Riders get lost in the app, not the city.
Ambiguous transit labels, a convoluted flow and inaccurate schedules create a steep learning curve and erode trust.
← All work
Case study 03 · December 2024 · UX research
Moovit
A UX research study on why public-transit riders lose trust in Moovit, and what would win them back.
The problem
Numbers and abbreviations mean nothing to newcomers.
New riders couldn’t tell a minibus from a bus. Clear labels and reliable data drive retention more than new features.
Three evidence-based fixes.
Validated schedule data, clearer IA with explicit labels, icons and colour, and less intrusive ads with a student premium tier.
From 37 reviews to 5 interviews
Research question: what do Moovit users experience during their public-transit journeys, and how does it affect them?
I collected 37 positive, negative and neutral reviews from the App Store, Google Play, Ekşi Sözlük and Şikayetvar and synthesised them in Airtable. I then ran 45-minute remote one-to-one interviews with 5 active users, aged 19–31, in Istanbul and Çanakkale, and benchmarked Moovit against Google Maps and Citymapper.
37reviews
5interviews
45min each
2competitors
Limitations. Reviews come from people who chose to post them, and five interviews are a small sample. The findings point to recurring themes; they don’t measure how common each one is.
- 01
Data accuracy
Inaccurate schedules and outdated routes break trust in trip planning and push people to other apps.
- 02
Ad overload
Frequent pop-up ads disrupt core flows and lower retention.
- 03
UI complexity
A cluttered interface creates a steep learning curve, especially for new and occasional riders.
- 04
Subscription and pricing
Some users report unexpected subscription charges and ask for more flexible monthly options.
- 05
Support and feedback
People feel their reports go unanswered, so the app seems unresponsive to their needs.
Affinity map
Quotes from reviews and interviews, grouped into pain points, expectations and motivations.
Key decisions
From 37 reviews to 3 recommendations.
Make schedules trustworthy
Outdated times drive churn. Validate data with municipalities and real-time rider feedback.
Label what riders actually see
Explicit vehicle labels, icons and colour-coding lower the learning curve for new users.
Keep ads out of critical flows
Move ads away from navigation and offer an ad-free tier with student pricing.
How it evolved
Step 1 · Interviews
Five active riders
45-minute remote sessions on travel habits, satisfaction, expectations, pain points and in-app ads.
Step 2 · Benchmark
Against Google Maps and Citymapper
In my comparison, the competitors offered voice guidance, real-time traffic and fare estimates that Moovit lacked, with less ad intrusion.
Step 3 · Recommendations
Each insight, paired with a fix
Data accuracy, UI complexity and ad density, each with a concrete recommendation.
The research
Scroll inside the frame to read the full document.
What I’d do next
- 01
Prototype the label fix
Redesign transit labels with explicit vehicle names, icons and colour, then test them with new riders.
- 02
Test ad placement
Compare ad positions outside navigation flows to see their effect on task completion.
- 03
Broaden the sample
Interview more occasional riders and users with accessibility needs, a group raised in the reviews.