Optimized UX design for the German truck tolling system

The software aims at a very heterogeneous target group, which results in a range of different requirements for the design: for example, foreign language and computer skills vary within diverse spectrums. The time pressure faced by drivers and dispatchers plays a special role during the toll process. Booking and cancellation processes should be simplified and globalized accordingly.

Users are led through the toll process step-by-step. Easy-to-understand metaphors and clear visual language ensure easy operation for an international target group. Route information, traffic restrictions on the route, and a detailed representation of the ticket have been adapted to the needs of toll users. Clear user guidance facilitates fast toll bookings and cancellations — whether by smartphone, tablet, computer, or terminal. To ensure the smooth implementation of the UI design, we also created an interactive style guide. Finally, the implemented design was validated in usability tests on various devices.

To design the user interface, we went through the whole user-centered design process with the Toll Collect team — from contextual analysis to testing. We incorporated these into our design process to establish specific user needs in the early phases. We made our ideas tangible using interactive prototypes. We used these in real situations at truck stops in order to test our concepts and to clearly measure the application’s user experience.

Since January 1st 2005, Toll Collect has been reliably operating the world’s first satellite-supported toll system for heavy goods vehicles. Since the toll was introduced, Toll Collect has been a reliable partner for the federal government — tried and tested in handling tolls. But the focus is not just on the client’s statutory and contractual requirements. The customer’s concerns and customer-facing operational processes are significant factors in the set-up of processes, such as various payment methods and paperless data transfer.