UX Case Study
Calgary 311 App
Calgary 311 is a redesigned mobile app that simplifies how residents report non-emergency city issues. It features a restructured service flow and intuitive navigation, making civic engagement faster, clearer, and more accessible for everyone.
Overview
The original Calgary 311 app was difficult to navigate, with poorly labeled service categories, an overwhelming menu structure, and a lack of clarity on how users could submit reports. Residents often struggled to find the right service or gave up midway through the process, leading to frustration and incomplete submissions. The challenge was to redesign the experience in a way that felt intuitive, organized, and accessible to a wide range of users, without compromising the app’s extensive functionality.
I redesigned the app with a clear service hierarchy, improved category labeling, and streamlined task flows to make reporting issues faster and more intuitive.
Research
1. Competitive Analysis
To establish a baseline, I conducted a UX audit of municipal service apps from other cities, which included Vancouver, Toronto, and Ottawa. While the Calgary 311 app has no direct competitors, this research highlighted design patterns, usability improvements, and accessibility features that other cities were doing better.
2. Observational Studies
I observed 4 users as they navigated the original app, noting where confusion or hesitation occurred. These insights revealed major pain points in category naming and task completion flow.
3. Card Sorting
To improve the app’s information architecture, I ran a card sorting exercise with 5 users that explored how they naturally grouped services. The findings helped inform a more intuitive category structure.
4. Usability Testing with Think-Aloud Protocol
I created a low-fidelity prototype based on insights from competitive analysis, observational research, and card sorting. I then tested it with three users using the think-aloud method, where participants verbalized their thoughts while navigating the redesigned flow. Their feedback revealed usability issues and areas of friction, directly informing the final high-fidelity prototype.
Design
The redesign focused on creating a clear and accessible interface that prioritized simplified service categories, streamlined task flows, and a layout aligned with user expectations.
Results
User success rate increased from 50% to 100% when completing key tasks in the redesigned app.
Users navigated to the correct service category 60% faster compared to the original app.
User confusion decreased by 75%, as reported through think-aloud testing and post-task reflections.
Reflection
This project reinforced my belief in the power of user-centered design to transform public service experiences. By simplifying the Calgary 311 app’s navigation and improving task flows, the redesign helped reduce cognitive load and encouraged user confidence, especially when submitting service requests.
If expanded into full implementation, my next steps would focus on building out live tracking features, real-time updates, and more advanced usability testing with a broader, more diverse group of users. I would also prioritize accessibility audits and deeper collaboration with city stakeholders to align user needs with backend capabilities.
Ultimately, this project underscored how small UX improvements can make a big difference. With the right investment in design, even complex municipal tools can feel approachable, inclusive, and empowering.
