Digital inclusion
Internship: Ruter AS
Year: 2024
Length: 9 weeks
Member: Kristina Hanitz, Caspar Price Hafslund, Lilijean Comlan
How often have you found yourself helping an older person navigate something digital or technological? I grew up in the digital age, so I perceive digital conventions as intuitive and self-explanatory. However, for those who didn't grow up with this technology, digital tools can seem intimidating and complex. So how can we adapt to better involve elderly with digitalizal tools and services?
Research Question:
“How can the number of digital bookings for Ruter Age-Friendly Transport be increased, encouraging the customers to use ‘RuterBestilling’ instead of calling customer service?”
Ruter Age-Friendly Transport is a door-to-door transport service for those over 67 years old in Oslo, available for booking through the RuterBestilling (app). Our recommendations related to the research question involved data analysis and estimations, in addition to other insights concerning the digitalization of the user group/elderly, as well as concrete measures to continue increasing the number of digital bookings and to strive for digital inclusion in future work. We worked closely with the user group through this project. The content I am presenting from the deliverables includes the recommendations that I developed (had primary responsibility for). This includes mapping, analysis, and specific solution proposals and concepts that Ruter can choose to further develop. These recommendations are based on concrete insights and are thoroughly explained in the written report.
My Role: Service design methodes📌 - App training📱 - Conversations with User Group🙋♀️ - Facilitate Workshop✍️ - Weekly update to Ruter 🤝 - Mapping📝 - Prototyping and Evidencing💡 - User testing🤳 - Graphic Design🖍️ - Observations👁️ - Presentations👋 - Research📔 - Written report📝 - Test hypotheses💭 - Survey✏️ - Gather insights and collect data📊 - Document the process📷
Recommendation
Address system errors where customer service is the only solution
During discussions with users of the service, it became clear that many were keen to make bookings through the app but were prevented from doing so by system errors. This issue substantially reduced the volume of digital bookings. As a result, I thoroughly mapped the entire user journey within the booking process to pinpoint exactly where users faced obstacles.
Recommendation
Pain point with the current interface
We identified significant iteration opportunities around the current interface for the digital booking service. Through observations and app training, it was possible to map the user group's challenges with the interface and understand how they perceived the digital conventions. Since this is a separate app, it has not been prioritized to the same extent, and the result of this was a decline in app usage and an increase in bookings through customer service.
Recommendation
Framework for Further Development
I chose to develop a framework designed to guide the further development of digital booking solutions for the elderly, regardless of whether the booking service is integrated into one of Ruter's existing services or continues as a separate service. The framework is based on insights we gained through observations and discussions with the target group during training and surveys and can be used for evaluation in design and product development for services targeting the 67+ age group.
Recommendation
Conduct a thorough assessment of the various focus areas
I conducted an assessment of various focus areas and services to determine where digital bookings should be handled in the future. We initiated our mapping work by analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of the different options, viewed from both Ruter's and the target group's perspectives.
Recommendation
Make app instruction accessible to everyone
We identified a need for training materials that are easily accessible and can be referred to. Therefore, I developed a step-by-step training interface that can be integrated into Ruter's websites. The concept is adapted for multiple user segments and can be used in various contexts. The version presented is the latest in a series of iterations that have been A/B tested in training sessions and used as presentation material in workshops and joint training sessions.