Documentation_IxR_Lewandowski

IxR
Primary Research
Mobility options in Detroit
In big cities as New York there is traffic congestion. In Detroit, there is not much. Some would say:
“There are no alternative options for cars in Detroit”. There is a difference between “alternatives”
and “perception of alternatives”.
Even though there are busses in Detroit people don’t consider them as alternatives.
Q-Line, the first streetcar in Detroit (running from June 2017) has become very popular. In
comparison to the bus, the streetcar is perceived as more transparent because the route is limited
due to the track and the user can see it on digital displays at each stop. If the rider gets lost, the
streetcar will turn around and return to the original stop.
By busses the traveler needs to figure out at first how to use it. He cannot track busses in real time
and don’t know when they will arrive.
Ford defines a new way of thinking. “Comfort” was always seen as a physical factor. The User
Experience Designers at Ford give it a new “mental” meaning.
Comfort, trust and understanding how to get somewhere is more important than just going from
A to B. People say that it is not safe to travel by busses because the city is not safe. The question is
then “How to provide the safe public mobility”. However t is more important to have mental
comfort rather than physical comfort.
Providing the society with technical solutions like creating a bus system might not be successful not
because people love their own cars and don’t want to use the public transportation but because
they don’t consider busses as an alternative.
Another problem with public transportation is that some people don’t have data volume to check
out their next destination or to open Google maps. The question would be then: “How to provide
people with internet in order to give them a desire to travel”. The solution would be “Wi-Fi in the
Q-Line and the Q-Line stations”. This solution is also good for tourists from other countries who has
no internet connection for a few weeks they are staying in a foreign country.
à The main question is: “How do you use the new technology to change the system”. Does the
usage of your chosen technology make sense, is it justified and does it tell a story?
23
Voices of disabled people
“It is nice to be driven around but I
always have to wait forever.”
“Paratransit service only brings me to my
doctor appointments and Rehab.”
“Paratransit is not time flexible. I have to book two days in
advance. I get angry when I have to wait for two hours to be
picked up.”
“If I take paratransit service, I spend time in the back of the
car. It is not a welcoming interior. I feel like cargo.”
“I still drive and modified my vehicle because my
independence and flexibility is more important to me.”
“The getting in and out process is so difficult.”
“I wish my wheelchair could break down
automatically and jump into the car trunk.”
“Sometimes I am not sure if I can drive, but
I do anyways.”
“People offer me help. But I want to be as independent as
possible.”
“I don’t want to feel like a disabled person. I want to be considered
as an equal part of society and enjoy little moments.”
Sofia Lewandowski | MFA Interaction Design | College for Creative Studies | Detroit