To assist commuters in locating and orienting themselves on a station platform, and helping them navigate to, within and between these station platforms.
whether it’s exiting the station, finding ticket counters, accessing services like lifts and escalators, or navigating to another platform to board a connecting train.
Problem Statement
Designing a Micro-Navigation Guide Map
for Mumbai Suburban Railway Station
Academic Project
Field
UI & UX
Duration
12 weeks
Team
Individual
Mumbai’s Suburban Railway serves over 7.5 million commuters daily, yet navigation within its complex stations remains a significant challenge, particularly at a micro-level. Understanding this whole network and system is a daunting task for a new commuter or even for a daily commuter. The different types of lines and local trains are at times confusing and locating the platforms for these trains is difficult. The project focuses on understanding the complexities and challenges faced by commuters in Mumbai Suburban Railway network and further narrows down to the problem of wayfinding and navigation in a Mumbai suburban railway platform.
Background
The final map design utilizes an isometric view to provide a 3D perspective of the station layout, which significantly enhances the user’s ability to understand the spatial arrangement of the various features within the station. Compared to a flat top-down view, the isometric perspective offers a more intuitive sense of depth and structure, allowing users to visualize the relative positioning of platforms, staircases, access points, and services more effectively.
The final design effectively combines visual clarity, spatial awareness, and aesthetic appeal, making it a functional and user-friendly solution for navigating Thane station. The isometric view improves commuters’ ability to understand the station’s layout and orientation, offering a clearer, more intuitive map compared to traditional 2D representations.
Design Solution
Categorization & Colour Coding
Salmon
#FD636B
Honey
#FFB926
Turquoise
#3BE8B0
Cerulean
#1AB1D0
Iron
#474747
Food Stalls
Toilet
Parking
Medical Shop
Drinking Water
Other Services
Ticket Counter
ATVM
Help Desks
TC Office
Railway Office
Waiting Areas
RPF Office
Railway Services
Bus Stand
Auto Stand
Metro Station
Public Transport
Staircase
Elevators
Escalators
Ramps
Access
Entry & Exits
First Class Coach
Handicapped
Ladies Coach
Central Line
Out Station Line
Trans Harbor Line
Low Fidelity Wireframes
High Fidelity Wireframes
Free flowing Map
Where am !?
Navigate
Platform Selection
Icon information
Filter Categories
Info
Locating the user
on station platform
Separate in-detailed
platform specific maps
Turn-by-turn navigation
assistance
Providing information related to icon
location, public transport near the exit
and closet landmarks from that exit
Using categories to filter
necessary information
Information regarding
map index and icons
MSRSM is an app designed to assist new commuters in navigating the Mumbai Suburban Railway System. Its interface and features help users locate, orient themselves, and move through station premises while offering detailed information about the facilities and services available on station platforms.
Click below to explore the project's backend research, scope, limitations, design process, and evaluation.
Check the full case study here
Micro Interactions
Micro-interactions are integrated into the navigation system to grab user attention and provide intuitive feedback, ensuring a seamless and engaging wayfinding experience for commuters.
Inter
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O
P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r
s t u v w x y z
#5A81FA
#FFFFFF
#000000
Project Stages
Presenting...
Mumbai Suburban Railway Station Map (MSRSM) is a template-based navigation solution designed to address common wayfinding and communication challenges across Mumbai's railway stations. It provides a scalable, user-friendly mapping system that combines clear layouts, categorized information, and interactive features. The design focuses on accessibility, adaptability, and ease of use for commuters - whether daily travelers or first-time users.
Research
Primary Research
On-site visit
Commuter Interviews
Secondary Research
Other cities transport maps
Papers & articles
Drawing Board
Ideation
Design Process
Design Iterations
Initial sketching
Digitization of sketches
Categorization
Problem Identification
Problem Statement
Objective
Scope
Limitations
Prototyping
Low-fidelity Wireframe
High-fidelity Screens
Prototype
Evaluation
Evaluation Plan
In Situ Testing
Feedback
Ongoing...