The incidental passenger

In previous posts, I discussed the phenomenon of the incidental user – incidental users are people who are not users in the traditional sense and they’re often overlooked in the design process of systems used to provide a service to customers. In the cases I mentioned so far, the incidental use scenario had to do with a computer monitor – but passengers riding in a car often fall into the same category. Some passengers are receiving a service in the traditional sense (e.g., taxis) but anyone who’s in a car, whether paying for the ride or not, is receiving a form of service (usually getting from one place to another).

Modern cars are increasingly loaded with systems that provide information and entertainment (also referred to as In-Vehicle Information Systems –IVIS). While both important and beneficial to drivers, these systems may distract them from their primary task (driving), but could be of benefit passengers. Currently, automobile dashboard design is heavily (and understandably) driver-focused – some of the information provided is necessary for purposes of driving, so the driver has to be able to see it. But how about sharing some of the information that’s already there with the passenger? GPSs show distance from the destination and other layers of information. What if passengers could know what they’re seeing out the window and approximately how much time or distance is left to their destination? Would it make passengers feel more involved in the trip and less bored? Would it help inspire trust or make the passenger feel a greater sense of control? Would it reduce driver distraction caused by passengers?

Below are examples of two dashboards’ design: The new Chrysler 200c concept car, with its iPhone-inspired user-interface, is an example for an interface that is clearly directed toward the driver, both in terms of visibility and in terms of control. On the other hand, the Mini’s dashboard central display, with its exceptionally large central speedometer (that is visible to both front and back seat passengers), makes the information transparent and sends a clear “I have nothing to hide” message to the passengers.

Chrysler 200cc concept car

Mini

Passengers of the Maybach luxury limousine, (who are being chauffeured) are presented with an extra speedometer in the passenger compartment, in addition to dials for time of day and outside temperature.

Maybach

Similarly, taxi passengers using Boston Cab’s Dispatch service are treated to “Passenger Information Monitors” that enable them to view details of the current trip: “The Passenger Information Monitor (PIM) provides the passenger with real-time mapping to track their journey. Passengers can choose to view maps at scales ranging from street level to regional, allowing passenger to view either their surrounding streets or a complete track of their journey.” (www.creativemobiletech.com/solutions/freedom.html).

Sharing information with these taxi passengers could reduce their need to directly interact with the driver and therefore reduce driver’s distraction and overcome possible language barriers, while improving their overall experience. It would be interesting to hear passengers’ reactions to the PIM and to see more automobile manufacturers adopt similar ideas in the future.

LCD Monitors make a difference

Just a few years ago, the vast majority of computer monitors were CRTs (cathode ray tubes). Today, LCD (liquid crystal display) monitors have almost completely replaced CRTs. People are giving away (or selling cheaply) their old, big and bulky monitors to make way for thin, sleek and higher resolution LCD monitors. Desks, which were planned in the past for huge CRT monitors, now have plenty of space available for other purposes.

Who could have considered working like this (with two monitors, one of them a 21” LCD) even just a few years ago, when LCD monitors were less common and still so expensive?

Simple issues of space and price now allow adding an additional screen for the customer or a larger screen that may also be visible to the customer. In the example below, the cashier’s monitor has been moved 270° from its traditional position and a new monitor has been added for the customer. The customer can see the items as they’re rung up, ask any questions and make sure the price she’s being charged are the same as the ones on the shelf.

Additionally, the much lighter monitors offer opportunities that weren’t available before. See these examples like multi-monitors or ceiling and back-to-back monitor mounts. Low cost and reduced space requirements allow service providers to place two or more monitors displaying the same information at different angles, so that people in a waiting room, for example, can view the information regardless of where they are in the room.

In the example below, McDonald’s has created a back-to-back display – the side we’re seeing is the customer side, where the customer is able to see the details of his order on the left side of the screen and an advertisement on the right.

Photo: Noam Tractinsky

I believe that, in the near future, we’ll begin seeing more and more back-to-back displays and other uses of LCD monitors that make it easier for the customer to see (at least some) information that the service provider has. This type of transparency may create new problems (e.g., privacy issues, questions about the information that is displayed, insistence to change an error) but in general, it will create a partnership between the customer and service provider and improve the overall service experience.