GroupProposal:EasyBart

From IEOR 170 Spring 2007

1 Members
2 Brainstorming Ideas
3 Idea Selection
4 Target User Group
5 Problem Descriptions
6 Problem Context
7 Design Theme Criterion
8 Solutions

[edit] Members

Timothy Manglicmot
Shilpi Verma
James ChunJye Tong
Michael Toulouse
Megan Whittey
Roya Pakzad

[edit] Brainstorming Ideas

Have maps at each BART Station detailing landmarks, places to go, etc.
Equip buses with transmitters to send signals to bus stops indicating when a bus is scheduled to arrive real time.
Use time intervals on the bus stop schedules to provide patrons with, in theory, a 99% confidence interval for bus arrival.
Have escalators on campus to save students energy when climbing up the big hills
Place big signs on the streets and at ticket counters, like the ones already down by the trains, to give BART riders a better awareness of when their BART train is going to arrive.
Be able to use Cal debit cards, and regular debit cards with vending machines around campus.
Utilize Blue tooth technology on cell phones as a form of payment or identification.
Have a BART pass similar to the existing Class Pass for AC transit for UC Berkeley students.
Have magnetic scanners to scan tickets at BART stations, so you can keep your ticket in your purse for example, and just swipe or scan your purse through.
Maps on the BART trains that have stops light up to tell a rider he or she is at a particular stop.
Have digital maps on the AC Transit to show where the AC Transit bus is on its route.
Websites listing textbooks prices including shipping costs and the time it takes to arrive so students can compare bookstores in the area, like UC Campus bookstore and Ned’s Bookstore, against Amazon.com.
Improved signs for parking in and around Berkeley (e.g. where is the parking located, where cars will be towed if parked there, etc.).
Website showing parking places mapped out with associated costs so users can print or download on web before they leave.
Make it easier to get around campus with more maps and signs that are more easily readable.
Golf cart or bike service making it easier for students to get around campus faster.
Street parking structures able to fit 2 or more cars in one parking spot.
Have a real-time-street parking finder.
Website listing food varieties and prices with specific times of availability for restaurants around campus and restaurants on campus.
Centralized website for Greek community listing events, fundraisers, etc.
Treadmill tracker to track the length of a person’s workout on a treadmill to hold them accountable to others.
Student website with database containing old test files, midterms, etc.
Peer-to-peer student website answering student questions and allowing students to form study groups, networks, etc.
Easier ways to dispose foods at restaurant, e.g. trays with foldout bottoms, trash that can be compacted easier.
More accessible food places with a higher variety on Northside and in and around campus.
A Poster or sign on the BART detailing what places or landmarks were by each stop.

[edit] Idea Selection

The idea or project our group chose to work on was making BART easier to read and understand for people who use it. In picking this idea, we were able to incorporate several of our brainstorming ideas such as having maps at BART stations with details of landmarks, a poster or sign detailing which stop these landmarks are at, having the sign telling when BART trains are coming more places, and having light up stops on the BART map located on the train. All of these ideas are feasible and easy enough to design which is why we are able to incorporate all of them in our proposal. We chose these ideas out of the rest of our brainstorming ideas because we all agreed that they would provide personal benefit for all of us and we could picture in our minds how much easier they would make using the BART system. Also, in choosing these ideas we are able to benefit not only UC Berkeley students, but also commuters, tourists visiting the Bay Area, and anyone who lives in or around the Bay Area who uses BART. So basically, we are able to benefit the Campus, City, and Community all in one idea.

[edit] Target User Group

Our project is designed to help improve the overall BART-riding experience for all BART riders in general. For this reason our project solutions will effect a wide demographic, divided into the following personas:

Focal Personas
- UC Berkeley Students – Any registered UC Berkeley Student riding the BART system
- New Riders – BART riders who have never ridden on the BART system previously
Secondary Personas
- Tourists – BART riders, not from bay area, who are riding BART to travel to places of pleasure
- Leisure Riders – BART riders in the bay area who are riding BART to travel to places of pleasure
- Commuters – BART riders who routinely commute to and from specified destinations on a daily basis for reasons other than attending classes at UC Berkeley

[edit] Problem Descriptions

We have found several problems with the current BART system:

The BART riders often hear the BART train arriving but they do not know whether the approaching train is the one they want. The BART riders have to decide whether to run or not to catch the train.

When the BART riders are on the train, they do not know where they are until they have approached the next station.

Often times, the BART riders do not know which station is closest to their destination.

[edit] Problem Context

Based on the current problems BART users face, our group proposes four different solutions to improve the BART riders experience. These solutions can easily be implemented into the current design of the BART station and the BART trains, which makes this project extremely feasible. The proposed solutions are:

Digital signs similar to the signs on the platform at the entrance of each BART station and at the ticket counters inside each station
A detailed map inside each station depicting all major destinations, places, and attractions (a similar map in each train with a list of attractions)
A map inside every train very similar to the ones that already depict all the train routes and stops, but in addition there will be lights at every stop indicating where the train is currently; whenever the train is at a stop or approaching it, the light bulb will light up

These solutions will benefit every BART user and all personas mentioned in our target user group because the solutions we proposed will enhance the design of BART by catering to specific “customer pains” of the users. The digital sign will make it easier for users to know the exact time of a train they want to take prior to entering the station, so they know if they should hurry or not. The detailed map inside each BART station will be really useful for tourists, but also will help regular BART users in finding out more information about the location of their destination and other attractions in close proximity. The route map which lights up will allow users to be more relaxed when approaching a station because they will know exact location of the train and how many more stops till they reach their desired station.

[edit] Design Theme Criterion

This project meets the design theme “Persuasive Design for Campus, City, and Community” because a public transportation system serves all of the above groups. Persuasive, easy to use design is essential for a large public transportation system with so many different people using it, both for reasons of preventing delays and generally improving the quality of the experience. Design decisions which reduce confusion in BART passengers and try to eliminate bottlenecks in their movement would benefit even those in the Bay Area who don’t use it, by reducing congestion.

[edit] Solutions

[edit] Improved Sign Visibility

Often times BART riders hear a BART train arriving and don’t know whether or not the approaching train is the one they want. When this happens, the BART riders must decide whether or not to run to try and catch the train (which may or may not be the one they want), or to leisurely walk to the platform and miss the train (and hope it’s not the one they want). Our proposed design solution will help eliminate the lack of information of BART arrival for approaching BART patrons. We will have several digital BART signs, identical to the signs on the platforms, strategically placed to help take the guesswork out of approaching trains. In particular, we will place the digital BART signs at the entrance to the BART stations and at the ticket-purchasing counters. By placing the large BART sign outside the BART station, approaching riders will be able to view real-time BART arrivals from a distance and decide whether or not it is worth the hassle to rush to the station. Also, by placing the large BART sign in and around the ticket counters BART riders will have increased information on when their scheduled train is going to arrive and further information on whether to rush to purchase their tickets. Because several BART riders are from the campus, city, and community this solution fits in nicely with the course theme.

[edit] Detailed Map and List of Attractions

Often times, the BART riders do not know which station is closest to their destination, especially in San Francisco, where the stations are only blocks away. It would be helpful to provide the BART riders with a detailed map and a list of the attractions around the BART station so they can easily find out which station they are supposed to get off and the fastest way to get to their destination. There should be two maps: one on the train depicting a list of attractions off of each stop and another more detailed map placed at every station so people know the exact location of either their destination or other places they may be interested in going to. The list of attractions will be more general and the detailed map will cater specifically to every station and its nearby vicinity. This solution will make people more aware of their surroundings and what attractions are nearby.