I chose to work on this proof of concept because of a few personal experiences. I live close to the Luas Green Line in Dublin and use it almost every day. As a regular commuter, I rely on my Leap Card and hardly ever buy physical tickets from the machines. That familiarity and the struggle from users while using the machines made me curious — could the ticketing experience be simpler, warmer, and more intuitive for everyone? I talk a bit more about what motivated me in the section on service design thinking for this case study.

When I started reimagining the purchasing experience for Luas ticketing machine, my goal was to design something that truly understands its users — an experience that feels empathetic, intuitive, and encouraging. It should be able to sense what a person needs quickly and respond efficiently, without making them feel rushed or confused.

I also drew from my experiences growing up in India, where technology use varies so widely. There, I’ve seen folks preferring to interact with highly digital services and others more comfortable using analogue systems. I remember buying train tickets at the counter — the conversations with the staff behind the counter being warm, helpful, and confident (not always :P). They’d suggest better trains or seats, make sure you got good value for your money, and even ask clarifying questions if something didn’t add up. They could tell instantly whether someone was a first-time traveller or a regular and would adapt their approach accordingly.

That kind of human sensitivity is what I’ve tried to capture in this design — the ability for an interface to feel just as thoughtful, observant, and reassuring as the person behind the counter once did.