Optimising mobility as a service for older users through the development of a new Heuristics Tool

Mobility as a Service (MaaS) applications (apps) are designed for smartphone use allowing users to plan, book and pay for a variety of travel modes including public transport, active travel, taxis and micromobility. MaaS should be accessible by all citizens however there is often a discrepancy between the needs of older adults and the design of apps. This could be addressed by using inclusive design in the development of new MaaS apps.

Older adults may experience a degradation in vision. This can include reduced contrast sensitivity, difficulty focusing and seeing smaller items at close range. This combined with the decline in psychomotor skills can make it difficult navigating and operating a MaaS app. Cognitive decline also increases with age. In order to minimise cognitive load, use of the MaaS app should be intuitive and avoid multitasking. Design should follow a familiar mental model and only use icons that are easily identified.

Older people may also be more fearful of errors. Instructions, help and FAQs may ease some of these fears. Where errors happen users should be supported by clear messages with comprehensive instructions for recovery. All should be in appropriate language avoiding jargon or abbreviations. As part of the Solent Future Transport Zone (SFTZ) project a MaaS app is to be developed for the region. The authors will be evaluating the new MaaS interface as part of an inclusive iterative design process. To determine whether the MaaS app interface supports the requirements of older users it is necessary to evaluate the user experience (UX). Heuristic analysis was identified as effective for measuring this.