WHAT'S NEXT

Test & iterate
Design for mobile & tablet breakpoints for field use
Improve accessibility
Improve inclusive design through conversational AI

Streamlining Access and Saving BART over $300k Annually

NICK'S STRUGGLES

Challenges

Confusing process and requirements: The instructions are unclear, causing users to make mistakes or skip steps. The process is cluttered with unnecessary actions and lacks logical organization, leaving users overwhelmed. Inconsistent requirements add another layer of uncertainty, making it even harder to follow.
Cluttered and overwhelming interface: The System Access portal in EGIS is visually chaotic. Users struggle to find what they need in the clutter, leading to frustration and inefficiency.
Unintuitive navigation: Menus and options are scattered in unexpected places, with vague labels that leave users guessing where to click next. Navigating the process feels like finding your way through a maze.
No safety nets for users: There’s no support for users to recognize, diagnose, or recover from mistakes, causing frequent errors that delay schedules and waste valuable resources.

Goals

Streamline the experience: Simplify and organize the process, making it clear and intuitive so users can easily complete their tasks without confusion or frustration.
Deliver help right when it's needed: Provide contextual assistance throughout the process to guide users step-by-step and reduce errors.
Boost compliance and retention: A seamless, positive user experience will drive better adherence to the System Access process, leading to more efficient work planning and improved safety across the board.

Back to Home

DealsHQ

WHY ACCESS IS AN OBSTACLE

The issues listed below often result in wasted resources and work cancellations and delays, which incur large financial costs. For a more exhaustive list of issues, click here.

Issue 1: Users face information overload and a high cognitive load.

Options that are irrelevant to the selected work category are displayed, causing overwhelm and distraction. Users often overlook important fields. Burdensome tasks include selecting activity area - users can't select multiple assets at once and must in some instances select 50+ assets individually. Checkboxes are small and close together. In another example, in order to add multiple document links (e.g. yard approval and DAPB), users must combine documents into a single PDF, reupload to the Sharepoint site, and add as a single link to the request.

Issue 2: Users aren't provided help in preventing, recognizing, or recovering from errors.

Users are not warned against or prevented from making critical errors like selecting an incorrect activity area for a given work category, often requiring the user to start over and/or resulting in canceled work.

Issue 3: Tools and information are difficult to find.

Information is difficult to find and access. Users waste time in struggling to understand the process become frustrated by it. Existing help and documentation are not in an easily digestible format and contextual help is not provided.

In the current version, users see options for all work categories, which leads to information overload and frequent errors.

2. Simplify Asset Selection

Users can now select multiple assets at once by holding down the shift key, rather than clicking 50+ individual checkboxes.
The visual hierarchy makes it easy for users to see their selections at the top of the page and further reduces cognitive load.

Additional resources and help

Additional resources are centralized and easily accessible, so users can get the support they need without leaving the form.

USER RESEARCH: UNDERSTANDING PAIN POINTS

I started by conducting a heuristic analysis, followed by in-depth user interviews to dive deeper into the core needs and frustrations of those submitting System Access requests. After grouping recurring themes through affinity mapping, a few key insights emerged from the data.

What is System Access?

At BART, contracted projects, Maintenance groups, and Construction teams use the System Access process to plan work and request access to the system. Any work on BART property or that could impact operations requires an approved System Access request. This process ensures compliance with District policies while streamlining coordination with maintenance groups and key stakeholders. The System Access team also helps identify potential conflicts, collaboration opportunities, and works closely with Maintenance Planners to ensure smooth project execution.

Role

UX Designer

Skills

UX Design, UI Design, User Research, Usability Testing, Prototyping, Design Systems

BRIDGING THE ACCESS GAP

I designed a prototype with three key goals:

1. Reduce Information Overload

Users first select their work category. Based on this, only relevant form fields are displayed.
For example, in a Cat BL request, the number of fields under Additional Details is reduced, while a Cat F request would skip this step entirely.
Each form page has a clear tag at the top to remind users which category they're working on (e.g., Cat BL).
Both optional and required fields are clearly marked to further ease decision-making.

Help Users Recognize and Recover from Errors

Instead of tutorials and manuals, users are given contextual help directly within the form, helping them avoid errors, diagnose issues, and recover quickly when mistakes are made.

to 6 fields 🎉

Reduced the number of fields in this step from 12