B2C · CN Rail · Mobile · 2022

CN Express Pass
Intermodal Driver App

Replacing paper-based gate passes with a QR-first digital solution for CN Rail's intermodal truck drivers — designed through Double Diamond and Six Thinking Hats to align multi-stakeholder requirements.

Client

CN Rail

My Role

Lead Designer

Platform

Mobile · iOS

Duration

3 Months

Method

Double Diamond

Overview of App

About the App

CN Express Pass is a mobile application designed to digitalise the intermodal terminal gate access process for CN Rail. Intermodal truck drivers previously carried physical paper passes — prone to damage, loss, and creating bottlenecks at busy terminal gates.

The app replaces paper entirely: drivers receive, view, and present a QR-based digital pass on their phone. Offline support ensures passes are accessible without cell coverage at remote terminals.

Available Functionality

→ Digital QR pass display

→ Offline-first pass caching

→ Pass validity status indicator

→ Multi-terminal pass management

→ Push notification alerts

→ Audit trail for compliance

Chapter 01

Design Process

Applied the Double Diamond framework — diverging to explore the problem space, converging to define the solution, then diverging again for ideation before converging on the final design.

Discover

Explore

Field research, driver interviews, terminal observations, competitor benchmarking

Define

Synthesise

Affinity mapping, problem framing, Six Thinking Hats stakeholder alignment

Develop

Ideate

User flows, wireframes, interaction concepts, offline architecture decisions

Deliver

Ship

Hi-fi prototype, usability testing, iteration, final design handoff

Chapter 02

Six Thinking Hats

Ran a structured Six Thinking Hats workshop with 8 stakeholders across 3 departments — drivers, terminal managers, and IT security — to surface all perspectives in a single session.

White Hat

Facts & Data

20% of gate delays are paper-pass related. 100% of terminals still use physical passes. No digital competitor in CN's ecosystem.

Red Hat

Emotions & Feelings

Drivers feel anxious about pass validity at gates. Terminal managers frustrated by manual re-issuance. IT concerned about security vulnerabilities.

Black Hat

Risks & Caution

Phone battery failure at gate, connectivity issues, QR spoofing risk, driver resistance to digital change, compliance audit requirements.

Yellow Hat

Optimism & Value

Faster gate processing, eliminated re-issuance cost, real-time pass status, better compliance tracking, scale to all CN terminals.

Green Hat

Creativity & Ideas

Offline-first QR caching, biometric backup, integration with existing dispatch system, wearable device support for future.

Blue Hat

Process & Control

Session alignment: security audit trail non-negotiable. Driver UX must be 3 taps max. Offline support mandatory. Phased rollout by terminal.

Chapter 03

User Persona

Christina Roman

Intermodal Driver

Age & Experience

38 years old · 12 years driving

Tech Comfort Level

Moderate — uses smartphone daily, prefers simplicity

Typical Work Day

3–5 terminal visits · multiple pass requirements

Biggest Frustration

Arriving at gate with an expired or damaged pass

Design Constraints from Persona

Glove-friendly targets ≥44px QR readable in direct sunlight Offline-first architecture Max 3 taps to show pass

Chapter 04

User Journey Mapping

Mapped the end-to-end journey from route assignment to successful gate scan — revealing 6 unnecessary steps in the existing process. The redesigned flow reduced driver actions from 9 to 3.

Route Assigned

📋

Driver receives route from dispatcher via phone call or paper slip

No digital record, easy to lose information

Collect Paper Pass

🏢

Driver visits CN office to collect physical paper pass — 1–2 hour wait common

Major time sink, bottleneck especially at shift changes

Drive to Terminal

🚛

Driver carries paper pass — risk of damage from weather, spills, or loss

Anxiety about pass validity throughout journey

Gate Check-in

😰

Present paper pass to security guard for manual verification — 5–10 min per vehicle

High-stress moment — any issue delays entire queue

Terminal Access

✅

Gate opens, driver enters terminal to complete delivery or pickup

Entire process repeated for each terminal visit

Key Finding

The journey map identified 6 unnecessary steps that could be entirely eliminated with a digital pass. The biggest pain wasn't at the gate — it was the anticipatory anxiety during the drive, not knowing if the pass was still valid.

Chapter 05

Benchmarking &
Understanding Reviews

Competitive Landscape

Traditional Paper Pass

Current CN System

Legacy

Port Authority Apps

Govt digital passes — complex UX

Partial

Event QR Passes

Eventbrite, Ticketmaster patterns

Inspiration

Driver Review Insights

"I've missed 3 gates this year because my paper got soaked in the rain."

Driver interview — Quebec terminal

"There's no way to check if my pass is still valid. I find out at the gate."

Driver interview — Ontario terminal

Chapter 06

Redesigned Workflow

From 9 driver actions down to 3. The entire flow is designed around the gate moment — maximum clarity, minimum steps, offline-resilient.

Receive Assignment

Dispatcher pushes route + pass digitally. App notifies driver immediately. No office visit required.

WAS: collect at office

Open App → Tap Terminal

Pass cached offline on device. One tap shows the relevant terminal's QR code. Status badge confirms validity.

WAS: carry physical paper

Show QR at Gate

Scanner reads QR in <2 seconds. Audit trail logged automatically. Gate opens. Done.

WAS: 5–10 min manual check

9→3

Driver actions to gain gate access

100%

Paperless — all passes digital QR

Cell signal needed — offline-first

Chapter 07

Visual Design

High-fidelity screens bringing the redesigned workflow to life — offline-first UI, QR-based digital pass, and a minimal driver-focused interface built for real terminal conditions.

CN Express Pass — Visual Design Screen 2

CN Express Pass — Visual Design Screen 3

Reflection

What I'd Do Differently

The Six Thinking Hats session was highly effective for stakeholder alignment, but I would push for an additional round of usability testing at an actual terminal gate. Real conditions — sunlight, gloves, time pressure — are hard to replicate in a lab. I believe an on-site test would have surfaced the QR code sizing issue one full sprint earlier.

CN Express PassIntermodal Driver App