NZ Transport Agency
UX Researcher and Designer
Mar 2019 – Feb 2020
MaaS (Mobilty as a Service) is NZ’s real-time transport solution – enabling users to plan and book multimodal journeys (bus, ferry, train, taxi, shuttle) through a single app. When I joined, the product was driven by a feature-heavy backlog based on early user polls, but lacked a clear prioritization strategy or cohesive user experience – especially for launch regions like Queenstown, Dunedin, and Christchurch.
I reoriented the approach from "feature-centric" to "journey-centric" by developing a holistic UX research and design framework. This involved:
• Shifting the mental model: from shipping features to solving real commuter needs.
• Conducting in-depth research: mapping how Kiwis navigate their daily routines—commutes, childcare drop-offs, gym sessions—and identifying their transport choices and decision-making drivers.
• Defining core focus areas: aligning app functionality with real-world behaviours to drive product clarity and regional relevance. his shift grounded product decisions in actual user behaviour, enabling smarter feature prioritisation and a more meaningful, seamless experience for all kinds of New Zealanders.