Getting the Right Ticket Before the Train Leaves

26 September 2008 Euro IA Getting the right ticket before the train leaves The Challenges of User Centered Design for the Swiss Federal Railways

1. The challenge 2. The benefits 3. The difficulties 4. Lessons learnt 5. Conclusions 2 Euro IA The right ticket 26 September 2008

3 Projects for the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) > Examples for complex systems and environments > Developed by means of User Centered Design Front-end design first Iterative development of concept Visualization of concept in form of (klickable) prototypes User tests – including interviews – using prototypes in each iteration 4 Euro IA The right ticket 26 September 2008

1. Ticket machine > National tickets > Regional and local tickets for over a dozen regional transport networks 5 Euro IA The right ticket 26 September 2008

2. International tickets: Sales application > From Switzerland to neighboring countries Germany, France, Italy, Austria > «Best product», not best price Door to door, basically all trains Day & night trains, fast and slow connections Largely implemented > Target group: trained salespeople of the SBB 7 Euro IA The right ticket 26 September 2008

3. International tickets: Web application > Back-end system identical to sales application > Target group: Web users who buy online 9 Euro IA The right ticket 26 September 2008

1. The challenge 2. The benefits a. for Web users b. for salespeople c. for touch screen users 3. The difficulties 4. Lessons learnt 5. Conclusions 10 Euro IA The right ticket 26 September 2008

Major benefits for Web users > Availability of online shop for international tickets 24 hours Information on prices readily available > Usability Adequacy to users‘ knowledge Simplification of products, addition of information Tested and optimized processes Tickets sell well online No phone calls for assistance or complaints 14 Euro IA The right ticket 26 September 2008

16 Euro IA The right ticket 26 September 2008

Major benefits for salespeople > Improvements over old systems One system instead of several Not having to make several bookings & then manually annulate them > Making use of salespeoples‘ knowledge Shortcuts for processes Use of abbreviations and codes Shortcuts on keyboard 20 Euro IA The right ticket 26 September 2008

Major benefits for touch screen users > Usability Fast process for important destinations («favorites») Feedback on selections Additional information > Accessibility Optimization of colors, font and size (poor vision, color blindness etc.) > Large range of products and possible itineraries Suggestions of adequate related products (cross- and upselling) 26 Additional information available Euro IA The right ticket 26 September 2008

Touch screen users (I) > Overwhelmed by range of Products Reductions and special offers and other options 28 Euro IA The right ticket 26 September 2008

Touch screen users (II) > Manual selection of itinerary requires knowledge of timetables and geography > Several products not suitable for self-service Users lack knowledge about products Differences between products are not obvious Users are not interested in finding out the difference between products 30 Euro IA The right ticket 26 September 2008

Management > Considers process of buying international tickets online too long and complex > Regrets not having off-the-shelf products 31 Euro IA The right ticket 26 September 2008

IT > Large range of complex systems > Incomplete knowledge about systems > Difficulties of communication between project team and IT in touch screen project 32 Euro IA The right ticket 26 September 2008

What went well (I) > User acceptance gave credibility to the project Stabilized project at an early stage prevented lengthy discussions 34 Euro IA The right ticket 26 September 2008

What went well (II) > Visualization in form of screens supported communication Klickable prototypes, storyboards and use case descriptions were important basis of work for IT Helped to convince management of soundness of projects 35 Euro IA The right ticket 26 September 2008

What went well (III) > Collaboration in the international tickets projects 60 people – mostly representing business (sales) and developers – in one open plan office Feeling of sharing goals and tasks Ongoing and ad hoc communication Photo: Flickr.com High motivation of project team 36 Euro IA The right ticket 26 September 2008

What should be improved > Involvement of management > Awareness raising in marketing Test of compatibility with self-service for new products > Requirements engineering > IT proof of concept Implementation testing for parts of the system in early stages > Communication between team for design and concept and implementation team Design/concept team should be involved in implementation User Centered Design shall be part of all complex SBB-projects in 37 the future Euro IA The right ticket 26 September 2008

Making usable applications is not ... > about making interfaces look nice 39 Euro IA The right ticket 26 September 2008

... making usable applications is > a design and development process > based on the requirements of the people for whom it is designed > Involving people from management business marketing IT > who care and collaborate > to make applications work 40 Euro IA The right ticket 26 September 2008

Thank you. Jacqueline Badran Zeix AG Badenerstrasse 65 jacqueline.badran@zeix.com Postfach 2522 CH–8026 Zürich Andrea Rosenbusch www.zeix.com blog.zeix.com andrea.rosenbusch@zeix.com 41 Euro IA The right ticket 26 September 2008

Getting the Right Ticket Before the Train Leaves

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