TRY-CYCLE
overview
The goal is not
to become sustainable; the goal is to develop habits that help us achieve sustainability
research question
How can Bike Share Services (BSS) foster a shift towards sustainable mobility to achieve TFL’s goal of 2041 for London’s urban mobility?
AIM
Develop a transition strategy for Bike Share Services (BSS) in London which fosters a positive shift towards active travel options.
process
Speculative design was integral to the project, broadening research horizons and envisioning new consumer behaviours in urban travel. This technique, surpassing traditional data-driven studies, allowed for creative exploration and simulation of potential futures. Speculative design acted as a catalyst for realising long-term visions, transcending conventional methodologies to embrace forward-thinking viewpoints.
Solution
In 2023, declining Oyster card subscriptions and slim BSS operator profits prompted industrial symbiosis between TFL and BSS operators. This partnership manifested in a mobility super app, merging Oyster card universality with BSS agility. A policy shift led authorities to leverage existing BSS operations, enhancing public transport accessibility and reducing commuter costs.
The Beginning of the Future
How wicked is wicked?
Urban Futurescape
By 2050, two-thirds of us will be living in cities. Despite occupying just a fraction of the global territory, our cities use more than three quarters of natural resources, generate more than half of solid waste, and GHGs; contributing to pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss.
On The Move
The mobility sector’s huge carbon footprint, which contributes considerably to global CO2 emissions, and the enormous amount of time commuters. Dependency on linear practices, individual car ownership and fossil fuels can be a strain on urban infrastructure, environment and household budgets.
The Opportunity: Micromobility
Micromobility (MM) accounts for 50 to 60 percent of total travels in China, the European Union, and the United States the shift to MM alternatives has resulted in lower congestion rates, improvement in travel speed and time, reduced emissions and energy use. A system map of the service was developed to visualise the nuances of MM and interconnected systems.
Stakeholder Analysis
The mobility sector’s huge carbon footprint, which contributes considerably to global CO2 emissions, and the enormous amount of time commuters. Dependency on linear practices, individual car ownership and fossil fuels can be a strain on urban infrastructure, environment and household budgets.
Objectives
Examine the Drivers of Change
Analyse the factors influencing transformation in circular cities worldwide, including London, exploring the forces propelling this shift towards more sustainable urban models.
Investigate Potential Behavioural Changes
Examine potential shifts in transportation preferences due to BSS expansion. Identify a test area for BSS to analyze growth, user demographics, and usage trends.
Determine the Role of Speculative Design
Explore how speculative design methodology influences the future of BSS and urban transportation through creative interventions and solutions.
Develop Transitional Milestones
To uncover broader opportunities, establish transitional milestones within the test bed behavior spectrum, and propose design interventions.
Research Framework
The framework was designed to examine two key aspects that will help envision the future which are social transitions and system analysis. The framework combines the structure of double diamond by Design Council with the fluidity of ‘Narrative Futures cones’ by Montgomery. This approach helped in understanding the interlocking business, government and user belief systems that shape the service and user behavior in an infinitely expanding future.
Creative Process
The creative process began by interpreting future signals, focusing on urban mobility and BSS. Emerging narratives were crafted to explore the potential impact on BSS. Through speculative design, these narratives were transformed into tangible products and services, co-created with Holloway Road residents, and visualised through sketches, illustrations, and posters, aligning with TFL's vision for 2041.
Hindsight
The lay of the land. Connections between BSS and circular economy were studied through various reports, case studies of major city operations, cycling culture and services.
Environmental
Impact of BSS
The research found that sustainable urban mobility can be characterised by 2 major factors:
1. Modal Shift
2. Life Cycle Assessment
Accelerating Successful Transitions
To design a successful behaviour change, the literature review explored factors influencing behaviour change with the analogy of ‘The elephant and the rider’ by Psychologist Jonathan Haidt. The theory states that for a successful behaviour change, we must cater to emotional motivations (the elephant), rational decision-making (the rider) and the supporting infrastructure (the path)of the users.
Motivating the Elephant
BSS needs to destigmatise cycling as some people associate cycling as a vector of one’s socio-economic. The users also empathise with the environmental friendliness of BSS and the attributed delight of riding a bike.
Convincing
the Rider
Convenience and availability affect BSS adoption, especially in last-mile connectivity. These can be categorised into three components:
1) Simplicity of locating a bicycle
2) Simplicity of utilising a bicycle
3) Ease of arriving at a destination
Building the Path
By investing in cycling infrastructure, cities have witnessed lower congestion and decreased commute time. The likelihood of new users trying the alternative also increases significantly.
Drivers of Change
As we delve into speculative design, it's crucial to grasp how different systems interact to drive change. Societal, technological, economic, environmental, and political factors and their potential effects on BSS were studied. Understanding these dynamics provided valuable insights into potential future scenarios.
Insight
Triangulation of primary research data derived from Survey, Empathy Mapping Workshop, and Expert Interviews was analysed to develop a deeper understanding of BSS in context test bed, Holloway Road.
Survey Findings
A comparison of preferred values of BSS users and non-users under consideration reveals that the BSS closely coincides with the predominant mobility preferences. The service is mainly connected with convenience, flexibility, quickness, and accessibility.
Identifying the User
As part of the survey, individuals interested in the workshop joined an empathy mapping session, facilitated by the ladder interview technique. Participants shared their BSS experiences across various user journey stages, fostering collaborative empathy mapping despite differing views, to cultivate a more user-centric approach. This process subsequently informed the development of various personas to better understand user needs and behaviors.
Contextual Analysis
Juxtaposing survey analysis with interviews and empathy mapping revealed 4 major domains to be looked at which define which defined successful BSS operations.
1) User preferences
2) Role of built environment
3) The cost of convenience
4) Achieving financial sustainability
Building the Narratives
Based on the analysis, macro and micro trends were developed that will shape the future of BSS.
Foresight
Understanding the evolving landscape and addressing external factors vital for enhancing BSS operations and encouraging greater uptake.
Polarity Matrix
A polarity matrix was crafted to envision potential urban mobility scenarios in London, considering circular economy principles and mobility dynamics. This tool aided in visualising policy, infrastructure, and user behavior interrelations for scenario-based planning.
Service Blueprint
Drawing from auto-ethnographic research and case studies, a service blueprint was crafted, indicating potential points for intervention in service and operations. The blueprint reveals various opportunities for design enhancements, ranging from straightforward in-app messaging to intricate systemic solutions. Additionally, automation of support processes, like predictive fleet management, is considered to anticipate high-demand areas.
Envisioning Workshop
A card game was developed to involve the stakeholders in envisioning the future. A workshop was conducted with the residents of Holloway Road, who were also the users of BSS, to develop artefacts for the future. The workshop was gamified based on a toolkit by Situation Lab (no date). The prompts reflected the principles of CE, SE, drivers of change and mobility trends.
Backcasting
Discover essential milestones guiding the future of urban transportation. From local campaigns to technological advancements, these pivotal steps are crucial for fostering positive behavioral shifts towards active mobility.
Design Development
The design intervention is set in the year 2033. The cycling infrastructure is more developed with increased dedicated bike lanes and mandatory parking spots.
Introducing
The New Oyster
The intervention seeks to transform the Oyster app into a comprehensive lifestyle platform that integrates seamless access to public transport with BSS, enhancing sustainability and financial viability for both TFL and BSS operators.
Universal Oyster Card
A limited-edition card that marks the 30th anniversary of Oyster and the beginning of a unique journey. The graphic captures the hustle-bustle of London along with a diverse user group.
The Oyster Super App
Discover essential milestones guiding the future of urban transportation. From local campaigns to technological advancements, these pivotal steps are crucial for fostering positive behavioral shifts towards active mobility.
User Journey
The super App follows a very simple user journey which encompasses trip planning, information about public transport and BSS. The interventions in the user journey are marked in blue colour.
KPI's
The super App follows a very simple user journey which encompasses trip planning, information about public transport and BSS. The interventions in the user journey are marked in blue colour.
User Adoption
The number of downloads of the new Oyster app and new user registration will be a crucial indicator of success. This should be monitored on a monthly basis to identify active users.
User Satisfaction
This can be calculated by conducting surveys at the end of the journeys and ratings on the app store. Number of referrals can also suggest overall user satisfaction.
Accessibility
Calculating the average signup time taken by users. This will involve filling out details and cross-verifying documents such as IDs, payment methods, and driving licenses.
Cost-Efficiency
Compare the average cost of monthly commutes before and after the integration. This data should be cross-referenced with the percentage of the users benefiting from the scheme to establish success.
Partnerships
Number of successful partnerships established and renewal periods. Cross-referencing with the consumption of sustainable products and services.
Integration With BSS
Tracking Oyster app users purchasing ride passes or BSS add-ons reveals user patterns for pricing improvement. Declining active users on the operator's platform suggests positive Oyster app adoption also suggest a positive uptake of the new Oyster app.
Responsible Bheaviour
Track the number of users using docking stations and recommended parking spots.
Environmental Impact
Estimate the reduction in carbon emissions by using trip data.
