Product Design

Public Transit Navigation App UI Redesign

Product

Public Transit Navigation

I redesigned a public transit navigation UI and UI flow in Kakao Map to help older users plan routes with more confidence. The work focused on lowering cognitive load, making feedback more legible, and replacing assumed app literacy with clear language at every decision point.

Details

Mobile app UI + UI flow: surface
Product/UI designer · research to prototype: role
Solo passion project: team
UX research · Interaction design · UI design · Prototyping: scope
Contextual interview · observational walkthrough · user testing: research

Problem

Confidence breaks early

When my mother plans a trip on a mobile map app, she can use a smartphone, but dense screens, small type, and multi-step flows make her pause before she even picks a route. The interface assumes you already know how transit apps talk, and unclear feedback makes it hard to tell when an action worked. Little moments of hesitation turn into dropped tasks.

Solution

Clarity at each step

I redesigned the navigation flow around what she actually needs at each step: larger type, clearer confirmations, simplified route choices, and plain-language labels instead of abstract icons. Feedback mirrors the certainty of in-person ticketing, so she knows a step is complete before moving on.

Result

Less overload, more independence

The prototype reframes route selection as a calm sequence of decisions rather than a wall of options. Early testing showed fewer hesitation points during route planning, with clearer hierarchy and feedback doing most of the cognitive work for the user.

Goals

I wanted to close the gap between being comfortable on a smartphone and feeling sure while planning a public transit route. Many older users experience digital tools as obstacles, and I wanted this interface to feel like assistive technology that helps the journey rather than blocks it. The goal was not to remove capability, but to simplify search, route selection, and confirmation, so independent travel felt achievable without asking for help.

Process + Key Insights

Through user interviews, walkthroughs, and think-aloud sessions, I discovered that hesitation stemmed from uncertainty rather than inability. Parallel choices caused overload, while abstract labels and missing confirmation states broke trust. To address this real friction, the redesign focused on offering fewer route choices, using plain language over icons, and adding visible confirmation steps.

Reflections + Takeaways

This project proved that accessibility for older adults is a clarity problem before a visual one. Designing for a real user kept the work honest: if my mother could not explain the screen, the interface was unfinished. Eliminating friction at decision points mattered more than adding guidance everywhere. Assistive design must lower cognitive load so users stay focused on the journey. These lessons apply to any interface where confidence matters.