511NY Rideshare User Portal
Heuristic Evaluation
Welcome to the 511NY Rideshare new user portal homepage. Our goal for this heuristic evaluation was to provide 511NY Rideshare with a user-friendly experience. Check out our findings and recommendations below to learn more about our evaluation process.
My Role : UX Designer
Timeline : 1 month
Current Status : Published
What is 511NY Rideshare?
511NY Rideshare is a partnership between the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the US Housing and Urban Development Department. Our goal is to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution by promoting alternative transportation options such as carpooling and vanpooling.
Benefits of Ridesharing
Saves money on gas and wear and tear on your car
Reduces your carbon footprint
Makes commuting more enjoyable with company
How it Works
511NY Rideshare connects drivers and commuters who share similar routes. They offer a variety of tools and resources to make users rideshare experience as seamless as possible.
Create a rideshare profile
Find rideshare matches
Connect with rideshare partners
What’s the purpose of the new user portal?
The purpose of the 511NY Rideshare new user portal homepage is to provide an intuitive and user-friendly interface for users to create their rideshare profiles and quickly find potential rideshare matches. Key to the the success of the users portal homepage is creating an interactive, dynamic environment for users to feel a need to repeat their experience on.
User Profile Creation
The user profile creation process is streamlined and easy to follow, so you can be on the road in no time.
Efficient Matchmaking
Our matching algorithm is designed to provide you with the most efficient and convenient rideshare partners. Say goodbye to long and frustrating commutes.
Community Building Tools
Our community building tools make it easy to chat with your rideshare partners and build meaningful relationships.
511NY Rideshare’s User Portal Homepage
The image on the left displays the original homepage of the 511NY rider share website prior to our heuristic review. Our primary objective was to assess the user friendliness of this page by thoroughly evaluating various aspects such as navigation, organization, layout and presentation, content and labeling, interaction and feedback, search and optimization, and accessibility. Through a comprehensive analysis paired with user research, we aimed to determine the effectiveness of this homepage in providing an intuitive and seamless experience for users. Our evaluation focused on optimizing the overall user experience and ensuring that the page was easily accessible and comprehensible to all individuals.
What we discovered…
Through user testing, our team found an overall dissatisfaction amongst users for the current user portal layout. Key words they used to describe the user portal were “boring”, “confusing” and “unclear”. Users consistently did not like the dashboard buttons at the top of the page and wished there was a graphic to help them quickly understand what they were looking at. Several users also expressed their frustration with the page layout, noting that heading titles were inconsistent sizing and overall the page felt cramped and claustrophobic.
What is Heuristic Evaluation Process ?
Creating a heuristic evaluation of 511 Rideshare's new user portal on their website involved assessing the platform's overall user experience based on a set of predefined heuristics or usability principles. The evaluation focused on factors such as accessibility, efficiency, learnability, and error prevention. By carefully examining each aspect of the portal, including its layout, navigation, visual design, and interaction patterns, the evaluation aimed to identify usability issues, highlight areas for improvement, and provide valuable insights to enhance the user experience. Ultimately, conducting a heuristic evaluation will enable 511 Rideshare to identify potential usability challenges and implement effective solutions, ensuring that their new user interface meets the needs and expectations of their customers.
Findings and Recommendations
After conducting our heuristic evaluation, our team came up with the following findings and recommendations to improve the user experience:
Strengths
Clear and concise navigation
Easy user ride share matching
Efficient sign-up process
Areas for Improvement
Confusing labeling
Unclear information hierarchy
Overwhelming amount of text
Confusing Labeling
We recommend providing clearer titles and short text instructions for clear user call to action.
Key Takeaways
Information Hierarchy
Our team recommends improving the information hierarchy to make it easier for users to find relevant information.
Text Reduction
To reduce overwhelming amounts of text, we suggest using more visuals and breaking up text into manageable sections.
Opportunities for imporvement
Confusing Labeling
Information Hierarchy
Text Reduction
Recommendation
Review heading labels and add short text instruction for users where necessary.
Revamp Information Hierarchy. Current layout has varying header sizes, inconsistent spacing between sub sections, and inconsistent grid alignment leading to user confusion and overall dissatisfaction.
Implementation timelines
One week
One month
Two weeks
Implementation Plan
Our team has identified the following implementation plan to address the areas for improvement:
Reduce text and use more visuals in the users dashboard. This is the first area that the user sees and it needs to be dynamic and compelling for the user to want to return. Keeping consistent imagery across the dashboard and achievement / savings sections will help the user quickly identify categories they are searching for.
Final Results
Implementing the findings from our heuristic review has greatly improved the user experience on the 511NY user portal homepage. We identified several key issues such as confusing navigation, cluttered layout, and unclear call-to-actions. By addressing these issues, we were able to create a more intuitive and user-friendly interface. We simplified the navigation menu, ensuring that users could easily find the information they needed. Additionally, we decluttered the homepage by removing unnecessary elements and restructuring the layout to prioritize important information. Clear and concise call-to-actions were implemented, guiding users to their desired tasks more efficiently. As a result of these changes, users are now enjoying a smoother and more seamless experience on the 511NY user portal homepage.
Conclusion
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about our heuristic evaluation of 511NY Rideshare new user portal. Our team is committed to providing an exceptional user experience for all rideshare users. Through the heuristic process we were able to provide recommendations to increase the users portal usability and bring energy and exciting to the users experience.
