writtenbydeka

[writtenbydeka]

e v a l u a t i o n

Our team utilized jury of peers throughout our evaluation process to help identify shortcomings. Our peers included classmates, co-workers, friends and family. While some of the previous steps in the process required just our team to think through the problem, we started to share as soon as we had a strong grasp of our idea. Since our product is extremely consumer facing, we tried to get as much feedback as possible to provide a strong use case. In the future, this will help us drive a strong adoption rate. However, in receiving feedback from our jury, we realized that there were some components still missing. For example a lot of our focus was on the front end elements, but we forgot about regulatory practices. Also, are we making the process as simple as possible? What is our pinpoint way of defining our product? Is there anything that we can learn from previous iterations? While we have all these questions in our heads, our team needs to better define our audience. Who is our primary user and how will our interface be effected by their decisions? We hope to answer all of the above during our final iteration before the presentation.

It is very weird to think that our final presentation is already here. In thinking about where our team started in the project ( a million thoughts on the transportation industry) to now, (a concise and carved out space within the transportation industry), we have made strides that would not be possible without a defined process. Somewhere between definition and ideation, everything clicked in. This could be a result of us having to go big than narrow our focus before going big again. Naturally, we are a team of big thinkers and originally discussed magnetic highways or a mass vehicle. The other day in our team check in, we started to laugh about how wild our ideas got. However, it was needed. If we had started small in our thinking, we would have never understood the larger problem at hand. Ultimately, we found a way to do something big while playing to our team's strength. Some of our ideas might happen down the line, but it won't be by our team and we are completely okay with that.

[writtenbydeka]

i m p l e m e n t a t i o n .II

In reviewing our peer feedback, we continued to iterate our initial wireframe to make the user's benefits clear. Overall it seemed that we had accurately identified the need and the use case, but we did not clearly articulate the "why" for the consumer. This also brought up conversations amongst our team because we had different ideas as to what the reward model should be. Since our team spent so much time in research and ideation, we were quickly able to work through a solution.

From there, we reevaluated our wireframe again. This time, we talked through the consumer we were alienating with this idea. For example, everybody doesn't have a smartphone so we would need a physical card in addition to a digital card. Then we continued to update the design of the card because we realized that some transportation services would require assigned seating. How would we account for that since technically the person could scan the ticket at anytime? To help us think through this and the design, we looked at past digital ticket stubs for train tickets. We identified elements that felt necessary and some that we could exclude. As we continue to look at the wireframe for our user flow, our team will be able to callout elements that are missing to help finalize our ideas.

In completing this part of the project, I recognize that iteration will not only live within the implementation stage. We will continue to come back to it even after launch for an update. Hence, we'll need to have a strong backend.

Lastly, while talking to co-workers, I learned about the impact of the current climate disasters on transportation in London. Due to the outdated infrastructure, the train stopped running and the concrete streets developed pot holes. How would we solve for customers who pre-booked on our card and now want their money back because they can't go anywhere? Right, we need to add a help menu to our wireframe because that is not accounted for.

In thinking through the above, I know our team has a good story and product. However, our execution of the "why" and medicine for the pain point will really make this into a viable and necessary transportation product.

[writtenbydeka]

i m p l e m e n t a t i o n. I

Typically, talking about my ideas or projects terrifies me. However, I challenged myself to pressure test my project. I talked to different friend groups and repeated a simplified version or our value proposition and "we are making" statement to my friends. They immediately understood it. That provided me with reassurance and confirmation that we were really on to something.

Across our group in general, there was this built up excitement as it felt like we had finally escaped the scribbled side of thinking and now had a clear vision. As we discussed the final version of the product and started adding elements, we kicked it off with the solution translation and distillation technique. Our business model canvas had opened up our thinking to more use cases for our smart ticket. It also made us think about what phase 2 could look like and how we would future proof it. We then thought about the distribution of NFC technology in different markets. Ultimately, we decided that we couldn't fully rely on a digital wallet and we would also need a scannable code as part of the card's interface. Even then there were conversations about how people would sign up. My immediate thought was a website, but during our group's ideation we settled on an app in order to stick to our primary user's need case.

Once we had a list of our elements, we started the wire-framing process. Now that we were building our solution, we decided to give it a name and identity. It was truly becoming a tangible good. We played around different imagery, created a slogan and named it. By pairing our brand identity with the wireframe, it became easier to understand our product and see the larger picture.

Since our wireframe is completed, the next step will then be to create a mobile mockup. From there we'll be able to weave in the consumer's pain point and showcase our solution step by step. This will also allow us to highlight opportunities for integrations and partnerships to help increase revenue for our product. We also strategically chose test markets for our idea. All of which have either a future facing attachment opportunity or can be a seed market for testing various features without it becoming too widespread.

I'm excited to showcase our work and one day have our card listed on a drive thru window, like in the picture above.

[writtenbydeka]

i d e a t i o n

After reworking our problem statement, our team took a break from the project for a few days, then did individual brainstorms. I found this to be helpful as it allowed us to step away and think before contributing. This also gave us at least one idea to use for discussion during the team brainstorm. In doing our brainstorm, we utilized the brainstorm teams method to empathize with the consumer. We discussed what they were saying, hearing, doing and thinking. This allowed us to pinpoint the pain and also think through the gains. From there, we were able to identify our brainstorming question: How might we simplify the transportation experience to increase reliability and convenience for the consumer?

To solve this question, we utilized an exercise in Figma called Crazy 8s. The premise of the exercise is to have each team member write down 8 ideas in 8 minutes. I have used a lot of brainstorming techniques before, but this was a good exercise to get us thinking individually through the lens of the brainstorming question and again as a group. It also forced me to push past my hesitation and overthinking to write out as many thoughts as possible. The 8 minutes went by so quickly that I didn't get to all of the ideas, but I was pretty happy with the result.

During our post-crazy 8 discussion, we started to rank the ideas that we liked the most, ask what if statements as a "yes and" response, and force connections. Ironically, in forcing connections, we found overlap in our ideas and narrowed it down to three ideas.

We then took another break before adding a little more context to the three ideas. By the time we completed the brainstorming exercise, we had discussed everything from on demand pods, a digital assist service, an AI tool that can estimate alcohol consumption to prevent drunk driving, cash back services and more. For me, all of our thinking was made possible through some of the pain points that came out in the empathy map. Some our conversation stemmed around the learning curve with transit in neighboring states let alone countries, the need to have a D.D. and the convenience of transportation.

Although I found myself starting to overthink in thinking through the final versions of our ideas, I reminded myself of our team goal to create an implementable, achievable solution to transportation. I also thought of one of my personal goals for the project...to just do really cool, good work for the world.

[writtenbydeka]

defining the problem w/ my team

Through defining the problems on our own, we were able to avoid group think and account for missed opportunities in each member's thinking. When regroup to discuss the statement, we utilized the below techniques to address the root of the problem.

priorities: To keep track of our discussion points, we made a list of the main points from each person's problem statement. By doing this, we were able to avoid overlap in thinking as well as identify the important elements to streamline the conversation.

talk it out / write it out: This occurred naturally as a result of writing individual problem statements. We made sure that we talked through our thinking the day after writing it so it was still fresh on our minds. This was extremely useful as it made for a more informative conversation.

crossroads: At a point in our conversation, our team almost became stuck as we realized "car culture" was an obsession we would have to overcome. There were so many factors that played a part in car culture from the association with a sweet 16 to the pride of getting your dream car. Our team remained silent as we thought through a resolution. We soon saw car culture as less of an obstacle that we needed to tackle, but more of an opportunity.

problems within problems: When attempting to tackle as large of an industry as transportation, one naturally begins to unpack problems. At a point, it almost seemed like we were Eloise during Christmas with a long list. Only instead of presents, we had problems.

For example, if we leaned into electric vehicles then what about the electrical grid? Will our vehicle truly be accessible and what if someone needs assistance? What if someone just wants to be alone? How can we make them feel safe at night? We realized that a lot of the questions informed our problem statement, but ultimately will need to be solved for in our final design.

boil it down: After having our discussion, we brought out key themes that were relating and made a short 5 point bullet list to formulate our problem statement. In some regards, we actually used the keywords technique while boiling our long list of discussion points down.

In reflecting on the process, I was shocked at how we could effortlessly consolidate into a final statement. In most cases, companies hire consultants to work through the problem over a long period of time. However, we were able to move quickly because we had a framed approach.

[writtenbydeka]

defining the problem on my own

In our initial problem, we set out to make a mass transportation vehicle as part of a transportation solution for adventure-seeking commuters so they can have a fast, accessible, cost-effective, safe way to travel. In doing more research into the transportation industry, our efforts have to extend beyond the vehicle to also include infrastructure and a taxi-like service. It also requires us to redefine our audience as transportation for local residents is currently more prevalent than travelers. 

To begin, if we’re focusing on the United States, the state of infrastructure is dismal leading to a sweeping reform bill from the government. While this bill will update the current conditions, it does not address the inconsistency in roads and public transportation across each city. For some places, like New York, one can pretty much get within walking distance of their home using public transportation. However, in Los Angeles, it would require you to take a train, a light rail and then a bus before you can begin to walk. Hence, what could typically be a 30 minute journey in a car becomes triple or doubled. For the most part, this is a result of what Sr. Transport Analyst for the World Bank, Daniel Moser, describes cities being built around cars. Daniel asserts that in the future the opposite will need to occur for transportation to become effective. While this notion seems to be true, the current plans for transportation revolve around highly urban communities. Although people are commuting into the city for work, they are left to utilize their car to complete their trip home. For the sake of defining the problem, let’s assume that this person is using an electric car. The car might last a few trips, but at some point it will need to be charged at either the station or the person’s home. If it is the station, it can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours. Currently, the U.S. has pledged to have all new cars be electric by 2030 but this pledge has yet to establish a sufficient electrical grid to power all commuter households. Hence, there needs to be a renewable alternative that can bring people to their door.

However, to stop there, would be a disservice to the community as a whole. In a city, transportation compels a multitude of services for varying audiences. From the elderly to the young, from the disabled to those who have had their license revoked, reliable transportation is key and in some instances can be life saving. Currently, most cars only account for able bodied, younger city dwellers. Thus, our vehicle must be able to accommodate everyone if we are to truly make it accessible. Additionally, because the audience is going to different areas outside of the city, it must also be accustomed to different terrains and independent of government plans for infrastructure. With more cities looking to increase the sustainable areas in their cities and eliminate pavement, in what ways might we create a fast, accessible and affordable mode of transport with self-reliant infrastructure so that people can comfortably move between the city and the suburbs.

[writtenbydeka]

analysis

After deciding that I wanted to challenge myself and lean into the possibilities of advancing the transportation industry, I started my analysis using the below methods:

sensitivity & common sense: I found this part of the analysis to be calming as it seemed akin to daydreaming. When uncovering mass amounts of information, it can sometimes become information overload. Often, I become exhausted and am unable to process my findings. By stepping away and thinking through my thoughts as I listened to the new Drake album, drove around town and completed other tasks, I discovered actionable insights that could help pinpoint the problem. A lot of the ideas that I came up, like the transit from the train station to one's home, was actually a larger discussion point in the transportation industry. I always thought that some of my best ideas came while driving down the 405, but that typically occurred in a subject I knew a lot about. Now I know that spending time in general with your thoughts, can be a strong starting point to problem solving.

look it up: I like to think of this method as a treasure hunt. I started by using Google, Apple News & The Verge. Eventually, one article and study led to another. For every term that I was unfamiliar with, I looked it up and learned even more. In doing so, I discovered blog posts from commentators in the space and YouTube videos of sample concepts. For example, on YouTube, I came across this idea around modular vehicles. This felt very new and a possible solution to our problem at hand. While the upside was all of the information I gained, it did take me a while to effectively search on Google. Many of my initial results were not aligning with the expected outcome of my search, but it eventually became easier.

the packrat and the collector: In being a packrat you can find information in the most unexpected environments. For me, it was Twitter. Sandwiched between tweets about Love Island and B7, I found a tweet critiquing the electric vehicle industry. Essentially, it started a conversation challenging the concept of cities being built around cars. Later on I came back to the thread and learned the person who wrote the initial tweet was a Senior Transport Specialist for the Worldbank. While I scoured his Twitter for more information , I was able to filter down to what I need and better understand the current pain points.

attribute listing: With the transportation industry being so broad, I wanted to be able to categorize the potential outputs to inform our team's research. To achieve this, I used the mind mapping technique. From mind mapping, I could think through a clear objective for each sector of transportation. Thus, when our team regrouped I was more equipped to contribute to the discussion.

Despite parsing through the above techniques, I realized that each method can occur in conjunction with the other. For example, after being a packrat for information I found myself practicing sensitivity & common sense. After I had a more comprehensive understanding of my thoughts, I would then move to the collecting/organizing stage of my analysis. From there, I took the information acquired in research and crafted my mindmap. When I got to a point in my mindmap where I felt like I needed more context, I applied look it up. In using a mix of techniques, I acquired more information in a shorter amount of time which helped me to have a more definitive view of the potential problem at hand and discuss with my group.

[writtenbydeka]

acceptance

If I'm honest, I had a lot of apprehension this weekend about the challenge that was ahead of me. How could I possibly solve an issue about transportation? Also, what did I get myself into? I am far from an expert in the subject, but I have a lot of anecdotal experience from commuting in my city. I guess it is time for me to delete my list of alternatives and loopholes as to how I can pivot out of this topic. Perhaps, it won't be so bad after all.

Transportation is definitely an issue that needs to be solved and it spans every part of the world. There isn't a silver bullet that will fix all the problems like offsetting the carbon emissions produced by airplanes or the lack of inclusivity within the micro-mobility industry. The reality is that the topic is very convoluted. As a result, issues that can serve the greatest population are usually prioritized. Thus, mass transit between cities into suburbs is typically overlooked in discussions. Everyone talks about grandeur executions like the hyperloop, but that won't take someone to their doorstep and it likely can only exist in highly urbanized areas. In fact, I'm almost ascertain that the infrastructure will be built around the more congested city centers and the excluded communities will likely have to pay more to partake.

Travel should not be a luxury. Anyone should be able to go where they need to go without limitation of their location or financial standing. This includes people like the Uber driver I recently met in Porto, Portugal. I remember him fervently talking about California to the point that I asked him if he has visited. He quickly let me know that he had only seen it in movies. He followed it up with a shy laugh about his family's finances. He actually said, "No, we're too poor for that." The annoying part about this is that I have heard this story so many times from different voices. How far outside of one's home do people actually get to go and at what cost? How can I enable people to fulfill their dream of seeing other places, without being limited?

Okay so maybe my cautious optimism isn't as resounding as I initially thought. In fact, I think the feeling is now pure excitement. History has shown that when modes of transit progress, so to society. Now I have the opportunity to make an impact, but in a methodical way that includes groups that are typically excluded from advancements. This will also fit in line with my dream of creating companies or products that create upward mobility for underserved populations. Further, I can't wait for people to explore new cultures and uncharted areas because it an impactful part of one's educational journey.

Also, what if the vehicle was so sustainable and adaptable that we could replicate it in multiple places? Just imagining the boardroom discussions around the implementation approach within the different communities is electrifying.

I guess being able to open a speech by saying I'm only on stage because I dared to just try something new would be cool too. Actually, that sounds like a great Ted Talk or biography.

[writtenbydeka]

Creativity is the act or process of bringing an idea to life, often expressed without limitations. It often forces a bystander to rethink the original notion in favor of a new outlook. In its very act, creativity stems from a challenger and inquisitive mindset. It dares to ask the question of "Why?" and "Who Said?". Therefore, I often compare creativity to childlike freedom when I think about what it means to me. This belief is best symbolized through Banksy's girl with the balloon artwork. Not only does the stencil symbolize the erosion of childhood freedom, but also it serves as my reminder to create without boundaries. For me, that is the ultimate goal of creativity.

As a child one could reimagine any concept that was given to them without hesitation or a desire to have the perfect solution. This often resulted in made up lands, which some adults might describe as a metaverse, to inconspicuous drawings that would be given a random name. Hence, there is a lack of refinement when exploring one's creativity. Everything is seen as possible because it is simply turning something ordinary into extraordinary or a passive thought into a tangible good.

Despite a desire to have unlimited childlike imagination, constraints do exist that might feel as though my creativity is being drained. Nevertheless, the reality is that I am still existing in my limitless thinking, but I am changing the perspective through which I see the need to create. While in my youth I might have created for entertainment, I now see creativity as a means to solve larger problems that could result in a loonshot. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1mhG6AtwiI)