Busways website redesign
Simplifying the trip planning experience for over 26 million passengers across Australia.
01. OVERVIEWThe project
Duration
Apr 2018 - Feb 2019
Methods
User research and synthesis
Competitive analysis
Content audit
Information architecture
Heuristic analysis
Usability testing
Wireframing and prototyping
Client
Busways Group
My role(s)
UX/UI Designer
UX Writer
Project Manager
Team
Drue Rizzardo, Graphic Designer
David Hajje, Software Developer
A strong digital presence with a customer focus is key in today’s highly competitive bus industry
02. BACKGROUNDToday, public transport operators in NSW and SA compete for bus contracts through a competitive tendering process with public transport authorities.
Since 1942, Busways has grown to become Australia’s largest private bus operator with a focus on delivering quality services, innovation and continuous enhancements in contracted regions for their clients and the communities they service.
The Busways website did not reflect the company’s ethos to be a leading public transport bus operator
03. THE CHALLENGELast updated in 2012, the Busways website was outdated
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Finding bus timetables and trip planning information was inefficient without clear navigational signposts
Information architecture was complicated and inflexible to accomodate for content when business operations expanded interstate
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The visuals and copy did not do justice to the brand’s purpose
There was no corporate presence to demonstrate operational capabilities for government and industry audiences
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The browsing experience and content offering was different depending on the device used
Contact channels for feedback and customer support were not clear and lead to inefficiencies when providing support
Busways’ company website prior to the website redesign in early 2019.
Getting alignment with stakeholders to understand the who, what and why
04. STRATEGY
Conducting discovery with stakeholders helped to think about the website's overall goals and to identify opportunities to enhance the user experience.
A blueprint for an ideal website that would satisfy digital and brand objectives, target audience personas, business requirements, functionality and benchmarks for success was established.
A redesigned website that simplifies the experience for customers, clients and internal stakeholders
05. THE SOLUTIONLess pages and clearer journeys to find what you need
A shift towards finding information by ‘content type’ followed by region, reduced search times and improved hierarchy.
The flexibility of the site’s information architecture supports content for future expansion interstate or internationally.
View old vs. new sitemap
A voice and identity that represents the new brand and caters to all audiences
Copy and photography was updated to be more engaging, persuasive and relatable with corporate info introduced for government and industry audiences to support business growth objectives.
A cleaner look and feel was applied to the website in line with Busways’ new brand identity.
The Our company, Careers and Our Networks pages of the Busways website.
Trip planning info that works smarter, not harder
To avoid duplicating work, bus timetables directed to transportnsw.info’s website to leverage existing real-time data and information.
Customers could check future versions of network maps, interchange maps and area timetables in advance which automatically updated once they came into effect.
The Route timetables, Network maps and Service changes pages of the Busways website.
A responsive website accessed on-the-go from any device
A consistent experience is provided no matter what device is used. The mobile-friendly website supported customers who primarily used the website for timetable information on-the-go.
Busways news page of the Busways website.
Get the right support quickly from the right people
Contact channels for feedback and support were consolidated on one page for easy access, with enquiries automatically directed to the right teams for action and improved workflow.
Contact page of the Busways website.
06. RESULTSThe impact
The new website launched in early 2019 to positive feedback from customers, internal stakeholders and Transport for NSW.
The revitalised look coincided with the launch of Busways’ new brand identity and positioned the company as a world-class operator and at the forefront of transport innovation.
Post-launch - Busways saw a reduction in customer complaints, time spent addressing customer enquiries and improved efficiencies for content management and development.
07. REFLECTIONWhat did I learn?
Design is messy during all stages of the process
As new insights are uncovered throughout the project, it is important to remain adaptable to changing requirements due to external factors beyond your control, that may impact the delivery of your project.
A design system is only as good as the team that’s using it
Whilst it can help with managing design at scale and improving visual consistency, attention needs to be given to resourcing it’s maintenance and training others to apply it’s standards consistently, as the system continually evolves.
The fidelity of designs matches the fidelity of your thinking
When getting alignment on designs, consider what you’re trying to communicate and the type of feedback you want to receive. This will help guide what fidelity is required for the artefact you use to communicate your design decisions.
Balancing stakeholder needs is a constant juggling act
Finding the ‘sweet spot’ for creating a great experience requires constant communication and collaboration between stakeholders to ensure business and end-user goals are aligned and met effectively.
