TRANSFORMING TRAVEL FOR MILLIONS
Reimagining IRCTC Mobile Experience
TOOLS
Figma, Miro, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, UIzard
ROLE
User Interviews, Visual Design, Prototyping, Usability Testing
TEAM
Independently led user interviews
and UX flows within a 2-person team.
DURATION
3-month case study
Improving UX: research to testing.
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OVERVIEW
IRCTC is a government-run service for booking train tickets, food, and flights. The current app was not used by the users and led to exhaustion and frustration after a single booking session. As a result, most users preferred using third party apps or the website to book tickets.
Challenge
The app was abandoned due to the tedious booking processes, complex navigation, and lack of feedback.
Solution
Redesigned with simplified flows, clearer navigation, and real-time updates tested with task time and drop-off points.
Due to a lack of visible system status, most users found it complex to reserve seats, check out after booking, and track their booking.
THE UNMET NEED
We conducted user interviews to understand the user frustration and needs better.
FRICTION TO FLOWS
I categorized the pain points into themes such as usability, reliability, and feature expectations.
BEHIND THE SCENES
Over 30+ screens with three iterations to deliver the best visual hierarchy to enhance usability and deliver a seamless user experience.
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Branding & Design System
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INTRODUCING IRCTC APP 2.0
Introduced one-way and round-trip flows, enabled skippable logins, and supported quick feedback to reduce task time, tested with UX metrics such as average task time and drop-off points to reduce friction and increase task completion.
Homepage
Clickable input fields and the introduction of filters based on user preferences make it easier and faster for users to find and book their ideal travel options.
Checkout Process
The app follows a linear booking method, similar to flight bookings, while maintaining a consistent information layout throughout.
Booking History
Quick access to ticket booking, history, simplified checkout, and real-time train status updates.
Account
Access to buses, flights, hotels, holidays, loyalty points, etc. and preload wallet funds for a seamless checkout.
IMPACT
Government apps often face usability challenges. In studying IRCTC, I found the original design confusing with redundant steps. The revamped interface improved flow and clarity with lesser information overload and limited filter options. With millions relying on such platforms, designing simple, accessible, and efficient interfaces remains essential.
FEATURE DISCOVERABILITY
92%
of users navigated easily to find functions compared to previous 64%
AVG TIME PER TASK
7m
to complete a booking compared to the previous 22m.
