SHIPPED
Evolving Via's "RidePlan"
Streamlining smart transit orchestration
About
Via Transportation provides smart transit solutions, ranging from on-demand rides to fixed-line services and dynamic school bus routes. Originally, RidePlan was a basic tool designed to manage on-demand ride services. However, as Via's offerings expanded, so did the need for a more robust solution: RidePlan 2.0, a comprehensive orchestration tool capable of handling the complexities of different transit environments.
Company
Via Transportation
Role
Product Design Lead
Time frame
2021-2022
Process
Competitive Analysis
We reviewed existing transit management tools and data-heavy platforms across industries to identify best practices for handling and visualizing complex information.
Field Manager Shadowing
By observing field managers in action across different transit environments, we gained insights into their workflows, pain points, and decision-making processes. This informed the design of features that could cater to both routine planning and live problem-solving.
Ideation
By observing field managers in action across different transit environments, we gained insights into their workflows, pain points, and decision-making processes. This informed the design of features that could cater to both routine planning and live problem-solving.
Collaborating closely with field managers and PMs, we prioritized concepts that offered the highest value while maintaining development efficiency: Smart zoom levels, targeted alert panels, and split-screen modes for situations where they were truly necessary.
Solution
The redesigned RidePlan, now a versatile platform, is built to handle the complexities of various transit operations, whether it's on-demand rides, fixed-line services, or a combination of both. By integrating smart zoom levels, summarizing alerts, and smart planning assistance, the platform adapts dynamically to different service environments, ensuring that field managers can efficiently manage real-time operations and strategic planning.
The solution emphasizes clarity and usability, with split-screen views and alert panels that surface critical information without overwhelming the user. This allows field managers to maintain a high level of control and responsiveness, no matter the complexity of the transit network.
Impact
Scenario-Based Testing
To validate the effectiveness of RidePlan 2.0, we conducted scenario-based testing with field managers of our most challenging service environments.
The testing revealed that the redesigned RidePlan significantly improved the field managers' ability to quickly identify and resolve issues, what increased confidence in handling complex scenarios. The smart zoom levels allowed them to focus on critical details without getting lost in the complexity.
Key takeaways
The evolution from the original RidePlan to RidePlan 2.0 successfully addressed the growing complexity of Via’s services.
However, the introduction of advanced features also highlighted the need for comprehensive onboarding and continuous user support. As RidePlan continues to evolve, ensuring that users can fully utilize its capabilities will be crucial to maintaining high levels of satisfaction and operational efficiency.
Want to hear more about this project?
Let's get in touch.
lukalaraf@gmail.com
Luka Lara Fritzsche
© 2024
Made with ♥
Let's get in touch.
lukalaraf@gmail.com
Luka Lara Fritzsche
© 2024
Made with ♥
I'm Luka
Product Designer based in Tel Aviv.
I love turning complex tasks into simple designs.
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