Case study
Transforming Ride booking with unified search experience
Overview
The previous ride booking experience focused primarily on showing users popular routes, which didn’t always align with their locations or preferences. The system only accepted route code searches, making it difficult for users to discover relevant trips. As a result, user engagement dropped, and active users churned due to frustration with the platform’s limited and non-intuitive search features.
Image of the old discover experience
Scope
My goal was to design a unified discovery screen that would allow users to search for routes, find stops, and book rides all in one place, making the process seamless and intuitive. I worked closely with backend engineers to ensure the system supported different search queries based on the user's location, bus stop, address, and event searches.
Key challenges included:
Simplifying the discovery process for first-time users.
Reducing user churn by improving search functionality.
Making the system flexible enough to support multiple types of search queries.
Redesigned discover screen for new and existing users
Execution
To solve the issues with the previous search functionality, I designed an omni-search feature that supported various query methods:
Location-based searches to find routes and stops near users.
Event search to highlight events around their area.
Route code search for users familiar with the old method.
Omnisearch flows for different search queries
We also updated the discovery page to show relevant routes and events within the user’s radius before they even initiated a search, creating a more proactive and intuitive experience. This system made it easy for users to discover routes, book rides, and engage with the platform seamlessly.
Outcome
After implementing the new omni-search and discovery system, we saw a significant reduction in churn rates and an increase in user retention. Active users remained more engaged, and first-time users found it easier to make their first trip. The updated experience helped users discover more relevant routes and events, making the platform more appealing and user-friendly.