Train seat app MVP

Objectives

Seetz was a personal MVP project designed to explore a common commuter frustration: where to stand on a busy train platform to maximise your chances of getting a seat. With increased focus on personal space post-Covid, I wanted to test the viability of a real-time solution that could use GPS and carriage occupancy data to help passengers make better, safer boarding choices. This was a self-initiated project driven by observation and assumption, in the absence of access to direct user data.

My role

I undertook all aspects of the project, from identifying the problem and mapping the concept, to designing the UI and building a landing page to tell the story. I developed high-fidelity mock-ups of the app interface, which uses location and timetable data to show arriving trains and indicate the quietest carriage using a heat map system. Constraints around time, budget, and technical scope meant I was unable to develop a functioning app, but I progressed the idea as far as possible through design and storytelling.

Incorporated processes

• Discovery & definition
• Ideation
• Hi-fidelity mock-ups
• MVP landing page

Outcomes and impact

• Attracted interest from industry professionals and MVP site visitors
• Explored a new domain and demonstrated initiative
• Showcased design thinking to solve user pain points without full team or data
• Acknowledged that further development would require real-world insights