city university april 2011

© 2011 Davis Associates Ltd www.davis-associates.co.uk

City University HCID Open Day, 19th April 2011

Designing the Heathrow pod user experience

Gary Davis, Managing Director

www.davis-associates.co.uk

About Davis Associates

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• We are user insights specialists

• We’ve been working in user-centred design since 1986

• Based in Potters Bar, Herts

• Registered Consultancy with the Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors

User insights for design



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Transport systems

WayfindingConsumer products

User interfaces

Medical devices

User experience

Information design

Aircraft interiors




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The Heathrow podA world first

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A personal rapid transit (PRT) system

Fully automated driverless vehicles deliver you directly to your destination



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The pilot scheme


In the beginning

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By 2005, ULTra PRT had developed a demonstration prototype vehicle and a test-track in Cardiff

By 2006 they had secured investment from BAA to develop a PRT system for Heathrow


The passenger experience working group

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BAA set-up a multi-disciplinary team in April 2006

Architect

Industrial design

Civil engineering

PRT technology

Human factors

Service proposition


Putting the passenger first

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Initial user insights• Ethnographic research around the airport

• Benchmarking of the bus service

• Focus groups

A passenger-led, not technology-led development process


Putting the passenger first

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Personas• Defining passenger needs through

archetypical characters

• Each character has a back story to encourage empathy

• The full set embody a wide of user needs

• These stay in the minds of the team and inspire and influence design decisions


Service proposition

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Functional requirements:• As easy to use as a lift

• 95% of first time users should be able to programme a destination and depart within 30 seconds.

• Fully accessible

• Accommodate four adults and their luggage


Service proposition

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Emotional requirements

Research by BAA


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The severity of the scepticism demonstrated the huge opportunity to deliver a ‘wow’ factor with the ‘on-demand’ concept underpinned by solid reasons to believe.

Focus group feedback

Research by BAA


Service proposition

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Minimum requirement:

Must be a better experience than using the bus


Early design concepts

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Pod interior

Early station concepts

One of many exterior design concepts

Images from Jones Garrard MOVE


User interaction design

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System-wide user interaction

Wireframe for the destination selection panel touchscreen interface

Information flow sequence and timing


User interaction design

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Early interactive simulation for exploratory testing

Conceptual screen designs for testing purposes

Initial conceptual passenger testing


First mock-up user trial

Station mock-up with working bay doors

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Touchscreen prototype

Vehicle mock-up

Set-up



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A diverse range of trial participants

Passengers with mobility and sensory impairments

Participants



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Groups and individuals used the system without instructions

Procedure

Video recorded for subsequent analysis

Post-trial qualitative interviews


Early mock-up study

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Procedure


Early mock-up study

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Procedure



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Trials with different interior space

Vehicle interior layout


Vehicle design development

Head clearance tests Client and design colleagues try the seat meant for two

Ergonomics development rig

Ergonomics rig

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Test rig for emergency escape hatch


Station design

Station user trial

Station mock-up trials

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Station design

inside the simple pod representation Boarding the pod

Destination selection

Station mock-up trials

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Experience prototype

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Testing the passenger experience

The interactive simulation was tested with passengers in Terminal 1

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Interactive end-to-end journey simulation


Testing the passenger experience

Detailed storyboard

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Testing in the Terminal 1 departure lounge

Example screens

Interactive end-to-end journey simulation


Experience prototype

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Operational testingConstruction phase complete - 2010

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Operational testing commenced as soon as the construction phase finished


Operational testing

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Basic functionality trial

A series of passenger trials prior to opening


Operational testing

Journey shadowing - video recording the destination selection touchscreen in use

Business user trials

Business passenger trial

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On-line quantitative questionnaire


Operational testing

The call forward point is where passengers decide which bay to use

Testing the call-forward system

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Studying passenger behaviour

De-brief session with participants


Operational testingSpecial needs trials

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Operational testing

Assessment of control systems and control room operations

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• Control room layout and physical ergonomics

• Task analysis and control system functionality

• Graphical user interface

• Non-standard use-case trial to test the system response

Control room systems and procedures


Operational testing

Emergency escape hatch

Emergency escape through station doors

Emergency escape trials

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Ready for service

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© 2011 Davis Associates Ltd www.davis-associates.co.uk

Contact Us

Davis Associates Limited Wyllyotts Place Potters Bar Hertfordshire EN6 2JD UK

T +44 (0)1707 663665F +44 (0)1707 663668

[email protected] www.davis-associates.co.uk

city university april 2011

Documents

usercentred design

wide of user

early mockup studyprocedure

design colleagues

user insights specialists

early design conceptsone

davis associatesuser

influence design decisions