Redesiging Chalo’s home screen for clarity and speed for 10M+ users
Redesiging Chalo’s home screen for clarity and speed for 10M+ users
Increased feature engagement by 60%
Increased feature engagement by 60%
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
Chalo runs in 60+ Indian cities. It helps millions get to work, school, and home. The app supports daily bus commuters with live tracking, digital tickets, and trip planning.
It's users span tech-savvy professionals to first-time smartphone users, each with different levels of digital confidence.
But the home screen treated every user the same, offering too much at once, with little context to guide the way. This redesign set out to fix that.
Chalo runs in 60+ Indian cities. It helps millions get to work, school, and home. The app supports daily bus commuters with live tracking, digital tickets, and trip planning.
It's users span tech-savvy professionals to first-time smartphone users, each with different levels of digital confidence.
But the home screen treated every user the same, offering too much at once, with little context to guide the way. This redesign set out to fix that.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Redesign the home screen to be more intuitive for both first-time and repeat users, improving discoverability and use of key features so commuters can navigate independently, and with confidence.
Redesign the home screen to be more intuitive for both first-time and repeat users, improving discoverability and use of key features so commuters can navigate independently, and with confidence.
THE BUSINESS ASK
THE BUSINESS ASK
Boost feature adoption
Increase engagement of core services - bus tracking, ticketing and recharge for regular and premium bus options.
Prepare for multi modal expansion
Build a modular framework to add services like metro and auto without full redesign.
MY ROLE
Led the redesign from research to rollout
Led the redesign
Led the redesign
TEAM
Design manager, 1 PM, 4 developers
TIMELINE
6 months
IMPACT
IMPACT
60%
60%
increase in discovery of core services
35%
35%
more first-time users engaged with multiple services
40%
40%
lift in repeat usage of the app across services
1
1
week to integrate metro/auto designs using new framework
PROCESS STEP 1
PROCESS STEP 1
Heuristic evaluation: Initial assessment of old homescreen
Heuristic evaluation: Initial assessment of old homescreen
Surface-level clutter revealed deeper usability challenges. We uncovered gaps in navigation clarity, cognitive load, and visual communication, especially for new or less confident users.
Surface-level clutter revealed deeper usability challenges. We uncovered gaps in navigation clarity, cognitive load, and visual communication, especially for new or less confident users.
DATA ANALYSIS
DATA ANALYSIS
Data revealed a narrow ussage pattern
Data revealed a narrow ussage pattern
Most users either left or tried only one thing, often search (bus tracking). Key features like premium buses, digital tickets and passes, and card saw minimal exploration, for both first time & repeat users.
Most users either left or tried only one thing, often search (bus tracking). Key features like premium buses, digital tickets and passes, and card saw minimal exploration, for both first time & repeat users.
40% abandoned the app within 15s of opening app
50% of those who interacted only used search (tracking)
7% new users engaged with non tracking services
3% repeat users engaged with non tracking services
USABILITY TESTING
USABILITY TESTING
What happened when 10 new users tried the app?
What happened when 10 new users tried the app?
Even basic tasks like ticket purchase caused hesitation in riders. Labels lacked clarity and unfamiliar terms like “Chalo Bus” led to second-guessing.
Even basic tasks like ticket purchase caused hesitation in riders. Labels lacked clarity and unfamiliar terms like “Chalo Bus” led to second-guessing.
REDESIGN
REDESIGN
Guiding principles for the design revamp
Guiding principles for the design revamp
Clean & clear
Declutter to guide attention and reduce overwhelm.
Predictable
Help users know where to go, without second-guessing.
Inclusive
Ensure visibility, context and ease of use for all users
Build for scale
Create a modular system that adapts to city-specific services
EXPLORATIONS
EXPLORATIONS
Key design iterations
Key design iterations
Iterations focused on visual and contextual cues while building mental models for quick access.
Iterations focused on visual and contextual cues while building mental models for quick access.
ARCHITECTURE
ARCHITECTURE
IA: Focus on contextual cues & quick access
IA: Focus on contextual cues & quick access
The design approach was refined by building an IA that focused on discoverability and predictable navigation.
The design approach was refined by building an IA that focused on discoverability and predictable navigation.
INTERFACE
INTERFACE
UI Approach: Retain brand essence & add delight
UI Approach: Retain brand essence & add delight
The focus was to add real world images for quick associations, use global iconography and straightforward language.
The focus was to add real world images for quick associations, use global iconography and straightforward language.
A RIPPLE EFFECT
A RIPPLE EFFECT
What started as a home screen revamp became the foundation for Chalo’s new design system, Voyage. It brought consistency, scalability and speed to future redesigns across multiple products.
What started as a home screen revamp became the foundation for Chalo’s new design system, Voyage. It brought consistency, scalability and speed to future redesigns across multiple products.
REFLECTIONS
REFLECTIONS
Simplicity takes strategy
Simplicity takes strategy
Early on, I thought simplification meant visual refinement. But decluttering the home screen wasn’t the goal, clarity was. And clarity demanded decisions. What do users need first? What can wait? What deserves prominence? To answer this, I studied principles like progressive disclosure and tested them with real users. The validation was clear: showing just enough helped users feel more in control and less overwhelmed.
Early on, I thought simplification meant visual refinement. But decluttering the home screen wasn’t the goal, clarity was. And clarity demanded decisions. What do users need first? What can wait? What deserves prominence? To answer this, I studied principles like progressive disclosure and tested them with real users. The validation was clear: showing just enough helped users feel more in control and less overwhelmed.
Process doesn't mean bureaucracy
Process doesn't mean bureaucracy
The app has been around for 10 years, it’s legacy. Stakeholders were rightfully cautious about change; users had memorised patterns, and disrupting those could backfire. But data and structured testing revealed gaps too clear to ignore. I learned that even in a fast-paced startup, process isn’t a blocker - it’s what builds conviction.
The app has been around for 10 years, it’s legacy. Stakeholders were rightfully cautious about change; users had memorised patterns, and disrupting those could backfire. But data and structured testing revealed gaps too clear to ignore. I learned that even in a fast-paced startup, process isn’t a blocker - it’s what builds conviction.
Design lives in the field
Design lives in the field
No dashboard could’ve told me that users call the Chalo Card the “Red Pass.” I only learned that standing at a bus stop, mid-conversation, in the middle of Mumbai heat. That moment, sweaty, chaotic, and real, reminded me that design isn’t just about solving problems. It’s about listening. Stories from the field moved me in a way numbers never could. They didn’t just inform the redesign, they made me care more.
No dashboard could’ve told me that users call the Chalo Card the “Red Pass.” I only learned that standing at a bus stop, mid-conversation, in the middle of Mumbai heat. That moment, sweaty, chaotic, and real, reminded me that design isn’t just about solving problems. It’s about listening. Stories from the field moved me in a way numbers never could. They didn’t just inform the redesign, they made me care more.
LET'S TALK ALL THINGS HUMAN
सृजन् आनंदम्
“Creation is joy.” Everything I design is an act of joy, curiosity, and care for the people who will use it.
LET'S TALK ALL THINGS HUMAN
सृजन् आनंदम्
“Creation is joy.” Everything I design is an act of joy, curiosity, and care for the people who will use it.
LET'S TALK ALL THINGS HUMAN
सृजन् आनंदम्
“Creation is joy.” Everything I design is an act of joy, curiosity, and care for the people who will use it.