Simplifying customer daily transportation

Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) transports 366 million passengers every year including commuters, weekend travellers and tourists. I integrated an interdisciplinary team to design an interactive concept for the new SBB Mobile App.

Project type

iOS & Android app

Client, Role

Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), Interaction Designer, 2014

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Defining guiding principles

The goal was clear but also wide, we would have to design for everyone and simplify the user flow, without losing the features people were already used to. Every good design is based on a solid foundation, thus the first step was to define the overall concept and the key guiding principles.

 

Overall concept

The starting point is always home, no matter if the user wants to quickly search for a train, purchase a ticket or check detailed information. After completing the task, the user will always return home and begin the process again if he wants to perform another task. 

 

Design principles

 

1. Here and now

 

The app's main concept is here and now: the home screen displays information based on the need of a user depending on their location and time of the day. 

 
 
 

2. Optimize time

In the old app, buying a ticket would take 11 taps and 50 seconds. Now, travellers reach the purchase screen in just two taps and 15 seconds.

 

New

Old

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3. Design for everyone

 
 

A visual language that tells a story accessible to everyone regardless of age or ability. 

Consistent and modern interface elements, visual hierarchy and data visualization.

 

Facts of success

Ginetta continued to play an essential role in shaping the final product throughout the implementation phase, working on-site as part of the project team. The initial public release of the product was in November 2015. This base concept for timetables is still the one available to the public today.

“It was a great experience to work so intensively in a project that concerns such a wide group of people. I learned a lot from user research to interface design, having the opportunity to think and execute a lot of different concepts.”