✺ Yuehui Du
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Design a conversational AI assistant for Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT)

Project Type

Studio project collaborated with Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT)

Team

Yuehui Du (Designer)

Iris Cai (Designer)

Angela Nam (Designer)

Aishwarya Rane (Designer)

Contribution

Value Creation

UI/UX Design

User Research

Motion Design

Prototyping

Timeline

5 Weeks

Sep. - Nov. 2022

Tools

Vioce Flow

Figma

Illustrator

After Effects

Premier Pro

Overview

Research

Ideation

Design

Reflection

Overview

Overview

Overview

"Hey Ollie!" to meet your companion on bus.


Ollie is a conversational AI that keeps passengers informed during their ride on the public transportation, ensures their safety, provides accessibility assistance, and adds enjoyment to your ride.

"Hey Ollie!" to meet your companion on bus.


Ollie is a conversational AI that keeps passengers informed during their ride on the public transportation, ensures their safety, provides accessibility assistance, and adds enjoyment to your ride.

"Hey Ollie!" to meet your companion on bus.


Ollie is a conversational AI that keeps passengers informed during their ride on the public transportation, ensures their safety, provides accessibility assistance, and adds enjoyment to your ride.

Context

PRT is Pittsburgh's the prominent local public transit system.

PRT provides 60 million rides a year, and the majority of people that inside and outside the Pittsburgh would use it as daily transit service.

PRT provides 60 million rides a year, and the majority of people that inside and outside the Pittsburgh would use it as daily transit service.

PRT provides 60 million rides a year, and the majority of people that inside and outside the Pittsburgh would use it as daily transit service.

Who are the users?

We pinpointed three primary user groups for the conversational AI: daily commuter, passengers needing accessibility support, and bus drivers, who look for efficient communication and accurate updating information.

We pinpointed three primary user groups for the conversational AI: daily commuter, passengers needing accessibility support, and bus drivers, who look for efficient communication and accurate updating information.

We pinpointed three primary user groups for the conversational AI: daily commuter, passengers needing accessibility support, and bus drivers, who look for efficient communication and accurate updating information.

Daily Commuter

who relies on apps to sync bus schedules with routine, aiming to optimize transit and gain recognition.

Bus Driver

who aims to complete ride on time, communicate real-time updates, and assist passengers efficiently.

Disable Passenger

who seeks smooth access and support to enjoy safe, independent ride without feeling like a burden.

Challenge

Passengers rely on multiple platforms but are still unable to communicate with driver and system in real-time to address their needs.

Passengers have multiple resources to check real-time bus information like Transit, Google Map, PRT Ready2Ride, digital bus stop, this overwhelmed experience does not provide accurate information and makes the communication inefficient.

Passengers have multiple resources to check real-time bus information like Transit, Google Map, PRT Ready2Ride, digital bus stop, this overwhelmed experience does not provide accurate information and makes the communication inefficient.

Passengers have multiple resources to check real-time bus information like Transit, Google Map, PRT Ready2Ride, digital bus stop, this overwhelmed experience does not provide accurate information and makes the communication inefficient.

Solution

Real-time communicate on mobile


We prioritize the mobile experience, recognizing it as the most accessible device during transportation rides. Ollie consistently provides pertinent information whenever needed.

Real-time communicate on mobile


We prioritize the mobile experience, recognizing it as the most accessible device during transportation rides. Ollie consistently provides pertinent information whenever needed.

Real-time communicate on mobile


We prioritize the mobile experience, recognizing it as the most accessible device during transportation rides. Ollie consistently provides pertinent information whenever needed.

Integrate Ollie on the bus stop kiosk


We identified a chance to repurpose the interactive screen already installed at the bus stop. The multiple touchpoint broadens access to Ollie's assistance, facilitating a more convenient transit experience for all users.

Integrate Ollie on the bus stop kiosk


We identified a chance to repurpose the interactive screen already installed at the bus stop. The multiple touchpoint broadens access to Ollie's assistance, facilitating a more convenient transit experience for all users.

Integrate Ollie on the bus stop kiosk


We identified a chance to repurpose the interactive screen already installed at the bus stop. The multiple touchpoint broadens access to Ollie's assistance, facilitating a more convenient transit experience for all users.

Research

Research

Research

Interview

What do we want to investigate from the user interview?

Goal 01

Understand typical ride process (pre-, during, post-) for target users.

Understand typical ride process (pre-, during, post-) for target users.

Understand typical ride process (pre-, during, post-) for target users.

Goal 02

Identify main painpoints in communication between users and the system.

Identify main painpoints in communication between users and the system.

Identify main painpoints in communication between users and the system.

Goal 03

Prioritize target users' needs in different scenarios.

Prioritize target users' needs in different scenarios.

Prioritize target users' needs in different scenarios.

Daily Commuter A

"Bus drivers arrive and depart on their own time. Don’t count on the set schedule...It’s hard to know when is correct to get to the bus stop."

"Bus drivers arrive and depart on their own time. Don’t count on the set schedule...It’s hard to know when is correct to get to the bus stop."

"Bus drivers arrive and depart on their own time. Don’t count on the set schedule...It’s hard to know when is correct to get to the bus stop."

Daily Commuter B

"Late night buses are really terrible. The app says they are coming but didn’t show up at all. It’s ruined my night..."

"Late night buses are really terrible. The app says they are coming but didn’t show up at all. It’s ruined my night..."

"Late night buses are really terrible. The app says they are coming but didn’t show up at all. It’s ruined my night..."

Disable Passenger C

"While usually the driver will prepare the ramp, I'm still worried what if the bus is full or the driver doesn't see me in advance and waste time for other passengers."

"While usually the driver will prepare the ramp, I'm still worried what if the bus is full or the driver doesn't see me in advance and waste time for other passengers."

"While usually the driver will prepare the ramp, I'm still worried what if the bus is full or the driver doesn't see me in advance and waste time for other passengers."

Synthesis

Frequent "silent" communication between passengers and the driver

Throughout the journey, passengers signal their need for the driver's real-time service indirectly—by waving a hand, pulling the string, or standing by the exit. The driver responds through actions. This communication relies entirely on unspoken rules.

Throughout the journey, passengers signal their need for the driver's real-time service indirectly—by waving a hand, pulling the string, or standing by the exit. The driver responds through actions. This communication relies entirely on unspoken rules.

Throughout the journey, passengers signal their need for the driver's real-time service indirectly—by waving a hand, pulling the string, or standing by the exit. The driver responds through actions. This communication relies entirely on unspoken rules.

Service reliability is the primary concern for both passengers and the PRT

Through affinity mapping, 60% interview feedback mentioned service reliability, including timing, misinformation, and safety. PRT set the annual KPI including "on-time performance". The passengers and the PRT have a common sense on the importance of reliability.

Through affinity mapping, 60% interview feedback mentioned service reliability, including timing, misinformation, and safety. PRT set the annual KPI including "on-time performance". The passengers and the PRT have a common sense on the importance of reliability.

Through affinity mapping, 60% interview feedback mentioned service reliability, including timing, misinformation, and safety. PRT set the annual KPI including "on-time performance". The passengers and the PRT have a common sense on the importance of reliability.

"Can't be notified instantly" frustrates all target users

Since the "silent communication" only conduct face-to-face, the asynchronous notification frustrates all target users. Passengers can't receive the updates unless get to the bus stop, and drivers can only know accessibility requests when arriving the stop.

Findings

Three major communication painpoints between users and the system

01

Immediate requests increase uncertainty.

Passengers check bus schedule immediately before departure, which leave no room for emergency preparedness.

02

Lack of real-time updates from the driver on-site.

The system hardly get on-site information without driver’s report, neither do passengers.

03

Accessibility support requests can't reach in advance.

Driver can only be noticed the ramp request when actually seeing the disable passenger,

Prioritize target users in different scenarios

The mobile and kiosk platforms are adapted for various user types. By prioritizing target users, the design can more effectively address their specific needs.

The mobile and kiosk platforms are adapted for various user types. By prioritizing target users, the design can more effectively address their specific needs.

The mobile and kiosk platforms are adapted for various user types. By prioritizing target users, the design can more effectively address their specific needs.

How might we…

create an intuitive, inclusive, and reliable conversational AI that facilitates the public transportation experience by enhancing the communication among passengers, drivers, and the system?

How might we…

create an intuitive, inclusive, and reliable conversational AI that facilitates the public transportation experience by enhancing the communication among passengers, drivers, and the system?

How might we…

create an intuitive, inclusive, and reliable conversational AI that facilitates the public transportation experience by enhancing the communication among passengers, drivers, and the system?

Ideation

Ideation

Ideation

Hypothesis of AI

How does conversational AI enhance the communication experience?

By analyzing the benefits of conversational AI and aligning them with identified pain points, we have developed a hypothesis on how Ollie can enhance the communication experience.

Painpoints

Benefits of Conversational AI

Hypothesis

Immediate requests increase uncertainty.

Lack of real-time updates from the driver on-site.

Accessibility support requests can't reach in advance.

Instantaneous response

Conversational AI can respond immediately about the updates and notify about changes.

Effortless interaction through Natural language

Conversational AI enable users to communicate without learn any specific commands.

Text-to-speech with voice synthesis

Conversational AI can enhance accessibility and provide multiple formates of output: text, image, and audio.

Personalized experience through users insights

Conversational AI can provide personalized experience by remembering customer preferences, based on their profile and behavior.

Intelligent Integration across multiple data sources

Conversational AI can integrate with real-time tracking system and multiple users’ inputs to provide accurate information.

Design Direction

From communication painpoints to design directions

Before narrowing down to the specific design, we review the painpoints and digest them to three core design directions to guide the design of Ollie's identity and interfaces.

Define Identity

From the PRT brand identity to Ollie's visual system

For build a consistent visual system for PRT, we learned from the brand identity and create Ollie's visual system to align with its core value.

For build a consistent visual system for PRT, we learned from the brand identity and create Ollie's visual system to align with its core value.

For build a consistent visual system for PRT, we learned from the brand identity and create Ollie's visual system to align with its core value.

Define Ollie's personailty

Defining Ollie's identity by considering the traits and tone that best align with the project's objectives and the client's core values. We concluded that characteristics would suit best:

Defining Ollie's identity by considering the traits and tone that best align with the project's objectives and the client's core values. We concluded that characteristics would suit best:

Defining Ollie's identity by considering the traits and tone that best align with the project's objectives and the client's core values. We concluded that characteristics would suit best:

Storyboard

Explore scenarios about the conversation between users and Ollie

For build a consistent visual system for PRT, we learned from the brand identity and create Ollie's visual system to align with its core value.

For build a consistent visual system for PRT, we learned from the brand identity and create Ollie's visual system to align with its core value.

For build a consistent visual system for PRT, we learned from the brand identity and create Ollie's visual system to align with its core value.

Define Kiosk

Determine the digital bus stop as the secondary touchpoint

During the field research, we found PRT initially aimed to install interactive screens, but budget constraints have led to the use of posters with QR codes instead. We see this as a strategic opportunity to implement PRT's vision.

During the field research, we found PRT initially aimed to install interactive screens, but budget constraints have led to the use of posters with QR codes instead. We see this as a strategic opportunity to implement PRT's vision.

During the field research, we found PRT initially aimed to install interactive screens, but budget constraints have led to the use of posters with QR codes instead. We see this as a strategic opportunity to implement PRT's vision.

Interface Structure

Explore the structure for key features on mobile and kiosk

Design

Design

Design

Visualize Ollie

Visualize Ollie by rapid iterations

Focusing on embodying public transportation attributes and PRT's mission in a singular visual form. This iterative process involved considerable refinement until we settled on Ollie's definitive visual representation.

Focusing on embodying public transportation attributes and PRT's mission in a singular visual form. This iterative process involved considerable refinement until we settled on Ollie's definitive visual representation.

Focusing on embodying public transportation attributes and PRT's mission in a singular visual form. This iterative process involved considerable refinement until we settled on Ollie's definitive visual representation.

Ollie's Motion Status

We identified essential statuses for conversational feedback, focusing on smooth transitions and infusing shapes with easy-understanding movements and transformations.

We identified essential statuses for conversational feedback, focusing on smooth transitions and infusing shapes with easy-understanding movements and transformations.

We identified essential statuses for conversational feedback, focusing on smooth transitions and infusing shapes with easy-understanding movements and transformations.

Final Design

Painpoint 01
Immediate requests increase uncertainty

Solution 01
Pre-schedule &
real-time update notification

Painpoint 02
Lack of real-time updates from diver on-site

Solution 02
Driver provides quick updates via verbal communication

Painpoint 03
Accessibility support requests can't reach in advance

Solution 03
Hands-free request services and notify the driver ahead

Kiosk Feature 01
Personalized ride recommendation

Kiosk Feature 02
Cross-platform information synchronization

Kiosk Feature 03
Real-time notification broadcasting

Scenario 01. Daily commuter schedules a ride

Scenario 02. Driver updates bus status to passengers at the next stop

Scenario 03. Disable passenger requests support to the incoming driver

Scenario 04. Passenger asks for a ride from kiosk and export to the mobile

Scenario 05. Kiosk broadcasts bus updates to the passengers waiting in line

Reflection

Reflection

Reflection

What I've learned?

Emerging technologies are not the answer, user's needs are.

Focusing on embodying public transportation attributes and PRT's mission in a singular visual form. This iterative process involved considerable refinement until we settled on Ollie's definitive visual representation.

Focusing on embodying public transportation attributes and PRT's mission in a singular visual form. This iterative process involved considerable refinement until we settled on Ollie's definitive visual representation.

Focusing on embodying public transportation attributes and PRT's mission in a singular visual form. This iterative process involved considerable refinement until we settled on Ollie's definitive visual representation.

Next steps

Emerging technologies are not the answer, user's needs are.

Focusing on embodying public transportation attributes and PRT's mission in a singular visual form. This iterative process involved considerable refinement until we settled on Ollie's definitive visual representation.

Focusing on embodying public transportation attributes and PRT's mission in a singular visual form. This iterative process involved considerable refinement until we settled on Ollie's definitive visual representation.

Focusing on embodying public transportation attributes and PRT's mission in a singular visual form. This iterative process involved considerable refinement until we settled on Ollie's definitive visual representation.

© Yuehui Du 2024