Traffy Fondue
Visualizing Citizen Co-Creation in the City
#UXDesign #UXResearch #CivicEngagement #SmartCities
Role: Team Leader, UX/UI Designer and Researcher
Deliverable: The new interface for a reporting system via the LINE app, 2023
Owner: The National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) of Thailand + Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA)
Volunteers: Sasicha Thongkhaoaon, Thanawit Prasongpongchai, Alisa Limpaiboon, and Thai.Gov Design
Overview
In a bustling city like Bangkok, effective communication between residents and local authorities is vital for community well-being. I led a UX design initiative with a new feature named 'Visualizing Citizen Co-Creation in the City' for the Traffy Fondue app, a platform developed by Bangkok's Administration and The National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), empowering citizens to report urban issues directly to city officials.
To answer this, we designed a feature allowing users to view before-and-after images of reported issues, showcasing tangible improvements and enhancing transparency in public services.
First, you need to know how the Traffy Fondue works.
Traffy Fondue is an operating system in LINE chat developed by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) in collaboration with Thailand's National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC). It enables Bangkok residents to directly report various issues—such as infrastructure repairs, street cleanliness, and public safety—to city authorities, creating a more transparent, citizen-centered process for problem-solving.
1. Submitting a Report
in LINE Chat
Users snap a photo of an issue, describe the problem, and upload it through the app. Each report is then routed directly to the relevant city department.
2. Tracking Progress
Once submitted, users can track the status of their report. The app provides updates on whether the issue has been acknowledged, assigned, and resolved, keeping users informed every step of the way.
My role in Thai.Gov Design
I collaborated with the Thai.Gov Design community, a group dedicated to enhancing public services through user-centered design, which partners with various government agencies to make their digital services more accessible and effective. In this project, I led a team to conduct thorough research, analyze user insights, and propose design solutions that would ultimately be implemented in the system.
Design Challenge
In Bangkok, many city issues have gone unresolved due to various factors, with one of the main obstacles being the public mindset. People often feel, "Reporting won’t make a difference," or "This isn’t my responsibility."
"How might we empower residents to recognize their essential role in improving and developing the city?"
This shift could bridge the gap between residents and government agencies, enabling officials to better understand and address the city’s needs.
Users' insight from the research before redesigning
1. Users were usually confused when selecting categories and government agencies.
2. Fear that officers may not fully understand their reported problems.
3. Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) frequently resolves issues slower than expected.
4. Many users find it difficult to track the progress of their reported problems.
5. Users are apprehensive about being identified as reporters.
Onboarding flow (Before redesigning)
Reporting flow (Before redesigning)
From this insight, residents of Bangkok need a streamlined, transparent, and supportive way to report city issues through the Traffy Fondue app. Current challenges—such as confusion in selecting categories, fear of miscommunication, slow response times, difficulty tracking progress, and concerns about anonymity—limit user engagement and trust in the reporting system.
To foster greater accountability, we need to enable the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to communicate more clearly, resolve issues more efficiently, and provide transparent, timely updates. By addressing these challenges, we aim to empower residents to feel confident that their voices are heard and that they can drive meaningful change within their city.
Creating a tangible result
To increase transparency, I analyzed the reporting flow in the Traffy Fondue system, where users are required to submit photos and the location of the reported city issue. As one of the current users, I put myself in their position—if I report a problem, I want to see the tangible results of my effort. Based on this user perspective and supported by research insights, I proposed to my team that we incorporate before-and-after photos, taken by both reporters and officers, as visible proof of progress. These images would then be sent back to the original chatroom where users reported the issue on day one, providing a clear and satisfying sense of resolution.
Concept Validation + Usability Testing
We not only revamped the app but also considered leveraging social media to share tangible outcomes with reporters.
After developing the design proposal based on our research data, we validated the concept by conducting a social media poll targeting our potential users. With the assumption that users desire tangible outcomes from reporting city-related issues, the survey results were surprising: 89% of respondents indicated they would use the app if we launch new features including the one for comparing before-and-after images of reported problems.
From Concept to User Experience in the Real World
Following the conclusion of our project, approximately 1-2 months later, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) implemented our proposed design enhancements in the Traffy Fondue's new features:
Display reported problems as examples to showcase tangible outcomes to both new and existing users.
Show the time taken by officers to resolve each problem to manage expectations effectively.
Identify the problem solver in each case to provide recognition and motivation to officers.
Illustrate reporter satisfaction through rating and feedback mechanisms to gauge user experience and improve service quality.
Photo from theMatter
The number of issues reported in the Traffy Fondue system across Bangkok (Updated November 2024) from https://bangkok.traffy.in.th/
