The NYC MTA App serves as a critical tool for people located in New York, providing you with information to easily commute in one of the largest transit systems in the world. However, the MTA app, while trying to help the user, can sometimes fall into a slim flaw of overwhelming the user.
Instead of helping address their pain points when it comes to commuting from point A to point B. After reading “The Design of Everyday Things” by Don Norman, I can confidently identify some designs that could be improved.
First design improvement: Overloaded with Information
(screenshot: MTA App’s First screen)
Upon opening the app for the first time, the information is divided into the nearest train station, followed by a list of trains and their distance from the station. This action overwhelms users with excessive details, affecting the gulf of execution to determine where to click or tap, the exact train they should take, as well as the ability to quickly see just the one train that is coming up next.
A solution would be a redesign where a simplified version of just one train is available on the homepage, and if you’d like to see more information on other upcoming trains, you would expand, but only when prompted. By hiding nonessential details behind expandable sections, you significantly reduce overload.
Second Design Improvement: Unclear Navigation Labels (Violates Signifiers & Visibility)
The app has only one indicator that can either mean there is a delay, a planned work, or a service status. This signifier lacks visibility by forcing the user to navigate multiple tabs to understand what the indicator means. Signifiers should indicate their function and should not be limited to only one for all.
(Screenshot of App’s indicator)
A solution to this could be a redesign of different signifiers and a quick guide that teaches users some “Knowledge in the head” and stores these icons in their memory for future use.
Third design improvement: Transfer of Training ( Violates Mental Models & Consistency)
Users familiar with other transit apps are used to certain behaviors and consistencies throughout different apps, like tapping a station to see real-time arrivals. However, the MTA app does not always follow these patterns, forcing users to relearn interactions. When using the MTA app, if this is a new experience, Transfer of Training makes users rely on previous experiences to navigate it. If the system doesn’t align with their mental model, confusion arises.
A solution for this could be to maintain familiar structures and design consistency to reduce overwhelming and keep the user satisfied.
Conclusion
The IOS Version of the MTA app succeeds in providing an ample amount of information for a user located in New York, to be able to get a grasp and understand how to navigate through multiple transit options available, all of the public transportation commutes appearing together in a seamless design of one single mobile app. However, as great as it is convenient to have so much information blended in one single app, it is also a prime example of how sometimes too much turns into a negative outcome. With a few design alterations and integration of other design concepts, the MTA could offer a significantly improved digital experience, allowing millions of riders to navigate the transit system with greater ease and efficiency.