Indian Railways
Safety | Security | Punctuality
Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)
Redesign the IRCTC web app to improve the user experience.
About IRCTC
The Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) exclusively handles online ticketing services for Indian Railways. Despite its pivotal function, criticism has been directed towards the outdated design and user-unfriendly experience of the IRCTC web application. This interview task is designed to evaluate your capability in recognising user grievances, suggesting remedies, and crafting an enhanced user experience (UX) and advertising strategy for the IRCTC web app.
Objective
Transform the IRCTC web application into a user-friendly, efficient platform, resolving current usability issues to boost satisfaction and establish IRCTC as a premier online ticketing service for Indian Railways.
Challenges in Website
Information Overload
The website contains an excessive amount of information, overwhelming users.
Hick's Law
simplify the interface and streamline the booking process to reduce cognitive load and decision fatigue for users.
Lack of Intuitive Navigation
Navigating through the website is challenging due to the absence of clear pathways and signposts
Difficulty in Content Retrieval
Users struggle to locate specific information or features amidst the clutter, leading to frustration and inefficiency in their browsing experience.
Law of Proximity
Group related navigation items together to help users understand their relationship and navigate the interface easily. Organize related information into clear groups to reduce clutter and make it easier for users to find what they need.
Unclear Visual Hierarchy
There is a lack of visual cues or organisation, making it hard for users to prioritise and find relevant content.
Law of Similarity
In the context of creating a clear hierarchy, you can use the Gestalt Principle of Similarity to visually group similar elements together and differentiate them from dissimilar elements. By applying consistent visual styling, such as color, shape, size, or typography, to related elements, you create a clear visual hierarchy that guides users' attention and understanding of the interface.
User Pain Points
Users feel overwhelmed by the excessive amount of information on the website.
Difficulty navigating due to unclear pathways and signposts.
Users struggle to prioritize information due to a lack of visual cues.
Users find it challenging to locate specific information or features amidst clutter.
Revamping Website Organisation for Seamless Browsing Experience
Clear Content Focus
Trim down information overload to offer users precisely what they need, without overwhelming them.
Smooth Navigation
Introduce intuitive pathways and search tools for effortless exploration across the website.
Visual Clarity
Use eye-catching visuals and layout consistency to guide users smoothly to their desired content.
Easy Access
Implement smart search filters and personalised suggestions for quick and hassle-free information retrieval.
Bringing Solutions to Life: Putting Ideas into Action
We will implement measures to streamline the login process, enhance booking options, introduce quick filters, automate repetitive tasks, address visual inconsistencies, and iterate based on user feedback to significantly improve the IRCTC web application's user experience.
Lack of Intuitive Navigation
Users express frustration and inefficiency in navigating the website due to unclear pathways and signposts, compounded by feelings of overwhelm caused by the surplus of information, thus hindering their browsing experience.
Smart Search
IRCTC's website lacks an efficient search suggestion feature, causing user frustration and inefficiencies. A dynamic search suggestion feature is needed to provide real-time recommendations for quicker and error-free bookings.
Quick Filters
IRCTC users face difficulty in finding train journeys due to the lack of easy-to-use search options. This causes frustration and inefficiency. Therefore, there is a need to improve the search experience on the platform.
Annoying Repeated Passenger Info Input.
IRCTC's web app frustrates users with repetitive passenger info entry, leading to poor UX and inefficiency. Streamlining the booking process is necessary to improve the user experience.
Cumbersome Login Process
Frequent login prompts disrupt user workflow on IRCTC, causing frustration and hindering task completion. Users must log in every few minutes, leading to interruptions and decreased satisfaction. This issue undermines the platform's usability and diminishes user engagement, necessitating immediate resolution to enhance the overall user experience.
Improving Login Efficiency
Extend user sessions to reduce login prompts.
Explore biometric authentication options for convenience and security.
Implement adaptive authentication to prevent unauthorised access.
Provide clear user guidance and education initiatives for effortless navigation.
Outcome
By implementing these solutions, IRCTC aims to significantly enhance the login experience for users, reducing frustration and improving overall usability. These enhancements will contribute to increased user satisfaction and engagement with the platform, fostering positive user experiences and loyalty.
Closing Notes Enhancing IRCTC's User Experience
Enhancing User Experience
The redesign of the IRCTC web application presents an opportunity to significantly enhance the user experience and address longstanding usability issues. By focusing on user pain points, challenges, and goals, the proposed solutions aim to streamline navigation, improve information retrieval, and optimize the booking process. Through iterative design and usability testing, the redesigned IRCTC web application can ultimately provide users with a seamless and satisfying online ticketing experience.
Screens
