Department of Transport and Planning
Shaping how millions of Victorians tap on
We tested the usability and accessibility of next-generation myki fare validators with a diverse cohort of public transport users across Victoria. Over 10 weeks, our inclusive testing methodology helped determine which device designs best served the wide-ranging needs of the state's travelling population — shaping a system that millions of people will use every day.
Outcomes
-
Designed and delivered an inclusive product testing methodology to evaluate the accessibility, safety and usability of next-generation fare validators
-
Conducted testing with a diverse cohort representing the wide-ranging needs of Victoria's public transport users — across abilities, demographics and familiarity levels
-
Delivered a recommendations report with clear guidance on which device designs most successfully supported intuitive customer use
-
Developed customer value propositions and messaging frameworks for five phased releases of the new myki ticketing system
-
Provided evidence-based insights to support decision-making that will shape the daily experience of millions of Victorian public transport users
Services
- Customer research
- Customer experience
- Design research
Sectors
Making public transport work for everyone
Victoria's public transport provides mobility and freedom to people from every corner of the population. But not everyone experiences it the same way. As the state rolled out next-generation myki fare validators, the Department of Transport and Planning needed to know which device designs would be most accessible, safe and intuitively usable — across demographics, abilities and levels of familiarity.
This wasn't a typical usability study. The devices weren't fully functioning, the testing environment was unfamiliar to participants, and the stakes were high — these validators would shape the daily experience of millions of Victorians for years to come.
The onboard validator design evaluated during testing, alongside performance results showing OBV.3 scored highest across all four functional goals among 37 participants
The onboard validator design evaluated during testing, alongside performance results showing OBV.3 scored highest across all four functional goals among 37 participants
Capturing the needs of a diverse population
Public transport users vary enormously — from confident daily commuters to people with specific accessibility needs, from frequent travellers to those navigating the system for the first time. We needed a testing approach that could capture this full spectrum of needs, behaviours and attitudes.
We extended existing customer personas — including an infrequent traveller, a digital commuter, and a revenue protection officer — and mapped their current and future state journeys across the myki system. These personas helped us recruit a diverse cohort representing the wide-ranging demographics and abilities of Victoria's public transport users, and ensured the testing accounted for varying physical abilities, cognitive needs, language backgrounds and levels of technology familiarity.
Designing a safe and inclusive testing method
We place paramount importance on conducting research ethically and appropriately. Given the breadth of participant needs, this required careful planning and expert facilitation. Our methodology was flexible enough to adapt to individual participants while still delivering the structured data needed for clear recommendations.
We worked closely with Conduent and the Department of Transport and Planning throughout, ensuring the testing delivered insight at the right level of confidence to support effective decision-making. This collaborative approach meant the research was grounded in real operational context, not just theory.
We extended existing customer personas — Effortless Emily (infrequent traveller), Security Susan (revenue protection), and Realtime Rasheed (digital commuter) — and mapped their current and future state journeys across the myki system
Clear guidance on which devices work best
Our testing revealed the strengths and weaknesses of each validator design for our diverse cohort. We identified which devices most successfully supported intuitive customer use — and where specific designs fell short for particular user groups. These findings gave DTP and Conduent the evidence they needed to make informed decisions about which hardware to deploy across the state.
We delivered a comprehensive recommendations report with clear, actionable guidance — not just on which devices performed best overall, but on how each design served different user needs, from accessibility requirements to first-time user experience.
Shaping Victoria's public transport future
This project was an opportunity to influence decisions that will affect millions of daily journeys for years to come. Our recommendations are helping shape the next generation of myki infrastructure — validators that are more accessible, more intuitive, and better designed for the full diversity of Victoria's travelling public.
Beyond the device testing, our work on customer value propositions for the broader myki upgrade gave DTP and Conduent the messaging framework to communicate changes to travellers across five phased releases — supporting an inclusive transition to the new system.
