Luca Pfister
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Time is Money: Improving TAP Card Management for LA Metro Users
Role
UX Design Intern
Timeline
Jun - Sept 2025 3 months
Team
1 PM 1 Designer (me!) 1 Engineer
Skills
User Research User Scenario Mapping Rapid Prototyping AI Prototyping
Overview
With more users every day, the TAP traveler app has the duty to be efficient and reliable.
During my internship, I led the usability research and design effort to improve the TAP Traveler app in preperation for version 2.0 - a major upgrade integrating UMB back-office systems, supporting open payments, and Google Wallet. My goal: enable users to manage their transit cards with clarity and confidence, despite technical and organizational constraints.
Outcomes
Synthesized 750+ user reviews into actionable insights using Notion
Enabled theme identification and rapid filtering, replacing inefficient spreadsheet workflows.
Defined and prioritized 7 key usability themes, then reviewed scope with stakeholders
Collaborated with PM and engineering to focus on Card Management, selecting and reframing to top 3 pain points in that area.
Delivered hi-fi prototypes and design specs for engineering hand-off
Prepared presentation-ready specs and advocated for user testing in the final project phase.
Process
Why does the app have such poor reviews, and how did I work to fix things?
Understanding the problem is the most important part of product design. I spent hours collecting and analyzing user generated feedback, and only ideated and locked in on designing on solutions in Figma when I was confident.
Initial Findings
Research showed users didn't really understand the app's features and limitations—cue the alarm bells!
Early research included onboarding, documentation review, and scraping hundreds of app store and Reddit reviews. Key takeaways: Performance and reliability issues dominate negative feedback, users are confused by card status, error messages, and stored value management, and onboarding leaves users uncertain about app capabilities and limitations.
Insights
Accessibility to real user feedback is critical, but reviews have limitations
Automated scraping tools (Cursor) and Notion enabled scalable analysis, but voluntary response bias and lack of direct interviews limited depth.
Usability issues are often entangled with performance problems
While many pain points stem from technical constraints, my focus was to maximize clarity and reduce confusion within the UI itself.
Scoping the Problem
Card Management emerged as the critical focus area, and turned my understanding of the scope upside down.
I set up a meeting to rank 7 usability themes with my boss and a fellow engineer, expecting to scope 3 of them, but I was surprised when my boss told me to prioritize ONE: Card Management. After taking literally the rest of my work day to ponder, I looked at my insights from the CONTEXT of Card Management, reframing three core usability pain points: Form errors and confusing error handling, unclear card details and status communication, and difficulty finding and managing stored value and tickets.
User Personas & Scenarios
Understanding diverse user needs through personas and scenario mapping
I crafted 3 user personas based on demographic data and usage patterns from the reviews. For each persona, I created two scenarios, mapping user goals, pain points, and potential solutions using color-coded sticky notes for ideas, questions, and considerations. But wow, while scenario mapping surfaced nuanced needs and informed ideation, the volume of ideas was overwhelming.
Ideation & Refinement
From crisis to clarity: aligning ideas with evolving research
Looking back at the usability themes I had created, I got anxious about whether I was veering off track. After some reflection, I realized that the conceptual frameworks I had used were actually evolving my understanding of the problem. As someone who had been skeptical of personas and the like in the past, I was kind of amazed. With my newfound confidence, I used effort/impact matrices to prioritize solutions by persona and pain point, iteratively refining problem definitions and 'How Might We' statements as my understanding evolved.
Design Solutions
Key UI improvements for better card management
Lo-fi wireframes created in Figma, referencing existing app patterns but advocating for improved hierarchy and discoverability. Specs prepared for engineering, with a focus on feasible changes that fit within the current system.
Reflection (so far)
Scoping and reframing are ongoing, not one-time tasks
It's natural for priorities and mental models to evolve as research progresses. Regular check-ins and willingness to pivot are essential.
Working within technical and organizational constraints is part of the job
Not all pain points are solvable from the UI alone, but clear communication and advocacy for usability can still drive meaningful improvements.
Read more
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