Flag

We stand with Ukraine and our team members from Ukraine. Here are ways you can help

Become a member

Get exclusive access to thought-provoking articles, bonus podcast content, and cutting-edge whitepapers. Become a member of the UX Magazine community today!

Home ›› Consumer products ›› The Trials and Tribulations of the (Not So) Quick Pass #wtfUX

The Trials and Tribulations of the (Not So) Quick Pass #wtfUX

by Josh Tyson
1 min read
Share this post on
Tweet
Share
Post
Share
Email
Print

Save

Sometimes the process of paying roadway tolls online can feel worse than waiting in traffic.

Paying roadway tolls is a taxing experience by its very nature. And while the frustration of waiting in line to throw a handful of coins into a basket has been mitigated by the implementation of RFID transponders that let people pay fees without stopping, replenishing funds on online can start to feel purgatorial in its own right.

As reader Ben Mackie points out: “The North Carolina toll website is maddening. They give you five different dollar amounts and they don’t store your CC/preferred payment method”

This is already confusing

North Carolina Quick Pass website screengrab

Oof—flaming hoops!

North Carolina Quick Pass website screengrab

Ack—how much do I owe?

North Carolina Quick Pass website screengrab

What do I owe again?

North Carolina Quick Pass website screengrab

​

They must think I love typing

Keep these coming. Send them to us via Twitter or Facebook using the hastag #wtfUX or email them to: [email protected] with “#wtfUX” in the subject line. Include as much context as you can, so we get a full understanding of what the f%*k went wrong. Image of traffic jam courtesy Shutterstock.

post authorJosh Tyson

Josh Tyson
Josh Tyson is the co-author of the first bestselling book about conversational AI, Age of Invisible Machines. He is also the Director of Creative Content at OneReach.ai and co-host of both the Invisible Machines and N9K podcasts. His writing has appeared in numerous publications over the years, including Chicago Reader, Fast Company, FLAUNT, The New York Times, Observer, SLAP, Stop Smiling, Thrasher, and Westword. 

Tweet
Share
Post
Share
Email
Print

Related Articles

Gamification 2.0. Beyond Points and Badges: Designing for Players, Not Metrics. Conclusion

  • Behavioral Design, Game Design, Gamification Series, Human-Centered Design, Product Design, User Experience, UX Design

Real engagement is about designing experiences that people want to have. Here are some things that games do well that most apps don’t.

Article by Montgomery Singman
IDEAS IN BRIEF
Gamification 2.0. Beyond Points and Badges: Designing for Players, Not Metrics. Conclusion
  • Most apps use gamification as a manipulation layer to drive metrics, but people engage with things that are truly worthy of their time, not points or streak guilt.
  • Apps that people stick with do this by designing for intrinsic motivation, making the experience itself rewarding.
  • The true measure of success is whether users feel more capable, accomplished, and enriched for having used your app.
Read Article →
Share
Share:Gamification 2.0. Beyond Points and Badges: Designing for Players, Not Metrics. Conclusion
8 min read

The New Makers

  • Artificial Intelligence, Career, Future of Work, Product Design, Technology, UX Design, UX Research

For researchers, AI tools are making the move from advising to building easier than ever. But the real obstacle was never technical. Meet the researchers who allowed themselves to create — and what the cost was.

Article by James Lang
IDEAS IN BRIEF
The New Makers
  • The article says that becoming a maker as a researcher is less about learning new tools or skills and more about giving yourself a new identity, and that without fixing the internal permission structures that define your swim lane, even the most democratized AI tools won’t turn a researcher into a maker — you don’t have a founder; you have a frustrated advisor with a prototype.
Read Article →
Share
Share:The New Makers
20 min read

Gamification 2.0. Beyond Points and Badges: Designing for Players, Not Metrics. Chapter 5: Implementation

  • Behavioral Design, Game Design, Gamification Series, Player Engagement, Product Design, User Psychology, UX Design

Learn why authentic gamification is rooted in game genres rather than just collecting badges.

Article by Montgomery Singman
IDEAS IN BRIEF
Gamification 2.0. Beyond Points and Badges: Designing for Players, Not Metrics. Chapter 5: Implementation
  • The article says that successful gamification is picking a game genre that fits your app’s core activities and user psychology, building satisfying intrinsic loops before adding extrinsic rewards, and iterating nonstop, and that without these foundations, you don’t have gamification; you have a progress bar that has a terminal point.
Read Article →
Share
Share:Gamification 2.0. Beyond Points and Badges: Designing for Players, Not Metrics. Chapter 5: Implementation
5 min read
✕

Join the UX Magazine community!

Stay informed with exclusive content on the intersection of UX, AI agents, and agentic automation—essential reading for future-focused professionals.

Hello!

You're officially a member of the UX Magazine Community.
We're excited to have you with us!

Thank you!

To begin viewing member content, please verify your email.

✕

Get Paid to Test AI Products

Earn an average of $100 per test by reviewing AI-first product experiences and sharing your feedback.

    Tell us about you. Enroll in the course.

      ✕

      This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Check our privacy policy and

      Accept policy