MBTA Transport Assistance

Computer/Human Interaction Spring 2012

Northeastern University 1

MBTA Transport AssistanceNanda Kishore Bhat (Fall '11), Serkan Okur (Sp '12), Quazi Farhan (Fall '11)CCIS, Northeastern [email protected], [email protected]@husky.neu.edu



The problems• Unnecessarily waiting for MBTA

transportation vehicles• Lack of application with good user

interface (HCI)• Lack of application with older adult

friendly user interface (HCI)



Motivation• Introduced on Piazza by Prof. Intille• Evaluation of current similar applications

– Lack of HCI approach– Lack of older adult concentration

• Usability of the concept• Potential for backend implementation



Surprise(s)

• Mainly by ethnography and prototype testing

• Familiarity of older adults to smart phones and applications



Surprise(s)

• Interest issues of older adults on the subject

• We were definitely NOT our users (!)• Expectations from the application



The best today• Covering only a particular line• Are not designed with HCI concept• Are not specifically concentrated on

older adults• Too complex



Innovation• Easy to use.• Covers all T lines (except Silver T)• Not too many interfaces• Designed based on HCI concepts• Focusing on older adults• Tested on and improved by target users



MBTA Transport Assistance• Main Screen



MBTA Transport Assistance• Choosing by

T Stations



MBTA Transport Assistance• Choosing by

T Lines



MBTA Transport Assistance• Final (Result)

Screen



Demo



Video



A UI challenge • Main Screen

v1.0




v2.0




v3.0



Tricky programming problem • Final (Result)

Screenv7.0



The future• Final Screen

– Could span to multiple scheduled T’s– Programming challenges

• Including the bus stops– Could include bus stops and bus timings– Deadline restrictions



The future• Including text box input

– Could also include auto-refill text-box input– Deadline restrictions

• Reminder for selected buses/T’s– Future result page could include reminder

feature for each item– Deadline restrictions



The future• Handling Internet Connection

deficiencies– Could still predict the arrival time depending

on previous data or timely schedule– Deadline restrictions.

• Designing the horizontal view of screens– Could also implement the horizontal views

of screens on smart phones– Deadline restrictions.



Future process• More ethnographic research• Evaluate programming feasibility• Select better platform & environment• Adding functionalities iteratively• Thinking simple• More testing



MBTA Transport Assistance• Gives the real time information of when

the next train will arrive to a specificT-station.

• It solves the inconvenience of waiting times for T’s (and possibly buses) with a better and easier interface that can be used without prior mobile experience. (especially for older adults)

Documents

MBTA Transport Assistance