Andy Pacer
Established Member
I do like the ability to see the number of carriages on some services, particularly those operators not on Know Your Train (e.g. Southeastern).
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National Rail App
- Thread starter modernrail
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modernrail
Established Member
- Joined
- 26 Jul 2015
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When I started this thread I was a tad confused by those who thought the updates to the website were acceptable because you could just use the app. It is good to see I am not going mad and the updates were indeed dreadful. That they ever made their way onto the website is mad, that they were then carried over to the app is bonkers.
The reviews on AppStore speak for themselves. Everybody is pointing out exactly the same flaws and they are serious and seriously avoidable.
Whilst it is good to see the NR response indicates they realise they have got it wrong, the mind still boggles at the incompetence and ambivalence that allowed it to get this far. It is not exactly the most complicated list of basic functions is it. What a totally unnecessary waste of time and money. The industry needs to do better if it wants subsidy.
The reviews on AppStore speak for themselves. Everybody is pointing out exactly the same flaws and they are serious and seriously avoidable.
Whilst it is good to see the NR response indicates they realise they have got it wrong, the mind still boggles at the incompetence and ambivalence that allowed it to get this far. It is not exactly the most complicated list of basic functions is it. What a totally unnecessary waste of time and money. The industry needs to do better if it wants subsidy.
If the app is now more or less just a web container, surely any UI bugs fixes and UX changes will be done remotely and you will just see the changes without the need for further updates?
Given the complaints about the website for so long, strong questions should be asked about how they decided to roll it out to app users before fixing the issues.
If there's one thing I've found with these glorified web-apps, they'll find a way to make it require updates to both somehow
But they tested the app and people liked it. They said so.
Who did they ask?! A room full of psychopaths?!
Ashley Hill
Established Member
Turning my phone off and on cured the problem. Cheers.
Yesterday a train was diverted from East Grinstead to Three Bridges dud to staff shortages I seem to recall.
The previous existing app had an estimated arrival time and the new version, something about not having that information.
I wonder if issues like this were picked up in the user testing?
The previous existing app had an estimated arrival time and the new version, something about not having that information.
I wonder if issues like this were picked up in the user testing?
trainophile
Established Member
On my iPhone it doesn’t seem to be working at all today:
500: Internal server error”
Is it me or is it the same for everyone?
“We’re having some issues, but we’re working hard to get you back on track
Please come back later.500: Internal server error”
Is it me or is it the same for everyone?
Ashley Hill
Established Member
I completed the survey that often appears on the app. I thought I’d have my say and point out its failures but upon completion the app froze. Says it all really.
HantsExile
Member
- Joined
- 22 Jun 2018
- Messages
- 69
Not sure if this has been mentioned upthread - but one of the features I miss from the 'old' app is the ability to pin a journey, very useful for keeping abreast of the progress being made by a delayed train. Unless someone's discovered this feature on the 'new improved' app ?!?
Agree with all the other criticisms - it's dreadful ....
Agree with all the other criticisms - it's dreadful ....
Does anyone know of other apps where user testing was done but the app was still rubbish?
Does anyone know of other apps where user testing was done but the app was still rubbish?
I am sure there are plenty because there are so many different ways to do user/usability testing and some companies may not realise the importance of doing it - or don't do it at all.
I used to evaluate software (games) when younger and my job was to play games in such a way to intentionally break them, by doing dumb things. People always do dumb things or things we might not expect, and likewise people look at things in certain ways. Eye tracking when watching people use services is one important way to see how to improve the experience. It's the only way to know how people read text, which isn't always left to right, row to row. Boxes, colours, font sizes all influence how people scan.
trainophile
Established Member
Managed to get back on the NRE one by deleting the app I was using and trying another way.
My other complaint, as well as it not showing earlier trains as already mentioned, is that it only seems to show up to about six hours ahead. When I wake up I like to immediately check my whole day’s travel, but at 06:30 this morning it was only showing New Street to Hereford trains up to the 13:50. Has to wait for an hour or so for the 14:50 to show.
Doing this enables me to leave home and get an earlier train from Liverpool if it’s cancelled. I assume on a through ticket that would be permitted if the second leg is cancelled? However I would need to know asap. Not that WMR don’t cancel things at the last minute!
My other complaint, as well as it not showing earlier trains as already mentioned, is that it only seems to show up to about six hours ahead. When I wake up I like to immediately check my whole day’s travel, but at 06:30 this morning it was only showing New Street to Hereford trains up to the 13:50. Has to wait for an hour or so for the 14:50 to show.
Doing this enables me to leave home and get an earlier train from Liverpool if it’s cancelled. I assume on a through ticket that would be permitted if the second leg is cancelled? However I would need to know asap. Not that WMR don’t cancel things at the last minute!
To add to the list of alternatives, TrainSplit on Android has added a new "Live Times" feature. Early stages, but provides at least some alternative to NRE's old app.
Pagination (earlier/later) — yes, I understand it's important —coming soon rolled out!
You'll need to join the open beta via the Google Play Store to see this update while it's in testing.
Pagination (earlier/later) — yes, I understand it's important —
You'll need to join the open beta via the Google Play Store to see this update while it's in testing.
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This new version is absolutely appalling - and I write as an experienced software developer.
The old App was excellent - it did everything that was needed: it worked fast, was intuitive and user friendly and worked well on a mobile phone screen. The new app does none of the above - it is an attempt to make it look fancy with lots of confusing colours, boxes and backgrounds - it takes several taps (executed with some difficulty as the on-screen keyboard interferes with the drop list) to see the departures at my local station which are visible one train at a time and only after I scroll down.
Do the developers not understand that what is needed is something that resembles the departure boards at stations, not the BBC News Site?
Something like the excellent FlightBoard iPhone app or...the old National Rail app!!!
It appears they don't or someone with power higher up doesn't and they have no choice.
Follow good practice or following directives from above. I'm not saying this is the case but it's the sort of thing that can happen in places.
Adam Williams
Established Member
I'm sure at least one engineer will have flagged up the drawbacks and risks of not delivering a native app.
There are some decent people at Valtech. My guess is that RDG didn't stipulate this when they commissioned the work and agreed with the "simpler" approach
There are some decent people at Valtech. My guess is that RDG didn't stipulate this when they commissioned the work and agreed with the "simpler" approach
My guess (past nightmare project) is:
1) A 'user experience' type got involved with the web site.
2) Marketing were so impressed that his/her ideas overruled what actual users needed.
3) 'Responsive design solves everything' but without real use cases to decide what goes at each size.
4) It's so fantastic that the app must be identical to the web site (actually, the cheapest solution won).
Anyone on the inside?
1) A 'user experience' type got involved with the web site.
2) Marketing were so impressed that his/her ideas overruled what actual users needed.
3) 'Responsive design solves everything' but without real use cases to decide what goes at each size.
4) It's so fantastic that the app must be identical to the web site (actually, the cheapest solution won).
Anyone on the inside?
From the vibes I get on here, a cheaper and better option would have been to do nothing to the app at all!
eoff
Member
Looking at feedback on recent updates the EasyJet app seems to have gone the same way. But that is more serious as EJ really don't want anyone to ever call them. Hidden in the app reviews is a comment about some framework going out of support, I wonder if there is a generic issue here (sorry, don't have a reference to that).
Not on the inside, but 3 & 4 make sense given a project I am involved with. The theory is that by having responsive design and the right technology mix, you can develop an “omnichannel” experience that means the company can develop online functionality once m without needing to do things separately for different devices.
That is especially appealing when the website is a cost, not a business benefit - as is the case with NR
The latest irritation from this cockamamie app - whenever I try to click on the "journey details" section, it just highlights the whole journey and takes me to the ticket type. I've tried opening in a different tab but to no avail.
100% correct if you design it right and make sure the design is followed in future ...
but in practice leads to:
5) When you try to develop a small task-specific front end, you discover that some logic and validation is in the web site (it ought to be in the backend availble via a web API)
6) Refactoring is banned by management as a wasted cost.
So you are stuck with the, now aging, web site for everything. Hence all these app wrappers around it.
I can't see the National Rail app improving, given where it has reached.
A core part of the problem is one seen in other parts of the public sector (recognising rail's more complex status in this regard) of, no matter if there apps and platforms in the private sector which deliver all of the functionality and security required, not even developing a white label relationship with them, but instead developing a separate product that isn't as good.
Very few private sector organisations will offer a white labelled version with indefinite protections against cost escalation. Transferring between white labelled products can be difficult and the risk of vendor lock in to an organisation who can name their price will make anyone in control of public money nervous. Trainline may be happy to provide portals for TOCs, National Rail itself seems more likely to cannibalise their own revenue and have a much bigger price tag as a result.
The main problem for the website is design and while significant alteration is required it's mostly tweaks rather than a comprehensive technical rebuild. Some of the designers involved have screenshots of app designs on their personal websites that are a lot better. Possibly a case of the project going over budget and scope getting cut. The issues are much more implementation and execution than the underlying strategy.