PROJECT GOAL
This was a fourth year capstone project that was submitted to the RSA Design Awards. Using the Google Sprint framework, we had to design a vision and business case for a way to promote greater wellbeing when people are at work, wherever that work takes place.
This was a fourth year capstone project that was submitted to the RSA Design Awards. Using the Google Sprint framework, we had to design a vision and business case for a way to promote greater wellbeing when people are at work, wherever that work takes place.
Our solution was inSource, a service that empowers employees and management to develop practical solutions to everyday issues in their workplace.
MY ROLE
I helped conducted phone and in-person interviews to understand the problems that our target audience was facing. During the ideation process, I created the visual designs of our web platform, conducted user testing and implemented the feedback.
I helped conducted phone and in-person interviews to understand the problems that our target audience was facing. During the ideation process, I created the visual designs of our web platform, conducted user testing and implemented the feedback.
DISCOVERY
Our first step was to choose an industry that we could focus on when it came to promoting greater wellbeing. Our team brainstormed, conducted research online and came up with our top 9 choices. This list ranged from service workers, teachers, entrepreneurs to transit workers.
Our first step was to choose an industry that we could focus on when it came to promoting greater wellbeing. Our team brainstormed, conducted research online and came up with our top 9 choices. This list ranged from service workers, teachers, entrepreneurs to transit workers.
After dot voting and additional research, we decided to focus on the mental wellbeing of Public Transit Vehicle Operators.
🚌 WHY?
‣ They are consistently ranked at the top of industries with mental health and wellbeing challenges
‣ Found to be 23% more likely to have these challenges* - March 2014 report by PwC
‣ Preliminary research shows unaddressed pain points
RESEARCH
We started by brainstorming every possible assumption and questions that we wanted answered. By doing this we were able to pick the right research methods to validate our assumptions and uncover pain points.
We started by brainstorming every possible assumption and questions that we wanted answered. By doing this we were able to pick the right research methods to validate our assumptions and uncover pain points.
Survey
We were able to find a Transit Operator Facebook group for the GRT region and sent out a survey to uncover pain points. We received 42 transit operator respondents. From those, 83% of participants were between the ages of 41-50 and 86% were full-time workers.
We were able to find a Transit Operator Facebook group for the GRT region and sent out a survey to uncover pain points. We received 42 transit operator respondents. From those, 83% of participants were between the ages of 41-50 and 86% were full-time workers.
Top responsibilities on the job
Pain Points
Ethnographic Observations
We observed how bus drivers interacted with customers, organized their cabin area, etc. Individually we sat in the bus (on various bus routes) for couple hours and simply observed what they did.
We observed how bus drivers interacted with customers, organized their cabin area, etc. Individually we sat in the bus (on various bus routes) for couple hours and simply observed what they did.
In-person Interviews
I helped interview 19 transit operators and 2 managers, some over the phone and in-person. From these interviews we were starting to see a trend in what they liked about their job and the challenges they faces.
I helped interview 19 transit operators and 2 managers, some over the phone and in-person. From these interviews we were starting to see a trend in what they liked about their job and the challenges they faces.
💡One pain point that was most commonly discussed by transit operators was the lack of support from upper management. While our team assumed their main concerns would be customer-facing, they were actually internal issues within their management.
We put together the all the pain points into HMW statements. and categorized them for dot voting.
IDEATION AND CONCEPTUALIZING
Knowing that GRT Transit Operators had a poor relationship with their management, we started to brainstorm different ideas to help solve this problem.
Knowing that GRT Transit Operators had a poor relationship with their management, we started to brainstorm different ideas to help solve this problem.
The final idea voted was inSource, a platform for crowdsourcing workplace issues and voting on legitimate concerns to address.
STEP 1 - SUBMIT CONCERNS
All employees would login and submit ideas/concerns that they feel need to be addressed. This provides a safe space for both transit operators and management to voice their opinions. The submissions would be gathered by an inSource coordinator and then grouped into bigger HMW statements for voting.
All employees would login and submit ideas/concerns that they feel need to be addressed. This provides a safe space for both transit operators and management to voice their opinions. The submissions would be gathered by an inSource coordinator and then grouped into bigger HMW statements for voting.
STEP 2 - VOTING
During this stage all employees vote on issues they believe are most important. This allows transit operators and management to see the ideas and perspectives of one another. The topic with the most number of votes would be selected for an in-person session, facilitated by an inSource sprint coordinator.
During this stage all employees vote on issues they believe are most important. This allows transit operators and management to see the ideas and perspectives of one another. The topic with the most number of votes would be selected for an in-person session, facilitated by an inSource sprint coordinator.
STEP 3 - SPRINT SESSION
A sprint meeting consists of a non-biased facilitator who will follow a step by step process. The process includes diving deep into the problem area, identifying stakeholders and a safe space for employees to come up with potential solutions to their ideas.
A sprint meeting consists of a non-biased facilitator who will follow a step by step process. The process includes diving deep into the problem area, identifying stakeholders and a safe space for employees to come up with potential solutions to their ideas.
STEP 4 - SUMMARY AND FOLLOW UP
A sprint facilitator will update the inSource dashboard so that other employees are updated on the ideas and solutions discussed. They would form a follow up committee to ensure that the ideas are being implemented. This provides visibility and transparency but most importantly it provides transit operators with a sense of belonging.
A sprint facilitator will update the inSource dashboard so that other employees are updated on the ideas and solutions discussed. They would form a follow up committee to ensure that the ideas are being implemented. This provides visibility and transparency but most importantly it provides transit operators with a sense of belonging.
Design briefs for the RSA Design Awards can be found here. The brief captures a deep dive on research, ideation and our business case.
TAKEAWAYS
‣ Writing down our assumptions and questions really helped us identify any biases that we had of our own. Working with Transit Operators was a new territory for each of us. Conducting various types of research really helped us prioritize what we needed to solution for.
‣ A passionate team goes a long wayyyyy. I have to give credits to this amazing group of people that I worked with. Each person brought unique skills to the table and this project would be nowhere without them.
Jessica Braun (research & sprint coordinator), Seul Lee (research & development), Seyitan Oke (ideation & development), Jeff Towers (ideation & development) & Dhara Pitroda (me) (research & design)
