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The MBTA in Boston enlisted our help to figure out whether sharing real-time transit data could improve operations on the Green Line. We conducted deep user research with employees to find out what was happening on the ground and understand what information we could surface for them to help.

My role

  • User research
  • User interviews
  • Wireframing
  • Visual design

Press

Dates

  • Nov 2017 - Feb 2018

The process

Immersing ourselves in the process of Green Line operations

We spent the first several weeks on the scene. We visited employees of varying roles to understand their roles, how they do their jobs, and what information was most important to them to get it done. We learned about the gaps in knowledge that can make decision making slow or hard, which can ultimately impact the service.

A man showing a woman what's written on a piece of paper
Jacques showing Jaclyn how trainsheets work
A room full of computers and monitors all along the wall
The control room for the entire MBTA train system
Three women in front of a large wall full of post-it notes
Affinity mapping after collecting weeks of collecting data from interviews
A diagram of communication between various people
I illustrated a relationship map to show examples of information that’s being passed between different roles on the Green Line

The (web) app

A mobile experience that surfaces real time train information

We spent the first several weeks on the scene. We visited employees of varying roles to understand their roles, how they do their jobs, and what information was most important to them to get it done. We learned about the gaps in knowledge that can make decision making slow or hard, which can ultimately impact the service.

An iphone showing a minimalist map of train locations
An iphone showing a data about a selected train

In the wild

We spent the first several weeks on the scene. We visited employees of varying roles to understand their roles, how they do their jobs, and what information was most important to them to get it done. We learned about the gaps in knowledge that can make decision making slow or hard, which can ultimately impact the service.

A chief inspector on the MBTA Green Line looking at a train app on her phone while sitting in the car.
A monitor showing the Glides app set up in Kenmore station of the MBTA Green Line.

The results

In the first few weeks of widespread use, the app provided a more equitable, reliable source of information for inspectors and dispatchers.

The app ensured a consistent source of train and operator location information if the radio was needed to communicate disruptions or emergencies. The app improved overall employee morale, inspectors loved the automatic updates to train location. The app is now in use, creating data to help the MBTA improve communications among train officials and to deliver a more reliable service to customers.