The “Bikes’ Party” project addresses the rising cost of living for students by promoting the use of shared e-bikes. The project utilises a human-centered design approach, focusing on reducing transportation costs through engaging, educational, and interactive activities. This solution aims to provide students with an affordable, convenient, and sustainable transportation option, ultimately improving their quality of life.
Context Exploration and Mapping
The project began with an extensive exploration of the problem space, focusing on understanding the various factors contributing to the cost of living pressures. This included examining the financial system, home ownership, wealth distribution, and transportation costs. Visual note-taking and sketch mapping were used to document core concepts, insights, and relationships.
Key Insights
Living Costs: Rising costs in housing, food, and utilities were identified as significant contributors to financial stress among students.
Transportation: Transportation was highlighted as a major expense, with students often relying on expensive and unreliable options.
Research
To develop a user-centred solution, primary research was conducted, including interviews with potential stakeholders. This research aimed to understand the lived experiences of students regarding transportation costs and to identify their needs and preferences.
Research Findings
User Needs: Students expressed a need for reliable, affordable, and convenient transportation. They highlighted issues such as high costs of public transport and the inefficiency of existing systems.
Problem Definition
Based on the research findings, the team defined the problem statement: “How might we provide an affordable and convenient transportation solution for students to reduce their cost of living pressures?”
Ideation
The ideation phase involved brainstorming potential solutions and scanning existing initiatives to identify gaps and opportunities. The team focused on solutions that leveraged shared e-bikes due to their cost-effectiveness and environmental benefits.
Concept Development
Core Concept: The idea of a “Bikes’ Party” event emerged, aiming to educate and engage students about the benefits of shared e-bikes. This concept included interactive elements such as bike route planning, cost comparisons, and quizzes with incentives.
Prototype
A low-fidelity interactive PDF prototype was developed to test the concept. This prototype included interactive elements that allowed users to engage with the event’s activities virtually. Feedback from initial testing sessions was used to iterate and refine the design.
Prototype Testing
User Feedback: The interactive PDF prototype was well-received, with users appreciating the educational and engaging elements. However, feedback highlighted the need for clearer instructions and more interactive elements.
Final Solution
The final design concept for “Bikes’ Party” was a well-structured event aimed at promoting the use of shared e-bikes. The event included several interactive stations:
Way for You: An interactive screen for bike route planning and cost comparison.
Smoothie Bikes: An engaging activity where participants made smoothies using pedal power.
Answer to Win: A quiz station offering vouchers as incentives for correct answers about bike usage.
Today at Bikes’ Party: A mini-lecture series providing practical tips on using shared e-bikes and their benefits.
Validation
The “Bikes’ Party” project successfully addressed the cost of living pressures faced by students by promoting shared e-bikes. The human-centered design approach, combined with iterative prototyping and user feedback, resulted in a well-rounded and impactful solution. This project not only provides a practical transportation option but also fosters a sense of community and environmental responsibility among students.