David Gross

Design Leader.

David Gross

NSW TRAINLINK

Modernising NSW’s Regional Booking System

A two-year transformation delivering a clearer, more accessible booking experience across search, seat selection, concessions and payment.

UX

UI

UX Discovery

Role & Responsibilities

Modernising an outdated booking experience

Modernising an outdated booking experience

The new TrainLink Booking System replaces the legacy Amadeus platform while elevating the customer experience through improved booking channels and enhanced functionality.

Role

UX Design Lead (team leadership + hands-on UI)

Role

UX Design Lead (team leadership + hands-on UI)

Role

UX Design Lead (team leadership + hands-on UI)

Scope

Search → plan, book and pay → manage bookings → concessions → add-ons → payment → confirmation

Scope

Search → plan, book and pay → manage bookings → concessions → add-ons → payment → confirmation

Scope

Search → plan, book and pay → manage bookings → concessions → add-ons → payment → confirmation

Why it mattered

Legacy complexity, accessibility gaps, call-centre reliance

Why it mattered

Legacy complexity, accessibility gaps, call-centre reliance

Why it mattered

Legacy complexity, accessibility gaps, call-centre reliance

Result

Higher completions, faster time-to-book, fewer support calls

Result

Higher completions, faster time-to-book, fewer support calls

Result

Higher completions, faster time-to-book, fewer support calls

Role & Responsibilities

Leadership + craft + principles

Leadership + craft + principles

As UX Design Lead, I guided the team through a two-year program of work, establishing critiques, playbacks, and stakeholder forums to maintain alignment.

Alongside this leadership role, I contributed hands-on: designing interaction patterns, prototyping booking flows, and refining account and payment screens in Figma.

I also led the development of design principles that became core to the project, ensuring consistency and evidence-based decision making.

These principles included:

Drawers

Defined as tools for focused, progressive interactions only; testing showed overuse led to confusion, so guidelines were set (e.g., one-layer max, avoid nesting, use accordions where more appropriate).

Drawers

Defined as tools for focused, progressive interactions only; testing showed overuse led to confusion, so guidelines were set (e.g., one-layer max, avoid nesting, use accordions where more appropriate).

Drawers

Defined as tools for focused, progressive interactions only; testing showed overuse led to confusion, so guidelines were set (e.g., one-layer max, avoid nesting, use accordions where more appropriate).

Progressive disclosure

Steps revealed gradually to reduce overwhelm, but structured to prevent users skipping critical information.

Progressive disclosure

Steps revealed gradually to reduce overwhelm, but structured to prevent users skipping critical information.

Progressive disclosure

Steps revealed gradually to reduce overwhelm, but structured to prevent users skipping critical information.

Sticky CTAs

Primary actions remain visible on mobile, minimising scrolling and confusion.

Sticky CTAs

Primary actions remain visible on mobile, minimising scrolling and confusion.

Sticky CTAs

Primary actions remain visible on mobile, minimising scrolling and confusion.

Above-the-fold CTAs

Ensured older customers didn’t miss actions buried at the bottom of the page.

Above-the-fold CTAs

Ensured older customers didn’t miss actions buried at the bottom of the page.

Above-the-fold CTAs

Ensured older customers didn’t miss actions buried at the bottom of the page.

Cognitive breaks

Loading states introduced between “departing” and “return” journeys to help customers recognise they’d moved into the next stage.

Cognitive breaks

Loading states introduced between “departing” and “return” journeys to help customers recognise they’d moved into the next stage.

Cognitive breaks

Loading states introduced between “departing” and “return” journeys to help customers recognise they’d moved into the next stage.

Snackbars and animations

Lightweight confirmations for completed actions, particularly valuable on mobile.

Snackbars and animations

Lightweight confirmations for completed actions, particularly valuable on mobile.

Snackbars and animations

Lightweight confirmations for completed actions, particularly valuable on mobile.

Strategy & Collaboration

Research, prototyping, and accessibility at scale

We mapped the end-to-end regional booking journey and identified key drop-off points. Low to mid-fi prototypes were tested with real customers (including seniors and students) to validate flows before high-fidelity work. Accessibility was embedded from the start - contrast, focus order, labels and screen-reader paths for flows and interactions - then verified with external checks. Regular playbacks with the stakeholders kept complexity visible and decisions pragmatic. Proven patterns were fed back into the Transport Design System.

Strategy & Collaboration

Research, prototyping, and accessibility at scale

We mapped the end-to-end regional booking journey and identified key drop-off points. Low to mid-fi prototypes were tested with real customers (including seniors and students) to validate flows before high-fidelity work. Accessibility was embedded from the start - contrast, focus order, labels and screen-reader paths for flows and interactions - then verified with external checks. Regular playbacks with the stakeholders kept complexity visible and decisions pragmatic. Proven patterns were fed back into the Transport Design System.

Strategy & Collaboration

Research, prototyping, and accessibility at scale

We mapped the end-to-end regional booking journey and identified key drop-off points. Low to mid-fi prototypes were tested with real customers (including seniors and students) to validate flows before high-fidelity work. Accessibility was embedded from the start - contrast, focus order, labels and screen-reader paths for flows and interactions - then verified with external checks. Regular playbacks with the stakeholders kept complexity visible and decisions pragmatic. Proven patterns were fed back into the Transport Design System.

Discovery

Mapped customer journeys, gathered requirements, and identified pain points through stakeholder workshops.

Discovery

Mapped customer journeys, gathered requirements, and identified pain points through stakeholder workshops.

Discovery

Mapped customer journeys, gathered requirements, and identified pain points through stakeholder workshops.

Prototyping

Created wireframes and interactive prototypes in Figma to validate flows early with real users.

Prototyping

Created wireframes and interactive prototypes in Figma to validate flows early with real users.

Prototyping

Created wireframes and interactive prototypes in Figma to validate flows early with real users.

Testing

Ran usability sessions (including mobile testing with seniors and students) to uncover issues and refine design principles.

Testing

Ran usability sessions (including mobile testing with seniors and students) to uncover issues and refine design principles.

Testing

Ran usability sessions (including mobile testing with seniors and students) to uncover issues and refine design principles.

Delivery

Defined components, accessibility checks, and design principles, handing them into the Transport Design System for ongoing use.

Delivery

Defined components, accessibility checks, and design principles, handing them into the Transport Design System for ongoing use.

Delivery

Defined components, accessibility checks, and design principles, handing them into the Transport Design System for ongoing use.

Outcomes & Metrics

Outcomes delivered so far

Outcomes delivered so far

The booking experience was simplified end-to-end, with clearer seat selection, concessions, and payment flows. Accessibility improvements were embedded from the outset and verified against WCAG 2.1 AA requirements. Design principles - such as drawers, progressive disclosure, and sticky CTAs - were codified and adopted across the project, setting a standard for future Transport work.

Business targets (in measurement post-launch)

Increase checkout page conversions by 18%

Increase checkout page conversions by 18%

Increase checkout page conversions by 18%

Reduce trip enquiry calls by 22%

Reduce trip enquiry calls by 22%

Reduce trip enquiry calls by 22%

Achieve a CSAT target of 60%

Achieve a CSAT target of 60%

Achieve a CSAT target of 60%

Increase online booking changes by 50%

Increase online booking changes by 50%

Increase online booking changes by 50%

Improve concession conversion rates by 20%

Improve concession conversion rates by 20%

Improve concession conversion rates by 20%

Results

Launched and Ready to Travel

The new Regional Booking System has recently launched, replacing the legacy Amadeus platform and delivering a more intuitive, accessible way for customers to book long-distance journeys. While metrics are still being measured post-launch, early feedback shows smoother journeys and fewer customer pain points.

Explore the live booking system

Explore the live booking system

All projects

All projects