SNCF Transilien — Interactive emergency and passenger information terminal

Background

Transilien is the suburban rail network serving Paris and its surrounding suburbs, known as the Île-de-France region. Transilien was planning to deploy a new generation of touch-screen emergency call terminals on the platforms of suburban stations in the Île-de-France region. With these terminals, Transilien was aiming to enhance the passenger experience and ensure the quality of information to respond to all the contextual transport situations that passengers may encounter.

An emergency call terminal, but also a real-time information terminal for travellers.

Objectives

The screens of the terminal needed to be designed to provide passengers with real-time traffic information and to facilitate interactions with remote telephone advisers. The terminal needed to reassure and inform passengers as they wait for their train, but also enable them to react in emergency situations or in the event of a disruption. 

The functional scope of the interface and the information hierarchy needed to be designed to ensure an immediate understanding of the service promise, the possible actions, and the content displayed on the screen. 

Methods

After an initial phase of defining the functional perimeter of the interface, we created a first prototype that we tested during quick and informal interviews with passengers (guerilla tests). We specifically tested the understandability of messages and passengers’ interest in the proposed features, in order to refine the service promise and message quality. We also organised workshops with differently abled users to help us ensure intuitive and inclusive access to information. 

Based on findings from the research, we developed key design principles and management rules for providing passengers with relevant and accurate information, particularly in case of disruptions. To ensure technical feasibility and to serve as a template for the development team, we created a mockup in HTML with actual content updated in real time.

Outcomes

By making solutions tangible rapidly and iterating continuously in collaboration with experts and users, we were able to develop a robust information system that enriches passengers’ journeys. The deployment of this new generation of emergency call terminals has established a new information strategy for project teams and new uses and interactions for passengers.