Solving Luggage Problems for Travelers — A UX Case Study
In this case study, I will take you through the design of a mobile app — Lockit that enables travelers to easily rent secure lockers at train stations, ensuring a hassle-free and enjoyable journey.
Quick Story
Once, I traveled to another city for an exciting three-day event. I was looking forward to the sessions, meeting new people, and exploring the city. My return flight was booked for the evening of the last day, and I had chosen a cozy hotel a bit far from the event venue.
On the morning of the last day, I checked out of my hotel, eager to make the most of the final event day. However, I now faced a dilemma: I had all my luggage with me! Carrying my suitcase and bags to the event was impractical and burdensome. Leaving my luggage at the hotel wasn’t an option either, as it was too far and I wasn’t confident about the safety.
Standing there, weighed down by my luggage, I felt stuck. Should I roam the city with all my belongings? Leave my luggage at the hotel lobby and hope it stays safe? Neither option seemed ideal. This got me thinking — what would others do in my situation? How could we solve this common problem for travelers?
That’s when I decided to work on a solution that would make travel hassle-free: Lockit. Lockit is a mobile app designed to help travelers rent lockers at train stations to securely store their luggage and enjoy their day without worry.
Why Train Stations?
There are several reasons why they are ideal:
- Convenience: For travelers using public transportation, lockers at train stations are right along their transit routes.
- Enhanced Security: Train stations are maintained by the government, providing an extra layer of security for the lockers.
- Accessibility: Many travelers rely on public transport, making train station lockers easily accessible and convenient.
Problem Statement
The problem to solve: Design an experience that allows travelers to rent lockers in train stations for a short-term period.
Getting to Know the Users
Sophia: The Exploring Tourist
Sophia is a tourist visiting a new city for the first time. She’s staying in a hostel but doesn’t feel comfortable leaving her luggage there while she explores. She uses the locker rental service to store her cash, jewelry, documents, suitcase, and sporting equipment, ensuring her belongings are safe while she enjoys her day.
Jack: The Business Traveler
Jack is attending a conference in a different city and needs a place to store his luggage while attending meetings. Staying for less than 12 hours, he uses the locker rental service to keep his suitcase secure, allowing him to focus on his professional engagements without worry
Design Process
- Started with User Stories: I began by laying out user stories to pinpoint the main issues and brainstorm possible solutions.
- Identifying the Problem: This helped me clearly see the problem and think about effective solutions.
- Researching Existing Solutions: Knowing that similar problems have been solved elsewhere, I looked into existing solutions and patterns.
- Iterative Exploration: I went through many iterations, exploring various solutions to see which ones worked best.
The Solution
Onboarding Flow
The home screen immediately launches into the booking flow to facilitate a smooth user experience.
Home Screen
- Single Purpose: The primary and only goal of this app is to book lockers. Any user opening the app will have this one objective in mind.
- Streamlined Home Screen: The home screen immediately launches into the booking flow to facilitate a smooth user experience.
Step 1: Select Train Station
Users begin by selecting the station where they want to store their things.
Step 2: Select Locker Size
Users then choose the appropriate locker size for their needs.
Users can add multiple lockers in a single booking according to their needs.
Step 3: Select Locker Duration
Finally, users select the duration for which they need the locker.
Checkout
The checkout flow allows users to review their selection, confirm the booking, and complete the payment process.
Locker Booked Screen
After booking, users set a PIN to access their locker. We ask users to create their own PIN because they are more likely to remember a number with personal significance.
Home Screen
After booking a locker, the user returns to the home screen, where they can see their ongoing booking in a summarized format.
After the locker is booked, it looks like the perfect time to ask for a notification permission to send timely updates!
Previous Bookings Screen
Profile Screen
End Booking Flow
Users will receive notifications before their booking ends so they can end the session and collect their stuff in a timely manner.
Users need to end the booking flow by confirming they have collected all their items from the locker.
Extend Booking Flow
If users need more time, they can easily extend their booking.
Edge Cases
There are several edge cases we might encounter with the app. Here are some of the most likely
Multiple Lockers PIN
Booking goes into Overtime
Sometimes users can forget or might not get the chance to collect their belongings on time according to their booking.
They will receive notifications from the app reminding them to collect their belongings and end the booking.
The users can then go to the booking and end the overtime session
Overtime ends
Users will receive notifications to collect their items before the overtime period ends.
If the users still don’t end their booking before the overtime ends, the session ends and the users’ belongings are handed over to the authorities.
Closing Notes
- This version of the app keeps things simple and focuses on the essentials. We could add many exciting features in the future, like moving belongings from one station to another.
- I worked closely with my mentor, Vedashree Bankar, and iterated extensively based on her feedback, which greatly improved the design.
- There’s a lot of potential to expand this app with more features and tackle additional edge cases. For now, we decided to keep it concise.
And that’s a wrap 🏁
Thanks for reading! If you’d like to chat more about the design process or have ideas for improvements, I’d love to connect and discuss further.
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