Metropol transportation service concept--------------------prototyping a use experienceTimo Halko / Aalto University School of Arts Design and ArchitectureDesigning Services / 10.3.2012

autoMated deMand responsivetransportation service

Taxi a-DRT Bus

Travel criteria defined by the customer

Door-to-door delivery

Shared rides

No fixed routes

No fixed timetables

Minibuses

Routing of the trips is and dispatching the customers and the vehicles is operated by a computer

software.

Metropol project

Since 2007, Aalto Univeristy’s Metropol research project has investigated whether an automated DRT

based travel service would be feasible to design, produce and implement in the metropolitan area of

Helsinki.

Metropol conceptpublic transportationthat coMpetes withthe convenience of a car

The customer makes a trip request

Trip offers

An electrionic ticket containing trip information

Hop in...

...and enjoy the ride on your ‘personal’ seat.

Monitor how your trip progresses...

...and hop off at the right spot.

pilot

pilot

1.Oct.2012HSL (Helsinki Regional Transport Organisation)

Ajelo OyAalto University

10 Vehicles for start (will be increased to 100)3-Years

the test

objective

To prototype the use experience of theservice concept in authentic use environment

together with real users

objective

Worry: Is it a taxi or a bus service? How will users perceive the service?-----------------------

Usability (Customer journey and key touch points)Usefulness (Suitability to users daily needs)Experience (Impressions and perceptions)

test journey

HsL HQ

aaLTo aRTs

participants

7 Test users3 Service developers (HSL)

2 Service developers (Ajelo Oy)2 Researcers (Aalto)

1 Driver (HSL)

target group

Work and family dependent private car users:-------------------------------------------------

5 adults age between 30 to 50 years2 teenagers between 13 to 17

test process

1. Getting familiar with the service

2. Experiencing

3. Sharing the experience

getting faMiliar with the service

Before the actual test a scenario describing on a general level the use of the service

was sent to every test user--------------------------------------

Modeled hearing about the service from somewheree.g. an advertisement or a friend

Palvelulla voit matkustaa pikkubussilla mukavasti ja nopeasti haluamasi kahden pysäkin välisen matkan, ilman vaihtoja.

Uudenlainen tilattava joukkoliikennepalvelu

Voit käyttää palvelua tietokoneella tai kännykällä.

Palveluun rekisteröityessä siirretään matkatilille rahaa, jolla matkat maksetaan.

Matka tilataan syöttämällä haluttu lähtöosoite, määräosoite ja lähtöaika.

Tämänjälkeen saat palvelusta kolme nopeudeltaan ja hinnaltaan vaihtelevaa matkaehdotusta.

Hyväksyttyäsi jonkin ehdotuksista ja maksettuasi matkan saat ohjeet milloin ja mistä auto hakee sinut.

Matkaohjeet ovat saatavilla myös matkapuhelimen kautta. Auto poimii sinut lähimmältä bussipysäkiltä sovittuun aikaan.

Näytä kuljettajalle autoon noustessasi tilauksen yhteydessä saamasi matkakoodi.

Autossa on informaationäyttö, joka kertoo milloin on sinun vuorosi jäädä kyydistä.

Matkaohjeet kertovat sinulle myös miten löydät pysäkiltä perille haluamaasi osoitteeseen.

hsl hQ

The test users were asked to come intoHSL Head quarters for an interview.

experiencing - ordering a trip

An assignment instead of interview:---------------------------------------

Use Metropol service to travel into an interview. The interview takes place in Aalto Arts at given time.

--------------------------------------------(To create a real travel need

with real time and spatial constraints)

experiencing - ordering a trip

Observations (Think aloud + Video)

experiencing - finding the wayto the pick up point

experiencing - recognisingthe correct vehicle

“5f?”

User’s interactions with the service personnel

Observations (Shadowing + Video)

Co-passengeR piCk up

HsL HQ

aaLTo aRTs

Real-like social environment

experiencing - getting offat the right stop

experiencing - getting offat the right stop

experiencing - finding the wayto the final destination

sharing the experience - interview 1

sharing the experience - interview 1

Semi structured interview------------

1. Basic information related to the test user’s travel behaviour and attitudes towards public transit.2. Customer journey and the key touch points

3. Feelings and first impressions4. Willingness to pay

sharing the experience - interview 1

Semi structured interview------------

1. Basic information related to the test user’s travel behaviour and attitudes towards public transit.

2. The customer journey and the key touch points3. Feelings and first impressions

4. Willingness to pay

sharing the experience - interview 1

Semi structured interview------------

1. Basic information related to the test user’s travel behaviour and attitudes towards public transit.

2. The customer journey and the key touch points3. Feelings and first impressions

4. Willingness to pay

sharing the experience - interview 1

Semi structured interview------------

1. Basic information related to the test user’s travel behaviour and attitudes towards public transit.

2. The customer journey and the key touch points3. Feelings and first impressions

4. Willingness to pay

sharing the experience - interview 2

Informal interview--------------------

All test users were taken back to HSL HQ afterthe first interview. The same test vehicle was used

for this. Test users and facilitators had Informal discussions during the trip.

sharing the experience - interview 2

results

All test users managed to do the journeythough some experienced difficulties

on the way.

results

Huge amount of rich qualitative datafrom several data points!

Positive reactions related to the service:-------------------------------------------

No interchanges, nice to have an own seat, not cramped, the low floor vehicle offers good

accessibility and room for large luggage, flexibility.

results

results

Negative reactions related to the usability:---------------------------------------------Finding the pick-up point was too stressful

Some usability issues related to UI were detected

The personal travel code (5F) was not recognised

results

Usefulness (suitability):--------------------------

Four test users said that with the new service, they would be ready to start replacing some of the trips

that they normally do with a private car.

results

Usefulness (suitability):-------------------------

The service was experienced suitablefor work trips and shopping trips.

Common opinion was also that the service wouldbe great for childrens trips to hobbies.

Experience (Impressions and perceptions)---------------------------------------------

‘Intimate, more personal than conventional transit, safe and clean’ - Male 49

‘Easier, convenient and faster than a traditional bus. The ride was more relaxed than in a normal bus.’

- Female 40

results

Willingness to pay--------------------

results

Benefits from the participatory approach:--------------------------------------------

Different stakeholders got an opportunity to travel

Increased shared knowledge and understanding between different stakeholders

Getting in contact with the end users

results

Q & a