State of the art analysis- Pavithren

The CityMapper app has one of the highest rating in the Google Play store. In terms of usability, it provide a simple user interface which provides the necessary information for a user who is planning his travel.  In terms of features, it suggests routes which involve walking, cycling, public transport and Uber as well. The high information density is well justified as a user is able to get a glance of all the mode of transportations. With major cities opening up open data, apps like CityMapper and Google maps leverage on this abundance of data to give instantaneous information about the latest traffic updates. The success of the application in many cities around the world shows that the developers have conducted sufficient research on the ethnography of the people. This is an example of 'glocalization' which refers to adapting global products for local markets.

The following are a few screenshots of the desktop version of City Mapper and the Android app:

Screenshots of the desktop version(above) and Android version(below)

The application also allows users to use the telescope feature to have a 360 degree view of your destination which is a good

The introduction of the calorie feature(see screenshot below) is quite interesting and a form of persuasive technology as it hints users that they would burn a number calories(for eg. equivalent to eating a Kanelbullar) if they walk to their desired destination. This somehow forces users to think about living a healthier lifestyle by walking rather than taking the public transportation.

Lastly, the developers have used a kind of anthropomorphism where the icon(see below) is designed to look like the smiling face. Moreover, the unique figurine is used to resemble each city therefore varying according to the cultural context at the same time. This technique is used to improve acceptance of the user and create a feel of interacting with a human. 

All in all, the designers of this application have used many useful HCI concepts to make it universal and user-friendly for a wide range of target audience.