Connected while Commuting : Designing for Trust and Perceived Control in Public Transport Monitoring Feature

Sammanfattning

This study, conducted in collaboration with the public transport company Östgötatrafiken, explored the development of user-friendly digital app solutions within public transport. Specifically, the study delves deeper into the app’s monitoring feature, which allows the user to monitor specific journeys and receive notifications in the event of major disruptions or delays. Although the function has existed since 2019, only approximately 0.9% of app users utilize it, indicating a gap between the functionality and user adoption. The study aimed to explore how daily commuters experience trust and perceived behavioral control (PBC) in relation to the monitoring feature. Additionally, the study identifies established design principles to support trust and PBC. Adopting a research through design (RtD) approach, the study generated a concrete design proposal with the implemented design principles. The design process was structured using the Double Diamond framework and involved a week-long diary study, thematic analysis, and the development of low- and high-fidelity prototypes. Finally, the interactive design proposal was evaluated through semi-structured interviews and usability testing. Results of the diary study and thematic analysis indicate that commuters generally experience a high degree of PBC, while showing a lower degree of trust regarding the system’s reliability, logic and purpose. Consequently, four design principles were identified: transparency, feedback, mapping and conceptual models. The proposed design demonstrated exceptional usability, with an average SUS score of 88.3, and indications of increased trust and PBC. In conclusion, managing the dynamic relation between trust and design is crucial to implement successful automation in everyday commuting.