The design brief was about developing a concept product / installation / device that makes passenger happier when taking NS train (Dutch Railway). Desirable interaction was discovered by interviewing and observation with international travelers in Netherlands, followed by qualitative analysis. The final design is an interactive device on the train platform, for both helping travelers interact with each other and acquire help from the locals with cheering-up interaction.
Rail Travel Experience
Travel Happier with NS Train
Project type School project at Delft University of Technology in 2011.
Cooperation partner Jonge Veranderaars, The Netherlands.
Supervisory team Coach Dr. Ir. Gert Pasman and Evelien Fleskens from Delft University of Technology.
Keywords interaction design, interaction installation, NS
- Passengers have very short distance betwen each other.
- Passengers keep swiping phone / reading / spacing out / napping / doing
their own thing during travel.
- Train platforms create a special space for passenger to wait and
commute together.
- When passenegrs coincidentally interact with each other, the
consequecnes were usually very nice and incfluence poeple aroud them.
When train stops
People get in and out.
Sometimes they bumb each other.
When train was running
People chose to stay on seats and staircases.
Passenger
Passengers‘ walking path
People who want to talk: Most of them don't know how to start the conversation.
People who don't want to talk: They do interested in interacting with other passengers, but they kept quiet becasue they want to show respect to others.
When foreign travelers walk into NS train
A map of Netherlands shows on the floor where passengers standing by the entrance. Several interesting tourists has spotted on the map with railway routes
Train stations are spotted with red-lighted circle, inviting passengers to step on it
Once they step on it, a red-lighted string will follow their footsteps
Passengers can discuss trip with the map and touristed spots provided on the map
When locals also step on one of the location (as showing they are open to help any travelers), They can find out if they are heading to the same destination
Same interaction can also be aroused between travelers. They will no longer feel helpless and lost. They can also enjoy the interaction with locals and learn more about the place.
With this interaction device, not only the traveler but also the locals can enjoy a happy trip with NS train
