Begüm Becermen

Collaboration with: Paraplyen Activity Centre in Halsnæs, Denmark

Design Team: Begüm Becermen, Camilla Liv Cramer-Nielsen, Maria Crucera Vasco

Aalborg University Copenhagen, M.Sc. in Service Systems Design, 1st Semester Project

Duration: 9-12.2014

Role & Responsibilities: Leading and Planning the Project, Research, Concept Generation, Facilitation, Visualisation, Video Sketching, Prototyping, Testing

This project has been developed during the Autumn Semester 2014 as a part of the Service System Design Master at Aalborg University Copenhagen. The aim of the project is to create a new service offering in the given topic of transportation. 

CONTEXT & PROBLEM

In Denmark, a significant number of elderly people who live in rural areas have difficulties in accessing public transportation. They usually do not have any train or bus stop near their houses, and they have to walk or bike a few kilometres to get to the closest one, which is not always possible due to their health condition. Moreover, the buses are infrequent, and some routes are currently being closed down. Our research has shown that the lack of accessibility to transportation in the rural areas of Denmark leads to social isolation amongst the elderly, who become dependent on external help to continue with their everyday lives. In the long term, this situation can result in depression, loneliness or apathy. Therefore, we asked;

How might we create a service solution to prevent elderly from social isolation caused by the lack of accessibility to transportation in their daily life?

SOLUTION

STEP is a social transport service concept for rural Denmark, aimed at preventing isolation caused by the lack of accessibility to transport and by the mobility limitations elderly people may suffer from. STEP organizes local activities into a weekly schedule and offers the elderly round trips to attend these activities. By doing this, STEP gives the elderly the possibility to maintain an independent social life and meet people from their area. In that way, STEP provides a channel to assist the elderly in staying healthy, active and connected, adding richness to their life quality and potentially allowing them to live longer in their own home.

PROCESS& APPROACH

The project started with a very broad topic: Transportation. In order to narrow the focus, we chose the elderly as a target group. Through iterative convergent and divergent steps, we narrowed it down and identified the problem as accessibility to transportation. We followed a user-centred design approach; the users were engaged in all stages. The user participation was possible thanks to the activity centre ‘Paraplyen’ located in Halsnæs, Denmark.

OUTCOME

This project is a service concept; designed and tested in Paraplyen Activity Centre. For a complete description of the project, the design process and more information about method and tools, you can read the process and product report.

Recognition

The service solution was awarded by iF Public Value Student Award 2016

Jury Statement:

“This concept focuses on the changing structure of the population in rural areas. A transport concept that provides for mobility and social interaction for the elderly. The integration of different digital and analog media keeps the social network up and running.”