Metro Maps
Project Status
Concept project
Role
Sole designer
Year
2018
Deliverables
Brand identity, mobile app prototype
Overview
Designed a complete mobile app concept that reimagined NYC transit as a fully digital experience, before the MTA introduced OMNY. The app replaced disposable MetroCards with mobile ticketing, route planning, live weather, and account reloads from anywhere.
The Challenge
Riders ran out of MetroCard balance mid-commute, hunted for vending machines, and switched between disconnected apps just to get from A to B. Daily experience as an NYC transit rider shaped the goal of bringing that fragmented experience into a single intuitive app built around getting somewhere on time.
Key Design Decisions
QR code entry. Chose QR over NFC in a 2018 context, assuming NYC turnstiles would be modernized for contactless scanning. NFC required hardware that didn’t yet exist at scale across the subway system, while QR worked within a realistic upgrade in the near future.
Third-party login. Chose third-party login over a custom account system. Transit riders are already on the move, and a registration step is a barrier they won’t complete. Third-party login gets them in with a single tap while still saving balance, routes, and history.
Dark UI, single accent. Paired a dark, high-contrast interface with a single accent color drawn from the MetroCard’s own black and yellow. The familiar palette eased adoption, and the reduced visual noise made the app quick to scan on a moving platform.
Outcome
Designed a complete app concept covering mobile ticketing, route planning, weather, and balance reloads, built for a modernized NYC transit system with contactless turnstiles.
Created a full brand identity, including logo, color palette, and typography.
Designed a circular balance meter so riders can read their remaining balance at a glance.
Anticipated where the MTA was heading, with core features that have since become central to the MTA’s own digital ticketing experience.