At GlobeSherpa, we are constantly pursuing the most user-friendly design and experience in our mobile ticketing applications. We strive to create products that are beautiful and that pass the test: “Would my Mom know how to use this?” Here is why this is so important…
Let me use my trip on the Portland Streetcar this morning as an example. Portland Streetcar is a fantastic resource that lets you get around downtown (and soon the East side of Portland). It connects the SW Waterfront and Portland State University with NW 23rd, the Pearl District, and more. It is a huge draw for tourists just visiting, and for locals who live downtown.
To buy a ticket for the Streetcar, you have to use the vending machine inside the vehicle. Normally I just use my TriMet pass to hop on and off Streetcar. But if you want to buy just a Streetcar ticket, you need cash or change. Check out my experience in this video:
Did you see how I had trouble getting the machine to accept my dollar bill? I literally spent two minutes trying to the ticket machine to accept my bill until I realized that you have to SELECT YOUR TICKET FIRST, then the machine prompts you for your cash.
That simple concept, that you select then pay vs. pay then select is a crucial user experience design decision, and one that for me, at least, wasn’t immediately obvious!
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