LA Bus Stop  

During my tenure @ BMW DesignWork, I played a pivotal role in the design of STAP (Sidewalk and Transit Amenities Program) project, aimed at elevating the bus transit experience throughout Los Angeles City.
Timeline

11.2022 - 11.2023

Team & Partner

Product Manager; Creative Director; UX Design Lead; 3 Interaction Designers; 2 Industrial Designers; GDS (Partner - Dev); SOM (Partner - Architect)

Client

The City of Los Angeles

My Role

Research
Conceptualisation
Product Design
Usability testing
Client/Dev handoff
Branding/Visual Design

Background

Elevating Bus Transit for Angelenos and Future Major Events

The City of Los Angeles announced plans to enhance bus shelter structures with improved design and amenities to better serve Angelenos. These also intended to prepare upcoming big events, including the 26 World Cup & the 28 LA Olympic Games.

Problem

Unfriendly signage & outdated transit facilities have caused a steady decline in passengers

Los Angeles County is the #1 most populous county in the US but public transportation is really outdated and unfriendly.

Impact
Millions

commuters' safety & convenience

3000+

bus stops will feature the design

City Image

enhancement through new design

Solution

Companion Web Application

Quick jump to learn more

Based on extensive research on LA riders, I've found that physical shelter displays alone can't meet everyone's needs. The Companion Web app supports physical shelters, aiding people in LA without cars.

01

Effortless live bus tracking anytime, anywhere.

Open the web app to instantly see accurate bus status and next departure time. Bookmark buses or destination that go frequently to track and easily access on the home page for future.

02

Personal bus journey companion with exploration functionality

Seamlessly integrated routing with exploration functionality. This feature ensures a stress-free bus-taking experience while empowering users to discover nearby points of interest, transforming wait times into exciting adventures.

Solution

Live Transit Display at Bus Stops

Quick jump to learn more

Provide inclusive real-time bus information including arrival, delay, route updates and emergency alerts for all riders at each bus stop.

Other designs for this project

Content Management System

Allowing staffs to efficiently control and manage all assets and data in one central location.

SaaS Tools
B2B
Coming soon

LA Bus Stop's Visual identity

Crafted a visual identity that embodies the Los Angeles's vibrant people and culture.

Marketing
Brand Tone
Learn More
Challenge 1

The topic of public services is vast, as users can be found everywhere, resulting in complex and varied needs and goals.

User Research

Since the public transit experience is a broad and complex topic, I began by gaining a contextual understanding through three main questions:

-Who are taking buses?
-How is current bus rider experience in LA?
-How are other cities doing with their public transit experiences?

Insights

Pain Point #1

Complicated & Unhelpful transit signage

Los Angeles bus signage lacks clear and intuitive messaging, leading to extra time and effort for understanding. Multiple bus systems with different branding and signage further complicate the issue.

Pain Point #2

Feeling lost on buses due to lack of clear guidance

Tourists and infrequent riders often stress over getting off at the wrong stop due to unfamiliarity with the LA bus system and unintuitive guidance.

Pain Point #3

Finding amenities, local events or point of Interests can be frustrated

Research indicates that the first/last mile challenge significantly deters bus ridership. Overlooked amenities could address this issue effectively. Additionally, many riders struggle with navigating multiple apps to plan and explore their bus journeys in the city.

Pain Point #4

The current design lack attention to accessibility and multilingual needs.

About 80% of bus stops lack a push-to-talk feature, and existing ones often vary in functionality and button height, making them inaccessible to wheelchair users. The design also lacks universality, posing challenges for foreigners to understand.

Reflecting on research

🪧
How might we design a clear & reliable transit info to make bus travel in LA more simpler & less stressful?
Problem:
Complicated & unhelpful transit signage and guidance
👀
How might we improve the convenience of accessing information and navigating the city for bus riders?
Problem:
Not easy to access related services & information
🌍
How might we enabling a more inclusive and universal bus riding experience for all types of riders in the city?
Problem:
Accessibility needs are not very well for the entire bus journey

Align product strategies with clients

Mobile-First Web App
Easy to use and access mobile solution that assist with public display to provide more complex and personalized features.
Bus Shelter Public Display
Displaying most essential bus information like bus number, destination, arrival time, delay alert... clearly and simply for everyone.

Solution 1
Live bus tracking & searching

Based on the pain points and ties back to our three how might we statement, the first issue I need to tackled is transit information.

Before designing, I identified constraints with the client and dev team. The city doesn't want to track users' data, so no account creation is required. Additionally, the dev team lacks a graphic map API, so the app won't include a map feature.
Option 1: Bus stop orientate
Pros:
Familiarity- as it's how physically interact with the bus system.
Contextual Info - provides detailed information about each stop
Navigation - easier for users to find their stop
Cons:
Complexity: May require more steps to navigate
Information Overload - Can become cluttered
Option 2: Flattened Bus Lines
Pros:
Simplicity - more straightforward, presenting only the essential info
Quick Access - quickly navigating through different bus lines
Speed - faster for users who are familiar with their routes and just need quick information about a specific bus.
Cons:
Less Context - miss some information related to stops
After discussing with dev team and a round of usability testing...
From Dev Team:
✅ “By using these client-side storage methods, we can provide a personalized experience for users without requiring account creation."
From Users (Bus stop orientation):
🤯 “I don't always care about other buses at the stop. It adds unnecessary clutter."
🤨 “Just want to know when my bus is coming. This feels like too many steps."
From Users (Flattened bus lines):
🤔“The option to see detailed stop info when I want it is the best of both worlds."
😄 “Having my saved buses right there is super convenient for me."
👍 “Knowing what amenities are available at each stop is really useful, especially if I have to wait a while."
Move forward:
Flattened bus lines design + Detailed stop-specific page
Effortless live bus tracking anytime, anywhere.

Open the web app to instantly see accurate bus status and next departure time. Bookmark buses or destination that go frequently to track and easily access on the home page for future.

Challenge 2

What unique experiences and features can we introduce to enhance the bus-taking journey especially for those tourists?

Solution 2
Journey companion

Your personal bus journey companion with the ability to discover POIs at stops and along the route to better explore the city and kill the waiting time.

Seamlessly integrated routing with exploration functionality. This feature ensures a stress-free bus-taking experience while empowering users to discover nearby points of interest, transforming wait times into exciting adventures.

Before Getting On The Bus:
Easily plan your journey

- Trip planing
- Navigating to bus stop
- Discover POIs around the bus stop

On The Bus:
Stay informed & entertained
during your ride

- Journey Timeline & Companion
- Highlights interesting stops & POIs along the way

Getting Off The Bus:
Explore last-mile amenities  
& save favorite bus lines

- Amenities available near the bus stop
- Saved this bus line or destination for future easy access

Challenge 3

How to make the LA bus journey more accessible and friendly to every commuter?

Solution 3
Physcal public display

Effectiveness & inclusive public transit display at each bus stop

Ensuring everyone, including people with disabilities, can access and benefit from the information, complying with legal standards and enhancing usability.

During the design process

By using this checklist, it help me systematically address and be aware of those key aspects

Validating & Testing 

I conducted several rounds of testing on the actual display to validate and refine the design, ensuring it meets ADA requirements and is accessible to all.

Final design outcome:

By default, the top screen displays local weather and city news in a very clean and simply layout, but when a bus is arriving, it takes over the top screen, which it will taking more attention and from the testing we confirm rider who are from a 15 inch distance could also seen the arriving info very clearly 

Enabling a relaxing waiting experience utilize light & sound

Enhance the waiting experience with dynamic lighting and sound, keeping commuters informed and relaxed while improving accessibility for those with disabilities.

Accessibility features

A visible emergency button ensures quick help, while a push-to-talk button is wheelchair-accessible and designed for the visually impaired.

Currently, the city has already installed 10+ new bus shelters in high-traffic areas. 🥳

Feedback & Learnings

Be proactive in sharing your design progress and seek timely feedback from both internal and clients

In complex projects involving multiple external partners, such as STAP, blending digital and physical elements, staying on the same page is absolutely key. Regular updates, confirmed information, and get timely client feedback will large help prevent redundant tasks. While surprises can still occur, But they serve as valuable takeaway.

Always make inclusive design & accessibility top priority when developing public amenity products

When we're creating stuff like bus shelters for everyone to use, prioritizing inclusivity and accessibility is paramount. These amenities serve a diverse range of people, making it crucial to address various needs. It’s important that we Conduct thorough research and field studies to uncover pain points and observe user behavior. In the meanwhile, keep testing in different situations to catch problems early. It's all about making sure our designs work for everyone

DesignWorks LA studio IXD team

My experience with DesignWorks was a journey marked by continuous learning, valuable connections, and a spirit of bold creativity. Amidst a team of supportive and kind-hearted colleagues, I embraced the opportunity to explore new domains, pushing the boundaries of my capabilities.

Thanks for
reading!

TikTok Business
UP