Cycle 2

Kah Kih Yau Making Connections

Content
1 Scenarios for ideas and a scenario for the current situation 2 Analysis of current bus stops for inspiration fields 3 Coffee Connection 4 Smooth Swaying Smooth Swaying I Smooth Swaying II

Appendix A) Scenario current situation+ pictures of current situation

1 Scenario
The current situation was something that I tried to draw out in different drawings with not good attempts and they were not better than pictures that I took. Therefor I wanted to also know more in depth what the user is actually in real time experiencing. From a guest lecture (forgot the professors name from Toronto University) he told us that when you observe, try to observe it and describe it in slowmotion. Within the EI first workshop that was also emphasized to put things in slowmotion and sometimes exaggerate interactions. I could have more empathy with my user this way. Also I got to a different insight that got more emphasis in the user being distracted and not focused at all. The user actually pays attention to a lot of different things.

2 Analysis of current bus stops

There are numerous bus stops in which people have tried to design something for the comfort of people. For my project it is interesting to look at the physical and mental activity of the people at the bus stops. Currently there are a few designs that support people to stay in a physical comfortable place while others are not focusing on the physical comfort or a short term physical comfort. Short term because the bus stop is a "non-destination". A place which you'll leave and it's touch and go. I've tried to analyze the current concepts and designs that are available and summarize them in two words as an interaction vision that encompasses the design.

My interaction vision involves "relaxing" and "predictability". It seems quite difficult to design something that is passively physical and offers high interaction between people. It requires some clicking and standing or switches that start a chainreaction of huge activities that invoke reactions of other people and attracts their attention. This is an interesting point to actually go out and research. Another interesting point is the entire setting on very actively physical interactions that people have with each other and even with the bus stop.

Another thing is the mental activity, which is more difficult to envision. With the same bus stops I tried to put them in a different matrix related to more of a mental activity.

Interestingly enough most bus stops are both mentally and physically very passive. They are really built for shelter and are very functional. Just one really sticks out as a design, where people really need to think and be expressive. It is fun and all, but it does not seem to fit in the context of commuters. They've "expressed" that they do not want to communicate with people and actually expressing yourself might be even a bigger threshold. Perhaps there are other designs that are more appropriate and fit in this category of being mentally and physically active and interactive.

Another significant change is in the "swing" bus stop that is free and playful. Mentally it does not add much but it does keep a person busy with swinging. Perhaps that swinging back and forth is actually something that will keep people in a sort of active relaxed state, focused. And there are hardly no or no designs that are mentally and physically passive and let people interact with each other.

Perhaps more of the advertising designs require commuters to think about something but really putting effort in thinking but it is just once or twice and then the attention drifts towards something different.

3 Coffee Connection
This was initially quite a good idea I thought myself. But after I tried to work it out, there were al sorts of details popping up. There are two things I would like to test for my context: 1 is the moment at the bus stop and let people relax there and getting more relaxed by getting cosy with each other. 2 is getting into a flow and not thinking too much about the waiting but anticipating and controlling something that will be coming. Today I tested another idea to see how it could fit in my context. More on a basis of creating a flow that commuters would get their mind off from waiting and have a boring time. There were a few learning points that I needed to address. At first the ideas seemed too much about the functionality. But it was because of the loss of internet connection that I could not show them the full idea potential. Even though I was able to walk them through the idea and in general they thought it was good and people could get a good flow. It would be indeed nice if people could get feedback about the status of their drinks/food It's nice to not think about waiting and be occupied by something that will be coming and prolonging the experience of having something to eat/drink. This idea is probably a little too big for the scope of this project and another part might be more interesting.

4 Smooth Swaying I
Here I tested my "tile" design. *add scenario sketch I was looking at the interaction of people and how they would feel and use the system. I was initially going for a gaming situation but during the test they eventually said it did not really work gaming like that. There were a few positive points that would adjust the goal and vision a bit. Figure out how wide the board needs to be or just indicative footprints. Change foot position to just outside hip width (p95) I did not know what it was about and if the light was following me or if I was following the light. (So the light does reflects what the user is doing) The light should be more clear on what it does, when it indicates you are in a good routine or in a constant flow It should explain how it works, is the light reactive or not? (let the light be more clear in interaction) The light should be very clear and less subtle in feedback. Individual thing No I wouldnt play games when I do not know him I feel watched already when I play on my own phone Make the patterns zig-zag, no normal person stands next to each other Then there is also a possibility to choose Result of how good you are doing is show small and others can see it but you can see it clearly and best. Warmth from blue to red feedback. Tapping with foot is neurotic and you wont be able to keep tapping that long.

Smooth Swaying II
So I wanted to try and test this at an actual bus stop with the confidence that it would work. But I was short of a power supply so I tried something different. I wanted to know if people would just stand on it and create their own experience by swaying and experience tranquility. First time instead of stepping on it, people actually very carefully avoided them! There was no opportunity to ask them but one was perhaps that they thought we were just testing and they werent supposed to stand on it. Second thing was that it probably looked too shiny and fragile. The person who followed my project from the beginning thought it was really nice and automatic comfortable. Other reasons was perhaps the positioning, I put the tiles at the places where people would stand to get into the bus quickly. That time it was raining like drizzling and people would prefer to stand inside under the cover. I was not able to set it up within the cover because people were standing there too. I also tested it in the late afternoon and that might have to do with it too.

Next time test it while people are going to work.

Appendix A Scenarios

The story of the waiting " early-stander":

I arrive at the bus stop. There are no people. I wait at the bus stop and stand close to a place I can lean against. I am staring into the abyss. I see people not moving. I turn my head to see if the bus is coming. I look at my phone... No, still another 10 minutes... I look up to see if I somehow missed something or that I don't look overly occupied by my phone and look back at my phone again. Checking my messages again and again. Another minute has passed. I stand and wait longer looking ahead of me. I let it all pass by. The tree-line up ahead. The leaves on the tree, the clouds. I don't watch it I only see things. I am looking for things to watch... I see more people coming. Willl thay also take this bus? I look for people that stick out, Pretty girls, People struggling, People who dress strange, People who act strange. They are looking back I should move a little and I move a little to position myself. I adjust myself to the rest and "the rest" adjusts to the rest. I do not stand at the most comfortable place but I stand at the best place closest to the entrance. I am determined to get a seat. We move and move closer but I want to move farther and farther away from them. I see something moving in the corner of my eye And I look I hear something and I look Just for a moment and I look away to that place infront of me. The bus is coming. Yessss People are also looking at the bus and they are blocking my vision. (irritating) I get my card ready to get into the bus faster to my seat. I don't want to hold up the line either.

People are swarming in But I have only eyes for the entrance of the bus... People are touching me now and I touch other people It's part of it. People are trying to get into the bus from all sides. Will I be able to make it in and have a seat? I am trying to force myself a little in and push people. YES...I have a seat.