the placement of ATVMs is not optimal, and they are not easily visible to passengers.
Field Studies
Guerilla Interviews
Conclusions
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Long queues at the ticket counter - Passengers arrange alternative transportation if pressed for time.
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Tech-Savvy Passengers - Most MMTS passengers are tech-savvy students who use mobile apps or online platforms to buy tickets.
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Payment Options - It was observed that many passengers were comfortable making online payments for their tickets; however, they were unable to do so at the ticket counters as online payments were not accepted.
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UTS application not working - Few passengers utilize the UTS application, encountering difficulties with its user interface and inputting information for bookings. This can result in frustration and a suboptimal user experience.
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Forced to learn how to use technology - Some elderly passengers were seen using mobile phones, suggesting they might be comfortable with apps.
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Not solving the problem- ATVMs were introduced by the government to reduce long queues, but very few people were observed using them.
Attitudnal and Behavorial Research
Conclusions
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A significant portion of commuters regularly visit railway stations.
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Due to perceived complexity and time constraints, many individuals prefer purchasing tickets directly from counters rather than using ATVMs.
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ATVMs are appreciated for their ability to alleviate long queues.
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Users often encounter extended waiting times and technical glitches when using ATVMs.
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Assistance is frequently required by users during the ATVM booking process.
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Some argue that ATVMs may not be practical for all passengers, especially those with disabilities or large groups.
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There is a growing expectation that more individuals will embrace technology for ticketing in the future.
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Online payment difficulties pose a challenge for users.
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Users express a preference for applications over websites for ticketing purposes.
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The ATVM interface is commonly criticized for its lack of user-friendliness.
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Users face challenges with language clarity and font legibility on ATVM displays.
Ethnographic Studies
As a part of my research on passenger experience with ATVM, I conducted an ethnographic study by identifying the pain points that passengers face, specifically with regard to certain flows and screens. This data helped me to optimize the user flow and design of the application.
Pain Points while using ATVM:
1. Unable to use the map
2. Technical issues with ATVM
3. Payment Issues
4. Unable to search for stations
5. Unable to add multiple passengers
6. Platform ticket do not get printed
7. Refunds not getting initiated
Main User Persona
Target Users
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My target audience for this solution consists of individuals who are 17 years old or older. I aim to target potential users who fall within this age group, including commuters, travelers who are looking for a convenient and user-friendly solution.
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A few potential consumer groups can be the following Regular commuters, Occasional riders, Tourists, Tech-savvy users, Senior citizens, Business, traveler, Students, Families
Customer Journey Mapping
Customer Experience Mapping
Would you like to see the outcome?
Regrettably, due to confidentiality obligations outlined in the NDA, I'm unable to share the results of this project. However, if you're curious about what's next or would like to discuss further, please don't hesitate to reach out to me via email at jyothsnapeddi.design@gmail.com. I'd be happy to provide more information or discuss any related matters in detail. Your understanding is greatly appreciated.