Cercanías Renfe Madrid

Each year, more than 160 million people use Madrid's Cercanías network. What can we do to enhance their experience? What challenges do users frequently encounter?

Role

Educational project

Industry

Public transport

Year

2022

1. Research and analysis

This phase used a variety of research techniques, such as desk research, surveys (+100 responses), interviews, and direct observation (netnography and shadowing) to understand the needs and issues faced by users of the Madrid Cercanías network. Key findings included:

Station Orientation: 70% of users have felt disoriented, and 50% have boarded the wrong train at some point.
Ticketing Issues: 63% faced problems with vending machines, and 57% with access turnstiles.
Scheduling Problems: 93% of users have experienced delays, and there are frequent issues with incident notifications.

2. Synthesis and definition

User analysis revealed two main profiles: regular and punctual users. Regular users care mostly about arriving on time, while punctual users face issues with ticket purchases and orientation. The primary issues identified were:

Insufficient information on schedules and incidents.
Lack of clear signage in stations.
Complexity and lack of intuitiveness in ticket purchasing.

The priority was given to the first issue as it most affects regular users, who are less likely to get disoriented or face ticketing problems.

1. Research and analysis

Station Orientation: 70% of users have felt disoriented, and 50% have boarded the wrong train at some point.
Ticketing Issues: 63% faced problems with vending machines, and 57% with access turnstiles.
Scheduling Problems: 93% of users have experienced delays, and there are frequent issues with incident notifications.

2. Synthesis and definition

Insufficient information on schedules and incidents.
Lack of clear signage in stations.
Complexity and lack of intuitiveness in ticket purchasing.

The priority was given to the first issue as it most affects regular users, who are less likely to get disoriented or face ticketing problems.

3. Ideation and prototyping

The ideation phase focused on proposing solutions with the greatest impact and lowest cost. Ideas included:

Unified informational screens in stations to display schedules and incidents.
Improved tele-indicators to provide relevant train information.
Features within the mobile app for incident alerts and customizable notifications.

Visual prototypes were first sketched as wireframes and then developed into high-fidelity designs using Figma.

Results and learnings

The proposed solution has a high potential to reduce user frustration regarding schedules and incidents. The project highlighted the importance of prioritizing key issues and creating simple solutions that effectively meet users' real needs.