Ericsson Connected Urban Transport
Project Overview
Connected Urban Transport is a platform that
integrates data from multiple traffic systems such as
sensors, cameras, and traffic signals into a single interface
used by operators and engineers.
The system supports monitoring, investigation, and
real-time decision making across different roles and departments.
Because the system integrates many independent components and data sources, the main challenge was not just displaying information, but making it understandable and usable for decision-making in time-sensitive situations.
Problem Statement
The system had to support multiple user roles such as operators, engineers, and field technicians who rely on the same platform to monitor systems, investigate issues, and take action.
However, the information they needed was spread across different systems and presented in ways that were not always consistent or easy to interpret. This made it difficult to quickly understand what was happening and decide what to do next.
At the same time, users often worked under time pressure, where delays or mistakes could impact traffic flow and operations. The challenge was to design workflows that help users make sense of complex, real-time data and act on it with confidence.
My Role
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Designed workflows and interfaces for a traffic management system, focusing on map-based interactions, control panels, and device configuration.
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Defined user flows and interaction patterns to support real-time monitoring and quick decision-making.
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Worked closely with developers and stakeholders to align design solutions with technical constraints.
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Contributed across the design process, from structuring flows to refining UI based on feedback and implementation needs.
Design Challenges
Designing this system required handling complexity across users, data, and real-time operations.
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Different user roles (operators, engineers, technicians) needed to use the same system in different ways, making it difficult to design flows that worked across scenarios.
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System constraints and existing architecture directly limited design decisions, requiring continuous alignment with developers.
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The design system was still evolving, so maintaining consistency across screens and features required ongoing effort.
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Limited access to real users meant decisions were based on indirect insights, increasing the risk of misalignment with real workflows.
Design Process in Practice
The design process followed a typical UX approach, but in practice it was shaped by system complexity and limited access to users.
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Requirements came mainly from stakeholder discussions and internal walkthroughs rather than formal research.
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User understanding was based on indirect inputs and a one time on-site visit, not continuous user validation.
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Design decisions were iterated through frequent discussions with developers due to strong technical dependencies.
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Close collaboration with developers was essential to ensure feasibility and alignment with how the system actually worked.
Understanding the Users
The system supports multiple user roles with different responsibilities across traffic management operations. Although they used the same platform, each role had different goals and ways of interacting with the system, which required the design to support multiple perspectives on the same data.
These roles were identified based on stakeholder input and insights from a one-time on-site visit in Dallas.
Examples user roles:
Design case: Creating Device Groups
Creating device groups required balancing speed vs. control.
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Users needed to quickly group many devices in dense areas.
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At the same time, they needed precise control when selecting specific devices.
To address this, two complementary interaction patterns were designed as a single interaction model could not support both effectively.
1-Create Device Group by Drawing on the Map
Optimized for speed and based on device location on the map
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Users draw a boundary directly on the map
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All devices within that area are automatically selected
Works best when grouping many devices in dense area directly on the map.
2-Create Device Groups by Selecting Devices from a List
Optimized for precision and control
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Users select devices individually from a list
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Each selection is explicit and controlled
Works better when devices are spread out or when selection needs to be precise.
