UIC RIDE

Improving Access and Experience

Project Details

Redesign

Project Type

Product Designer

Role

Mobility

Industry

Mobile App

Platform

Project Details

0 → 1

Product Stage

Product Designer

Role

Fintech

Industry

Mobile App

Platform

Problem Statement

During my time at UIC, I identified opportunities to improve policy clarity and accessibility in the UIC Ride app. Inconsistent rider eligibility communication and missing accessible ride options reduced service reliability. I led a redesign focused on clarity, consistency, and inclusive access.

What is this app all about??

It is a Ride service offered by the University of Illinois at Chicago to all it’s students and staff.

Best Practices of the app

Login with your UIC SSO to access the app.

Book night ride service for yourself only.

Swipe student ID for shuttle services.

Check your schedules and book ahead.

Solution

Before and After Redesigning

  1. Adding Guest Policy and Change of Theme

  • Added the guest policy within the app to resolve recurring confusion between users and drivers. Reinforced user trust with a visible message: “Your safety is our priority.”

  • Updated the app’s color theme to dark mode, aligning with its operational hours (10 PM – 6:30 AM) for better visibility and a more comfortable user experience in low-light settings.

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  1. From 5 Flows to 3 Flows

  • Removed the in-app maps feature after learning that over 90% of users never used it and found it confusing. Streamlining the interface improves clarity and focuses on core functionality.

  • Every feature now has clear ownership — making UIC not just a provider, but an accountable facilitator of safe, accessible campus mobility

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  1. Clutter to organized Flow - “Account”

  • I removed the “Alerts” button since users already receive notifications via push alerts, and also eliminated the “Send Feedback” option which is available under Settings—simplifying the interface.

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  1. Added a View-only Profile section

  • I added a new Profile section showing non-editable user info (name, email, phone number, age, and profile picture) pulled from SSO.

  • This increases transparency about what data the app uses and helps users verify their identity when interacting with drivers.

Before


After

  1. Adding Guest Policy and Change of Theme

  • Added the guest policy within the app to resolve recurring confusion between users and drivers. Reinforced user trust with a visible message: “Your safety is our priority.”

  • Updated the app’s color theme to dark mode, aligning with its operational hours (10 PM – 6:30 AM) for better visibility and a more comfortable user experience in low-light settings.

  • Added the guest policy within the app to resolve recurring confusion between users and drivers. Reinforced user trust with a visible message: “Your safety is our priority.”

  • Updated the app’s color theme to dark mode, aligning with its operational hours (10 PM – 6:30 AM) for better visibility and a more comfortable user experience in low-light settings.

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After

  1. Booking & Accessibility Enhancements

Users can get a clear breakdown of their expenses across categories and track if they've exceeded their set limits. They can also compare their current spending with last month's to make smarter, more informed budgeting decisions.

Users can get a clear breakdown of their expenses across categories and track if they've exceeded their set limits. They can also compare their current spending with last month's to make smarter, more informed budgeting decisions.

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User Interviews

Sample Size

The research consisted of 10 participants and was conducted through in-depth, one-on-one interviews with students.

The Agenda

The user interview was conducted in three Phases to understand their experiences, to understand what worked and what did not and to gather suggestions for improvement.

Needs & Challenges

Clarity, consistency, and accessibility emerged as the most critical needs for users to trust and effectively use the UIC Ride app.

Phase 1 Goal: Understand familiarity, context, expectations.

Sample Questions - Walk me through how you usually use the UIC Ride app. | When you open it, what’s the first thing you do? | Is there anything that’s confusing or could be clearer for you?

Phase 2 Goal: Gather real stories and emotional responses.

Sample Questions - Can you share a time the UIC Ride app worked well for you? Have you had any frustrating or unexpected experiences? What happened? How clear and supportive did the process feel during that experience?

Phase 3 Goal: Observe reactions and gather improvement ideas.

Sample Questions - Can you show me how you’d book a ride? What do you notice in the app? Anything confusing or unnecessary? If you could change one thing, what would it be and why?

User Dialogues = Identifying Gaps

"One driver said I could bring a friend, another denied. It's confusing."

"One driver said I could bring a friend, another denied. It's confusing."

"One driver said I could bring a friend, another denied. It's confusing."

"There was no way to request a wheelchair accessible van in the app."

"There was no way to request a wheelchair accessible van in the app."

"There was no way to request a wheelchair accessible van in the app."

"I dont know the rules, where are they mentioned in the app?"

"I dont know the rules, where are they mentioned in the app?"

"I dont know the rules, where are they mentioned in the app?"

"I dont know how to find that feature."

"I dont know how to find that feature."

"I dont know how to find that feature."

"Maps and ways are so reliable, I barely noticed the maps feature on the app."

"Maps and ways are so reliable, I barely noticed the maps feature on the app."

"I never get alerts in the profile section. Are there any?"

"I never get alerts in the profile section. Are there any?"

"The map is too complex, I don't know which route to pick."

"The map is too complex, I don't know which route to pick."

"The app looks okay, but the colors are bad."

"A driver was rude to me when i was asking him a question about my drop-off time."

"A driver was rude to me when i was asking him a question about my drop-off time."

"A driver was rude to me when i was asking him a question about my drop-off time."

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"I use it everyday, but the experience is never the same."

"Transit is the only map that works properly in Chicago."

"Transit is the only map that works properly in Chicago."

"I didn't even know UIC Ride's Maps feature was a thing until now."

"I didn't even know UIC Ride's Maps feature was a thing until now."

"What's even supposed to show up in the profile section?"

"What's even supposed to show up in the profile section?"

"What's even supposed to show up in the profile section?"

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"Atleast the drivers always arrive on time and live tracking works well."

"Once, after an injury, I needed a wheelchair-accessible van. When I asked the driver how to book one, he told me to call the University."

“The best thing is that the drivers make sure we’re safely inside before they leave.”

Initial Design - Testing and Improvements

3 Key Improvements.

Based on feedback from five survey participants and two mentors, I iterated on the design at two stages, after low fidelity wireframes and the initial high fidelity light mode design. Over six weeks, changes focused on improving usability and better aligning with user needs.

  1. Prioritizing Core Usage Over Unused Features

  1. Initial Idea: Planned to retain the Maps feature and merge account and settings to reduce clutter.

  1. Change Made: Removed the Maps feature based on feedback, as it was rarely used and caused confusion.

  1. Impact: The home screen now starts with the Shuttle Service, aligning better with student routines and simplifying the user experience.

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  1. Decluttering the Account Flow’ for Better Navigation

  1. Initial Idea: The original design combined all options—account details, settings, and agency information—into a single section to keep things centralized.

  1. Change Made: In the final iteration, I reorganized the content into two clear sections: Account and About, and removed the agency info, since it’s obvious the service is run by UIC Shuttle and Night Ride.

  1. Impact: The profile is now cleaner and more intuitive, helping users quickly find what they need without unnecessary information.

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  1. From “Is This Clickable?” to “Book Now”

  1. Initial Idea: The original design had a large, unclear button showing timings and days, making booking feel intuitive but not direct.

  1. Change Made: I added a guest policy message and replaced it with a clear “Book Now” CTA.

  1. Impact: The flow is now clearer and more accessible, with reduced confusion around booking and guest limits.

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FInal Design

UIC Shuttle

The user opens the app and views available shuttle routes in the Shuttles tab. After entering a destination, relevant shuttles for that route are shown. Selecting a route displays the next shuttle time, with an option to set a reminder based on the time needed to reach the stop. When the shuttle is a set time away such as 10 minutes from the selected stop or the user’s location, a notification reminds the user to reach the stop on time.

The user opens the app and views available shuttle routes in the Shuttles tab. After entering a destination, relevant shuttles for that route are shown. Selecting a route displays the next shuttle time, with an option to set a reminder based on the time needed to reach the stop. When the shuttle is a set time away such as 10 minutes from the selected stop or the user’s location, a notification reminds the user to reach the stop on time.

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UIC Night Ride

The user navigates to the Night Ride tab and enters the pickup location, number of passengers, and accessibility requirements if needed. After booking, a confirmation screen appears. Once a ride is assigned, the user receives a notification that the night ride is on the way, with options to close or cancel the ride. The screen then displays the estimated time until pickup. After reaching the destination, a thank-you message is shown prompting the user to leave feedback.

The user navigates to the Night Ride tab and enters the pickup location, number of passengers, and accessibility requirements if needed. After booking, a confirmation screen appears. Once a ride is assigned, the user receives a notification that the night ride is on the way, with options to close or cancel the ride. The screen then displays the estimated time until pickup. After reaching the destination, a thank-you message is shown prompting the user to leave feedback.

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Conclusion

Key Learnings and Takeaways

Redesigning the UIC Ride app was not just about improving an interface—it was about understanding users deeply, simplifying decision-making, and aligning every design element with real student needs. Here are my top insights from the process:

Redesigning the UIC Ride app was not just about improving an interface—it was about understanding users deeply, simplifying decision-making, and aligning every design element with real student needs. Here are my top insights from the process:

Design for Real User Contexts

Understanding how students actually track expenses guided feature prioritization and improved adoption.

Simplicity and Clarity Scale

Minimal, intuitive flows and clear visual hierarchy make complex data accessible and easy to act on.

User Feedback Drives Strategy

Iterating with real users early uncovered insights that shaped both UX and product decisions.

Systems Thinking Matters

Even small apps benefit from reusable components and consistent patterns, reducing friction and enabling future growth.

UIC Shuttle

FInal Design

Based on feedback from five survey participants and two mentors, I iterated on the design at two stages, after low fidelity wireframes and the initial high fidelity light mode design. Over six weeks, changes focused on improving usability and better aligning with user needs.

UIC Shuttle

FInal Design

Based on feedback from five survey participants and two mentors, I iterated on the design at two stages, after low fidelity wireframes and the initial high fidelity light mode design. Over six weeks, changes focused on improving usability and better aligning with user needs.

1. Real Behavior > Assumptions

User interviews showed that most students already relied on external navigation apps, so removing features like Maps helped me focus on what truly mattered.

2. Context-Driven Design

Students usually start their day with Shuttle and end it with Night Ride, so making Shuttle the default home screen aligned the app with their daily rhythm and created a more intuitive experience.

3. Clarity always wins.

What seemed intuitive to the designer proved confusing for users, so the hidden booking button was replaced with a prominent “Book Now” CTA, simplifying the flow and reducing drop-offs.

4. Trust Through Transparency

SSO login removed the need for profile creation, but adding a Profile section showing data pulled from university records gave users more control and enabled smoother interactions with drivers.

5. Inclusivity is Essential

Adding the option to request a wheelchair-accessible van reinforced a key lesson: accessibility features should be part of the core flow, not an afterthought.

6. Listen. Iterate. Simplify.

Feedback from mentors and users removed Maps, reorganized sections, and reduced clutter, steadily improving the app with each iteration.

7. Visual Design Reflects Reality

Switching the theme to dark mode during Night Ride hours (10 PM–6:30 AM) enhanced the feel of safety and relevance in the late-night context.

8. Tiny Tweaks, Big Impact

Updating the rider dropdown to allow guests and clearly stating the guest policy resolved confusion instantly. Thoughtful micro-interactions made the user journey smoother and more confident.

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