PRD: Improvements to MobiMart information architecture, content and navigation

[leelas-pm]

Overview

As Cal-ITP matures, it is important that all related tools and supports be ready to scale alongside the ambitions of the program. Currently, the information architecture for both calitp.org and camobilitymarketplace.org are not designed in a way that allows users to self-select and customize their user journey across both sites. The onus instead falls heavily on the Cal-ITP Customer Success team to act as navigation guides for agencies through their potential pathways to engaging with available products, tools and other resources. Adding additional content to MobiMart without addressing the confusing navigation experience will only make it that much more difficult to maintain an effective marketing funnel for Cal-ITP’s products, and limit the reach of our programs and supports, thus limiting the potential success and associated metrics. In order to ensure MobiMart plays an effective role in an agency’s user journey, the information architecture of the site must be redesigned and refreshed to better support self-service for users.

Alongside a refresh of existing content and the site’s information architecture, we can stand up content for Benefits on MobiMart, where it currently lacks a presence, and answer the question of how it can/should align with content on calitp.org.

Problem

MobiMart's information architecture makes it difficult to find information and make connections between the Home page and distinct product-focused pages. There are opportunities to make better use of existing content and better highlight the story of Cal-ITP's products to reach a larger audience and better serve existing users.

High-Level Approach

• Critique of current site and discovery
• Design revised information architecture and identify opportunities for new copy and content
• Develop and implement new designs

Goals

• Reduce onboarding time, increase agency self-service, and increase incoming requests for products
• Strengthen agency pipeline for Benefits/Payments requests

Non-Goals

• A related effort for refreshing content on calitp.org is out of scope for this PRD, but slated for this quarter if capacity allows for it.
• Standard requests for uploading PDFs to calitp.org via the Github form can continue during this period and are separate from the existing content review.

Metrics

TK. Discovery in progress.

User stories

As one of the only staff members (or the only staff member) of a small, rural transit agency, I want end to end support navigating the procurement process for tap-to-pay transit hardware and software.

As a staff member at a small to mid-size transit agency, I want easy to access information on procuring and implementing the hardware and software I need to further my agency's tap-to-pay journey.

As a vendor providing tools and supports to transit agencies, I want to see who the state of CA is partnering with on tap-to-pay contracts.

Timeline

timeline
    title Cal-ITP Websites Product Roadmap
   
    %% Websites Epics (2025)
    section 2025

    Q1<br>Complete
    : Maintenance and operations (product, design + dev)

    Q2<br>Complete
    : GTFS Realtime product pages (product, design + dev)

    Q3<br>Complete
    : Remix pilot product pages live on MobiMart (design + dev)
    : MobiMart information architecture (design)
    : Review of Calitp.org resources section (product)
    : MobiMart design explorations (design)
    : Google analytics research (product)
  

    Q4<br>Now 
    : Confirm product requirements for calitp.org in 2025+ (product)
    : Implement Digital Services Design Language (DSDL) across Cal-ITP websites (dev)
    : Establish doc site for Cal-ITP Websites (dev)
    : Development for MobiMart redesign (dev)
    : Draft integrated Benefits/Payments content for MobiMart (product + design)

    section 2026

    Q1<br>Future
    : Updates/content refresh of calitp.org resources (product + design)
    : Design for Benefits/Payments content (design)
    : Launch Benefits/Payments content on MobiMart (product + dev)
   %%{
        init: {
            'logLevel': 'debug',
            'theme': 'default' ,
            'themeVariables': {
                'cScale0': '#ffa500', 'cScaleLabel0': '#000000',
                'cScale1': '#ffff00', 'cScaleLabel1': '#000000',
                'cScale2': '#ffff00', 'cScaleLabel2': '#000000',
                'cScale3': '#008000', 'cScaleLabel3': '#ffffff',
                'cScale4': '#0000ff', 'cScaleLabel4': '#ffffff',
                'cScale5': '#4b0082', 'cScaleLabel5': '#ffffff',
                'cScale6': '#000000', 'cScaleLabel6': '#ffffff'
            }
        }
    }%%

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Future considerations

• Position site for easy rebranding

Reference

• Design Synthesis

Key milestones

• Information architecture ✅
• Designs completed and approved ✅
• Copy completed, approved and copyedited ✅
• Site build and test
• Site QA
• Site go-live