Contributors:
Deirdre Nichonaill, Estefania Ciliotta, and Houjiang Liu
Project Overview
The Smooth Commuting team is comprised of Deirdre Nichonaill, Estefania Ciliotta, and Houjiang Liu, master’s degree candidates from Northeastern University’s Experience Design program.
Smooth Commuting has developed a plan to redesign the Boston commuter rail system in order to mitigate the negative health effects of long, unpleasant commutes. They target “extreme commuters,” whose one-way commute takes 90 minutes or more. These extreme commuters are most vulnerable to the negative health effects of extended commutes, including high stress levels that impact mood, productivity, and overall health3. They lack the time to relax, exercise, and enjoy quality time with loved ones, and their sleep schedules and eating habits suffer as a result.
The team used a variety of research methods to develop their solutions, including participant and trace observations, focused interviews, personas, photo studies, and stakeholder and user journey maps. Smooth Commuting takes a systematic and user-centric approach to address current problems with the commuter rail, including lack of reliability and timeliness, poor signage and communication, too little space, minimal amenities, and no guarantee of a parking space or seat. Short-term improvements include better communication and signage, stable wifi, and basic station amenities like drink machines. Mid-term solutions involve infrastructure design: making seats more comfortable and supportive, adding co-working spaces and relaxation/quiet spaces, improving bathrooms, and enhancing station design to make waiting more comfortable. An improved and consolidated commuter app would provide information on delays, ride sharing and journey planning, and parking space and seat booking. Long-term solutions include an integrated system that allows commuters to easily connect different modes of transportation, a local farmers market on board the train, and a modern, 100% electrified rail system. Smooth Commuting also envisions a holistic system that completely changes the way we think about commuting, with input and support from companies, universities, hospitals, and insurance companies.
Our judges appreciated Smooth Commuting’s efforts to understand how to transform long commutes from a dreaded necessity into something pleasant and even desirable. The team worked hard to understand the problem, and thought broadly about all the pieces of a highly complex system. Their submission was well-designed, well-researched, and truly used a systems-thinking approach.
TOP FEATURES
- Variety of experience design research methods employed to fully understand the problem and potential solutions
- Comprehensive inventory of short-term, medium-term, and long-term solutions
- Creative and thoughtful integration of infrastructure, technological, and systemic improvements
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