Wander-Rail
An informative train booking platform that allows for a seamless journey for families with children
Overview
Passengers on trains encompass all ages, and recent years have especially catered to those with disabilities and wheelchair access, making trains widely accessible. However, trains continue to pose some inconvenience when it comes to families traveling with small children, particularly those between ages 0 to 5. Parents of children at that age are often lugging around strollers and if their children are at a newborn stage then they may also need a set up that’s spacious and comfortable enough for that baby while on the train. They would also require ramps to facilitate boarding the train, and disembarking it, as well as space to accommodate the strollers on the train.
I am
the parent of a young child who requires a stroller outside the house
I am trying to
travel via train while having information on accessibility (boarding/disembarking the train, stations, etc) when booking my trip
But
I often have to do my own research on accessibility, and even then, sometimes I’m still surprised or inconvenienced when going on a trip only to realize it’s not fully accessible from start to finish
Because
train booking platforms are not readily providing information specific to my selected journey when it comes to what to expect and prepare for
Which makes me feel
frustrated and not knowing what to expect prior to any train journey
Proposed Solution
A seamless, easy-to-use desktop and mobile site for families with small children wanting to book train travel through a platform that provides them with necessary information prior to the trip, subsequently allowing for a hiccup-free journey and minimizing the risks of any surprises or inconveniences along the way.
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Research
My research began with analyzing the competitive landscape to understand how different train booking platforms across different regions addressed similar issues, and to recognize what they have done well and what perhaps they have not. From there, I curated a list of questions that I then used to initiate one-on-one interviews with several parents within my network and community to get a more in depth and specific understanding of users’ needs and pain points.
Findings
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While some platforms do provide information on accessibility, it is a separate flow than that of booking, which could lead to passengers missing that information.
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Users expressed frustration regarding having to do their own research to find out which destination stations were accessible.
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Congestion and hours of peak travel significantly impacted when users would choose to travel.
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Almost all users preferred direct journeys that avoided any train changes.
Key Pain Points:
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Lack of information on accessibility
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Unexpected delays and/or inconveniences
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Not knowing whether or not a train will be crowded
User Personas
In a general sense, most people want to have a seamless, hassle-free journey with no surprises, whether they are traveling with children or not, but especially with children.
I focused primarily on two personas, both of which ultimately experience frustrations regarding unexpected changes and need as much information as readily available prior to their upcoming journey.
User Flows
Booking a trip flow:
Exploring trips flow:
Initial Sketches
Initial rapid sketching allowed me to get an idea of key functions and design patterns.
I also use it as a tool to visualize the user flow and get a sense of what actions would be the most intuitive for the user.
Low-Fidelity Prototype
High-Fidelity Prototype
This high-fidelity prototype focuses primarily on maintaining a simple interface while allowing for an intuitive process of searching for and selecting trip options. Though parents and families are the target audience, it would still be beneficial and useful for all travelers alike.
Upon selection, each trip option would provide information on accessibility, route details, amenities, and insights into the that particular journey, allowing the passenger to make a well informed decision. In addition, there would be opportunity to explore features fares and destinations for those who are flexible and open without a specific trip planned.
> Open Figma desktop high-fidelity prototype in new window
> Open Figma mobile high-fidelity prototype in new window
