Strategic Design for Mobility : study of a Methodology for the Analysis of User Behavior and Choices Regarding Mobility

Abstract

The study of user behavior and mobility choices is crucial for the design of innovative transportation services that truly cater to people’s needs, placing the user and their perceptions at the forefront, developing services that consider not only the necessities, but also individual sense-making (Pennington, 2016). To achieve this goal, the design team developed a strategy for mapping qualitative and quantitative data, including the identification of user needs and frustrations. A pivotal element was the utilization of Personas, a method introduced by Cooper in 1999, which guided designers to carefully consider the specific needs of users (Cooper, 1999). These Personas were crafted through meticulous observation and a significant number of user interviews. The gathered information was then translated into Personas, pinpointing common needs, frustrations, dreams, and fears (Çalı ¸skan, 2012). The primary objective was to develop a scalable approach to easily grasp local needs, concerns, trends, and opportunities related to mobility systems, walkability, road desirability, and services (Dogan, T., 2018). This methodology was applied in the analysis of two specific mobility hubs in Palermo, namely, two stations within the city’s metro system, which are pivotal and intricate nodes serving diverse user bases (Turner, D.W., 2010). Contextual analysis was complemented by participatory observations, discussions with users, and empathic interviews to identify their needs and motivations behind their choices (Kalbach, 2020). The designers also captured photographs, marking the most intriguing nodes, strengths, and weaknesses according to the users, and analyzed them to create proto-empathy maps (Califano et al., 2022). The ultimate goal was to develop qualitative maps of users’ daily experiences, referred to as “User Journey Maps,” and empathy maps, tracing their emotions to identify needs and frustrations (Tharon, H., 2014). This methodology was designed to be easily adaptable in other contexts, which could prove invaluable in the future of the research project. In summary, the strategy developed by the design team provided valuable insights into user behavior and mobility choices. The use of design tools, such as empathy maps and Personas, contributed to creating profiles useful for deepening the design process, as well as for conducting a testing phase. The combination of methodologies was effective in achieving a new level of mapping to be integrated into the mobility service design processes.