LA Metro × Olympics 2028 — Redesigning Transit Experience
Project Type
Academy Project
Year
2025
Role
User Experience Designer
UX Researcher
Olympics will take place in Los Angeles in 2028. Reimagining LA Metro as more than just a ride—an extension of the Olympic experience.
Overview
This service and experience design project connects four stages of an Olympic visitor’s journey—from arriving at the station and riding the train to exploring beyond the station, enjoying the event, and finding their way back.
Station
●
On the Train
●
Beyond the Station
●
Stadium & Return
●
Across these stages, design appears through three connected systems work together to create one continuous experience.
Physical Product
Olympin — Pin Prototype
Digital Interfaces
Phone App
Kiosk Screen
Pin Screen
Wayfinding Screen
Train Display
Visual & Wayfinding System
Posters
Stamps
Signage
Metro Numbering System
The Problem
LA expects 1M+ riders in 2028. But Metro’s rider base doesn’t reflect the Olympic audience.
Expanded rail coverage can bring people closer to Olympic venues, but access alone does not build confidence. Beyond its current rider base, Metro needs to help first-time visitors, returning travelers, and locals understand the system, navigate with ease, and feel confident using it.
Key Findings
Through field analysis and ride experience across LA city and the metro, here are the reasons why people do not take the metro.
Insight 01
Public installations damages
Many physical kiosks have failed due to intentional destruction, vandalism, and misuse by people experiencing homelessness or criminal activity.
Insight 02
Lack of Navigation Clarity
Unclear route information and platform signage make it difficult for riders to identify the correct train and direction, leading to confusion, wrong transfers, and wasted travel time.
Insight 03
Rigid & Uninviting Experience
Metro's functional but rigid experience offers little engagement beyond transportation, missing opportunities to reflect LA's vibrant culture and encourage visitors to explore the city.
The Vision
How might we help first-time visitors, returning travelers, and locals build trust in LA Metro through seamless navigation, playful interactions, and social connection during the Olympics and beyond?
Key Features
1 / 4 PRE STATION
Connecting Olympin to Your Journey
pair your Olympin with your phone via Bluetooth
set up your display screen on Olympin
2 / 4 ON THE TRAIN
Know Where You Are, and What's Next.
A clear, real-time display helps riders track their journey, identify upcoming stops, and navigate transfers with confidence.
in train display
• Replaced plain dots with a numbered system for clearer route tracking.
• Added a dedicated top bar displaying the train’s direction for immediate orientation.
• Included real-time station arrival countdowns to reduce transit anxiety.
• Integrated venue illustrations and event icons to easily guide event-goers.
overhead signage
3 / 4 BEYOND THE TRAIN
Turning Transit into Exploration
Through collectible digital stamps, riders are encouraged to explore Los Angeles beyond the Metro, turning everyday transit into a more engaging and rewarding experience.
location-based exploration prompt
stamp collected poster
notification of next step
4 / 4 STADIUM & RETURN
Making the Journey Back Effortless
post-event wayfinding system
Physical Prototyping
in train experience
We brought the experience into a physical environment, prototyping the Olympin wearable, in-train displays, and interactive stamp stations to explore how digital and physical touchpoints work together in real-world settings.
More to Explore
Beyond the four stages, discover more thoughtful details, playful interactions, and design explorations that bring the entire experience together.
Every detail plays a part in creating a more cohesive, engaging, and seamless experience.
Research
A complex transit experience requires more than one perspective.
We explored LA Metro and LA28 from multiple angles—from their audiences and existing systems to real-world environments and operational constraints. These findings helped us identify opportunities and guide our design direction.
My Takeaways
What I Learned Designing an End-to-End Transit Experience
Great experiences should work beyond the screen.
Working within a public transit environment made me consider what happens when designs meet reality.
Physical infrastructure, maintenance, safety, and operational constraints are not separate from the user experience. They are part of what makes a design viable.
Inclusivity begins with understanding context.
Designing for a diverse Olympic audience pushed me to think beyond language options or accessibility features. People arrive with different backgrounds, abilities, expectations, and levels of familiarity. Inclusive design means considering those differences from the beginning.
Look beyond what users say to understand what they need.
People can tell us what feels frustrating, but not always why. This project taught me to look beyond surface-level complaints, uncover the underlying needs, and translate them into meaningful design opportunities rather than simply fixing isolated problems.
Designing for scale means balancing ambition with feasibility.
An experience can be exciting in a concept, but scaling it across a public transit system requires different thinking. This project pushed me to balance creative ideas with practical constraints, from implementation and maintenance to the long-term adaptability of the system.