AccXpress
A first-place designathon solution to make TTC navigation independent, confident, and inclusive for riders with disabilities.
48 Hours to Rethink Accessibility
Transforming how 400,000+ people with disabilities move through Toronto’s transit system.
TEAM
ROLE
UX Designer
Led map design for accessible route planning, including real-time elevator outage integration.
Designed and prototyped the AI-powered camera feature to support riders with visual impairments.
Conducted rapid research & validation, synthesizing findings from TTC accessibility reports, forums, and guerrilla testing into actionable design decisions.
PAINPOINT
Paper maps, broken elevators, and hidden info left riders stranded.
Toronto is one of the most diverse cities in the world, yet its transit system often excludes those who rely on it most. For the 400,000+ Torontonians with disabilities, daily transit is unpredictable: elevators break without notice, accessibility info is buried in apps, and half the subway system remains physically inaccessible.
The designathon challenge asked us to confront these barriers head-on — and design a system that could restore independence, confidence, and dignity for riders.
This wasn’t just an accessibility gap — it was a dignity gap.
VALIDATION + INSIGHTS
What Riders, Caregivers, and Stakeholders Really Needed
We filled the walls with sticky notes — each one a frustration from riders and caregivers. Patterns emerged quickly: students missing class when elevators broke, seniors relying on strangers for help, and caregivers anxiously refreshing apps with no clear answers. Mapping the stakeholders revealed the bigger picture: riders carried the burden, caregivers carried the worry, and the City held the power to change things.
Looking back at the board, the message was clear: people weren’t just asking for features — they were asking for certainty. Riders wanted to move without second-guessing. Caregivers wanted peace of mind. And stakeholders needed a system that could hold up at city scale. We captured it all in a Transit Map of Needs.
At its core, validation reminded us this wasn’t just about getting from one station to another. It was about restoring independence — and the trust that the system wouldn’t fail you when you needed it most.
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
Turning Rider Needs into Design Rules
Our validation revealed more than frustrations — it revealed what riders truly needed from an accessible transit app. We translated those voices into three principles that guided every feature we built. These weren’t abstract ideas, but concrete rules that shaped navigation flows, UI elements, and even tone of voice.
These principles kept us focused: design not just for access, but for dignity, independence, and scale.
SOLUTION
ACCESSIBILITY, REIMAGINED
AccXpress transforms how riders with disabilities navigate Toronto’s metro system — replacing uncertainty with real-time guidance, supportive navigation, and scalable accessibility tools.
Instead of piecemeal fixes, our solution combined maps, alerts, and guidance into one seamless flow. The result: riders gained independence, caregivers peace of mind, and the TTC a blueprint for accessible transit at scale.
USER INSIGHTS & KEY FEATURES
Turning Principles Into Real Features
01. Virtual Travel Assistant
An AI-powered guide that mimics caregiver support. Using the phone’s camera, it detects elevators, signage, and surroundings, providing contextual guidance for riders with visual impairments.
02. Smart Map & Route Planning
Built with accessibility at the core, our maps surface real-time elevator outages and alternative routes. Riders can preview trips and avoid inaccessible stations before leaving home.
03. Step-by-Step Guidance with Image Cards
Designed for riders with cognitive impairments, our visual cards simplify navigation through crowded stations, making every transfer and direction more straightforward and less stressful.
DESIGN DECISIONS
User Flows That Match Real Journeys
We mapped flows around real rider behaviour — from planning a route to asking for help along the way. For mobility-impaired students, every interaction needed to feel predictable and supportive, so the assistant became a natural extension of their commute rather than an extra step.
Accessibility by Default
Features weren’t built as add-ons — they were designed to scale. By adhering to WCAG 2.1 AA standards, we ensured colour contrast, flexible input types, and multimodal guidance (audio, text, image) worked seamlessly together. The goal was independence for riders and confidence for caregivers.
GET IN TOUCH
Beyond the Screens
AccXpress wasn’t just another weekend project — it was the 1st place winner at McMaster’s UI/UX Designathon, judged by TWG, a Deloitte business. Over 48 hours, we turned research, whiteboard chaos, and countless “what if…” moments into a working prototype that tackled accessibility for 400,000+ Torontonians.
If you’re curious about how we mapped rider journeys, the design trade-offs we debated, or just want to hear what it’s like to sprint through a citywide accessibility challenge in two days — I’d love to share more.
