Transit Elevator Outage Guidance
Design real-time step-free journey guidance that responds to a station elevator outage with credible alternatives and support.
The brief
Understand the problem
Background
An elevator outage can make an otherwise accessible station unusable. Riders need to know which entrance, platform, and direction are affected, how fresh the report is, and whether an alternative adds transfers or street travel.
User context
Theo uses a manual wheelchair and plans to travel home during rush hour. The destination station elevator is reported out just as he reaches the origin platform.
Product problem
Theo needs a complete step-free alternative, not a generic outage warning, and must be able to judge time, effort, confidence, and support availability.
Objective
Create alert, alternative comparison, active journey, and service-restoration states for an elevator disruption.
What to design
Define the experience
Required experience
- Receive an outage alert tied to the planned journey
- Understand exactly which station path is unavailable
- Compare complete step-free alternatives
- Follow the chosen route and respond to status changes
Screens and states
- Journey-specific outage alert
- Accessible alternative comparison
- Active rerouted journey
- Status change and support
Core user flow
Follow the critical path
- 01
Theo receives an alert before boarding
- 02
He sees that only the street-to-platform elevator at his destination is affected
- 03
He chooses an earlier accessible station with a verified low-floor bus connection
- 04
When the elevator returns to service, the app explains why the current route may still be more reliable
Product rules
Requirements and constraints
Requirements
- Identify affected entrance, mezzanine, platform, and travel direction
- Show report source, update time, and restoration estimate confidence
- Evaluate step-free access for every segment of an alternative
- Include added distance, transfers, fare impact, and support contacts
- Provide non-map instructions and kiosk handoff
Constraints
- Restoration estimates can change
- A route is not accessible if any required segment is unverified
- Alerts must work without requiring continuous location tracking
Reality check
States worth considering
Finish line
What to deliver
- Four responsive screens plus one station kiosk summary
- A status language guide for reported, verified, estimated, restored, and unconfirmed access
If you want more
Optional extensions
Optional direction
Visual resources
Use these as a starting constraint if you want one. They are not part of the required solution.