For our research we conducted a focus group with the goal of understanding a little bit more about our targeted users. Of those we talked to, one of them is a student, two of them are working professionals, and the other two were family members.

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Some of the people we talked with use the T or bus system regularly to commute to and from work. For them, the MBTA serves as a convenient and cheaper option that works with the location of both their houses and their offices in the city. Others we talked to use the T infrequently, often to meet with friends in the city or get to dinner. For them, the T or bus is a good thought but usually it is too big of a hassle to get to/from a T or bus stop and can be to big of a time commitment.

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In terms of a payment plan or rechargeable card, the two who commute regularly both have a rechargeable monthly T card in which they buy monthly passes (as it is much cheaper than just loading money on a Charlie Card). Those who use the T more infrequently either had a Charlie card but rarely recharge it or did not feel the need and buys a new ticket every time.

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Though we knew going into this discussion that we would be creating a mobile ticket system of some kind, we wanted to hear some feedback on the idea. Everyone seemed to agree that a mobile ticket would be very useful. That way it is harder to lose, more environmentally friendly, and much easier to access instead of digging through your wallet trying to find a Charlie Card.

 

These users seemed to already feel a need for transit apps, especially when it comes to less popular, or more complicated public transportation means. For example, one interviewee specifically stated that they use a transit app for the bus lines. Also, most of the interviewees said that they had used, and enjoyed using a digital boarding pass for flights.

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Some of the features that users desire in a mobile app include having a easy-to-access map of the subway or commuter rail system. Some MBTA passengers had images of the map saved deep in their photos, and others would Google search a map every time they went into the city. Although there are large maps inside the actual subway, many users claim that having accessible map on the app would be highly useful, so they can plan their route or remind themselves of station names at any point. This map would be incredibly helpful as maybe the opening page of the app, or somewhere only one-click away from the main menu.

 

A desired feature that we integrated into one of our wireframes involves the app giving notifications. The app can notify the user of certain scenarios such as a 2-minute warning of a train arriving, or maybe a train being delayed. Travelers appreciate knowing when to expect their rides, and this also allows them to plan their trips more precisely.

 

Another feature of interest to our users is location sharing with friends. Especially for the users who only ride the MBTA for social events or to meet up with friends, communicating where they are to each other is something important to them. Location sharing might involve dropping a pin at the station they’re at (or perhaps the exact car they’re at) so that friends can easily find each other. We also might consider features that involve showing where the train or bus is in relation to the station, or a feature to show how full each train cart is. These were all features that our focus group members expressed interest in.

 

These features will hopefully addresses some of our users’ grievances with the MBTA and commuting. Our focus group members complained that the MBTA often breaks and the buses are never on time. Although our app won’t fix this problem, it can at least help notify users of when this happens so they can find alternative plans accordingly. Another grievance users had involved being rushed to add money on their CharlieCard as a subway train was arriving, or missing a ride entirely because of the whole machine process. Users claim that it would be helpful to view their balance on their phone, get notifications when their balance is low, and be able to add money to their account anytime and anywhere.