The problem to be addressed in this article is one of intimacy and the lack thereof in
transport. The issue to us with travel is that it is to time consuming, too dry/cold and too
lonely. This is a problem with most transport and in that mainly the factors of time taken,
cost and experience. When one gets on their connection that will take them from their
departure point to their destination point they are submitted to a time period where they
do nothing but long for their destination.
The problem begins when you want to get into your transport. How can this experience
be made more intimate, inviting and welcoming? This problem continues once you are
commuting: rather often, you cannot do much with the time you have during your
commute. So here the next problem departs, while you have nothing much to do, you
begin to think of wasted time, all the things that are wrong around you.
All of these things can be improved greatly by making an experience more intimate.
Transport can be made more intimate by invoking interaction, between the commuter
and the vehicle and other possible people on it. This interaction can begin with
something that stimulates conversation (conversation starters).
In approaching this issue from an open minded and creative point of view the
application of theoretical frameworks can reveal the underlying forces at work.
The 4-step interaction design process developed by Bill Verplank (Designing Interaction;
Bill Moggridge) should provide a good starting point for understanding the current state
of affairs, and suggesting directions for improvement. Since issues of interaction are
critical to the levels (or lack) of intimacy involved in the act of traveling, it is important to
identify the key players, both human and constructed and how these various factors
influence and respond to each other.
An initial step will be to develop an abstracted understanding of the main aims and
motivators involved in creating a need for the act of transportation to occur. From there,
analytical techniques (such as mapping dichotomies via semiotic squares) will describe
the range of activity possible. How the state of "intimacy" occurs in a given situation, and
how modifying that state affects the user (commuted) will be the primary topic of study.
A constant reference to creativity models (De Bono, Perkins) will enable the fullest
exploration of both potential solutions; and the applicability and any limitations thereof.
1. Issue
1.1 Problem to be addressed
Bus Transport is lacking in intimacy and can be solved by social networking/theory of
games.
2. Exploration
2.1 Ludology
- Power of role playing
- Rules
- Create a game system
- Magic circle: belonging, secrecy
- Game is in effect a virtual world within a social world
expand..
3. Proposition
3.1 Our Theory to Prove
The fundamental aim of this paper is to create a new, improved experience for
passengers using public bus routes, within the urban Wellington environment.
A play system can be developed, unlocking mechanisms currently used by online
applications and extending these to individuals which are not normally using them, in
order to create intimacy between passengers, and a more beneficial, enjoyable
environment. A game structure which rewards and encourages social networking
behaviour can achieve this.
3.2 Contribution
The success of this project will lead in turn to opportunities for generating increased
usage of, and demand for current and future Public Transport (PT) schemes. By removing
reliance on Private Motor Vehicle (PMV) usage, this will be of direct interest to parties
pursuing increased sustainability, promoting less environmentally harmful modes of
transport, and limiting consumption of fossil fuel reserves.
Profit-driven suppliers of bus services or affiliated business ventures will be able to
leverage a promotional and public relation tool and increase passenger revenue, while
improving competitiveness of commercial functions.
Ultimately, the successful use of ‘INTIMACY’ as a means of redefining cultural behaviour
can be applied to an understanding of wider issues. This project will serve as an
investigative prototype for enhancing the use and enjoyment of similar function-driven
public spaces or collective resources. This topic looks to be an increasingly relevant
concern in the 21st Century: as global populations increase, pressures on space, waste
caused by individual over consumption of resources, and the latent failings of existing
market-driven processes are becoming increasingly apparent.
4. Refinement
4.1 Understanding the Social Environment [shorten]
Initially developed as a software engineering tool, The Locales Framework offers a
method of understanding cooperative goal accomplishment. The framework defines a
primary unit of analysis as the “Locale”, being independent from a specific people or
locations, and based instead on a dynamic combination of both, and the resultant
qualities of a Social Space defined contained by them. The central characteristics of a
shared environment and the influences these can have on successful resolution of
shared goals are then able to be evaluated against qualitative criteria.
In reapplying this construct to the situation of bus transport, a procedural metaphor can
be established.
The nature and interplay of these factors can be used to inform possible solutions, and
highlight opportunities or restrictions.
Locale Foundations are the core attributes that define and differentiate a
particular Social World
- In the case of a PT service, a single, yet complex goal is the common factor: to
travel from on point to another. This constitutes on e of the few common
attributes for most individuals. The nature of each member and their respective
commitment can be as varied as the passengers of destinations of a bus. The
membership of the group is open to virtually anyone. And represents a large and
highly unstable population.
The underlying culture of this passenger ‘society’ is based on implicit, often fragile
protocols, dictating appropriate behaviour.
- The primary resources required to attain the end are the ‘STOP’, ‘VEHICLE’, and
the ‘ROUTE’.
The social world forms around a STOP long before a COACH is visible, then
changes constantly over the ROUTE.
Civic Structures are the overlapping relationships which can contain; be subject
to; or in turn, influence a given Locale. These external forces need to be
understood from the internal perspectives of the Locale in question.
- The formal structure of PT providers is essentially hierarchical. A business entity is
responsible for the operational system, usually stipulated by a public authority
[insert Conditional Matrix Diagram].
- With such a diverse membership, bidirectional Locale influences are much more
complex. The accessibility of alternative transport, PMVs, human powered or
other PT providers sway participation levels, and can affect a Locale from day to
day.
- Industries, workplaces, urban plans and communal meeting places influence
individual departure points, in a loosely coupled equilibrium with ROUTES. Thes
change only in a period measured in years.
Individual Views: attentive/focused/nervous even to ensure correct stop is not
missed, undesirable contact avoided,
Interaction Trajectory
Mutuality
4.2 Envisaging Results [shorten]
While potential participants can be offered a chance to contribute, a game is by
definition voluntary. Whether or not those involved experience benefits or enjoyment, will
dictate adoption rates, and player turnover. It will be informative to understand how
various individuals are likely to act under the game conditions, and what benefits they
seek to obtain.
A Player Interest Graph maps the motivations and awareness’s of virtual world
participants (Bartle, 131) and comprises four main types of playing style. An online
multiplayer game is closely analogous to the Ludological concept of a ‘Magic Circle’,
and suggests the range of behaviours that might occur.
- Achievers enjoy testing themselves against the system, gaining specific skills or
ranking.
- Explorers try to seek out new techniques in the game, and like to acquire
understanding of how things work.
- Socialisers seek satisfaction by interacting with others either directly, or through
roleplay.
- Killers prefer focusing aggressively on disrupting other players. In this context they
could be called ‘Mockers’.
The respective number of each player type will affect how others are attracted to or
involved in play [influence graph]. Managing incentives, and limiting behaviours within
the rules (or the actions available) can be used to direct the player experience within
the game world, and emphasise success of desired activity.
The critical player type for a INTIMACY motivated scenario are obviously Socialisers, but
also with the possible preference for Explorers.
Any significant quantity of Socialisers is shown to increasingly attract Killer style players,
seeking accessible targets. A reasonable amount of Explorers can help to keep numbers
of these Mockers down. As such, it makes sense to provide a platform to accommodate
Exploration orientated player satisfied. This could be in the form of a Blog or broadcast
system, for sharing the knowledge and tips. This in turn creates new levels of involvement
for the Socialisers, enhancing the entire community.
Prominent Achievers, on the other hand, encourage the presence of Mockers. For this
reason, it is best to avoid incentivising desirable actions with status or rank based awards.
5. Application
5.1 Opportunity
With this assignment we are addressing the short moments spent on the bus and treating
them as opportunities to make new friends or initiate a social interaction which may
enhance the overall experience for all users & create a kind of community atmosphere
within the bus.
Our ideas are based around quick fire compliments to make for short conversations as
they can be on buses at times. Short conversations can have limited intimacy but mostly
compliments can help to invoke feelings of intimacy and connection.
Compliments can add value to peoples days our work will involve finding out how
people feel about compliments being given and also what sort of compliments.
How do people feel about compliments you have payed on to them.
Flashing a smile face or not so smile faces could reveal how compliments work with
different people.
Teaching people to compliment others: Making some kind of list for those who don't
have nothing nice to say could be helpful. I don't think New Zealander's are very good at
complimenting or encouraging / praising one another so there may have to be some
kind of educating going on for this to work.
5.2 The PIFF
PIFF (noun): Positive Interaction Frequency Framework, As in “How can I join that PIFF?”
PIFF (verb): Pay It Forward, Fool. As in “to PIFF” or “I got PIFFED good”
- Developed as an application, not a platform –representational (digital or substantial).
- Equivilant to a wink/nod/’poke’/smile
- Needs to be hidable (secret)
- Can be wearable technology or token system
- Rewards only for PIFF senders, not recipients
For every positive action you make to another commuter, 1 ‘point’ is added to your tally,
but when acknowledged by the recipient.
If your compliment or greeting is not received genuinely, or directed at a non game
member, you will not receive acknowledgement. You will not necessarily know which
reason, encouraging random acts of pleasantness.
Generous PIFFers who meet a threshold on their tally, will be gifted or rewarded
accordingly.
As a precedent for the use of the complimenting system Pay It Forward was discussed for
our work because we believe that the idea of paying in a act of kindness works with our
idea.
Extending a compliment to a stranger or fellow bus commuter can be compared to
extending your arm out to give someone a hand shake. This in itself is not a particularly
intimate action but can be the beginning of a social relationship between two people.
The system which extends this principle is based on the tool as an extension of the
bodies function (Prof Lee, )
Things to Consider: Superficial compliments, negative reactions to compliments (grumpy
people, antisocial), over exaggerated comments, annoying people that wont shut up &
leave you alone, harassment that isn't a compliment.
5.4 Demonstrator
Will be a movie or sequence, demonstrating the gloominess and isolation of a bus, the
change resulting from individual PIFF transaction, and the viral pyramid effect that can
have.
6. Conclusion
6.1 Results
Reference
Maeda @ Media (John Maeda)
Design Of Future Things (Donald A. Norman)
Things That Make Us Smart: Defending Human Attributes In The Age Of The Machine
(Donald A. Norman)
Media And Architecture (Bart Lootsma & Dick Rijken)
Laws Of Simplicity (John Maeda)
Pay It Forward (Movie)
Designing Virtual Worlds (Richard A Bartlett)
The Locales Framework (Geraldine Fitzpatrick)
Homo Ludens (J Huizinga)
Prof. Lee
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