BILLBOARD INTERFACE
Redesigned Public Transport Billboard Incorporating Updates on Night Shelter Bed Spaces
Project description
One freezing night in Berlin, as I waited for the subway, I couldn’t help but feel a deep ache in my chest. The sight of homeless people lying in the cold at the station hit me hard. It was like the chill in the air wasn’t just outside but had found its way inside me too.
In another world, this could be the solution: public transit billboards offering quick access to nearby shelters and real-time bed availability to help people experiencing homelessness.
- Resources: Shelter Map 2024, Berliner Stadtmission, Kaelte Hilfe, Deutsches Rotes Kreuz, BVG
Timeline
4 weeks
Overview
Problem
The existing BVG billboard features plenty of white space and direction details for all modes of transport, including their names, dates, times, station identifiers, arrival schedules, and the final destinations of the transportation units.
Current Constrains:
Real-time Data
The interface cannot display up-to-date information on shelter availability due to the lack of a reliable and continuous data feed from the shelters.
Laws & Regulations
Adherence to local advertising and public information display laws and resrictions.
Weather Conditions & Energy Durations
Various weather conditions and potential vandalism, limited power resources.
Process
Research & Planning
Conducted market research to identify existing travel time challenges and groups of public transport users.
Defined target audience segments and outlined vital features based on user needs.
Researched how homeless individuals find shelters in Berlin.
Discovered and informed why individuals in need choose not to utilize night shelters despite harsh weather conditions while sleeping outdoors.
I used AI to help gather more structured data.
Design & Prototyping
Demanded input from developers and designers to develop an intuitive, user-centric interface.
Consistently adjusted designs based on feedback to boost UI visuals and functionality.
Implementation, Testing & Optimization
Prioritized vital information based on constructive feedback and technical feasibility.
Applied advanced AI algorithms to analyze user behavior thoroughly and based on that I optimized UI, integrating inclusive UX design with information from the mentioned resources.
Solution
The public transport billboard integrated with night shelter bed availability ensures a fluid user interaction, enabling each person, particularly those in distress, to locate support with ease.
Key features include:
Real-Time of Bed Availability can Increase Access to Shelter
Providing real-time shelter availability on billboards can help homeless individuals find a place to stay more quickly.
Accessibility & Clear Information
The interface has to be easy to read and accessible to everyone, regardless of their literacy or language skills.
It has to include including multiple languages and Iconography.
Implementation of QR Codes to guide and establish a source to the closest and every city shelter
Scanning the QR code with a smartphone instantly directs users to a map or website showing the closest shelters, their availability, and additional details like hours of operation and services provided.
QR codes must also be linked to medical services or food distribution centers.
Multiple languages and iconography are essential to ensure more straightforward and faster information delivery.
What other impacts could billboard have on night shelter availability?
A billboard interface that shows the availability of the closest homeless shelter can have several positive impacts:
Reduced Street Homelessness
By making shelter information easily accessible, the billboard can help decrease the number of people sleeping on the streets, especially during extreme weather conditions.
Enhanced Awareness
The billboard raises public awareness about homelessness, encouraging community involvement and support for local shelters.
Seeing the billboard might inspire others to volunteer, donate, or support local shelters, leading to a more engaged and compassionate community.
Improved Safety
Guiding people to safe places can lower the risks of sleeping in unsafe or exposed spots, making things a lot safer for homeless individuals overall.
Learnings
