Running UX research study to understand travel multitaskers’ patterns and challenges while on public transit
Running UX research study to understand travel multitaskers’ patterns and challenges while on public transit
UX Research
UX Research
UX Research
Field Study & User Interview
Field Study & User Interview
Field Study & User Interview
Overview
Mobile users often multitask while traveling, but their fragmented attention can lead to issues like missing their stop. To address this, we conducted qualitative research to understand how people multitask while on public transit in Taiwan.
I will cover three key insights with two significant challenges, and provided design recommendations for public transit agencies and mobile service providers in this case study.
Overview
Mobile users often multitask while traveling, but their fragmented attention can lead to issues like missing their stop. However, HCI researchers have put relatively little attention on developing technology to help with travel multitasking.
To address this, we conducted field observations and interviews to understand how people multitask while on public transit and what challenges they face.
We uncovered four key insights, identified two significant challenges, and provided design recommendations for public transit agencies and mobile service providers.
Overview
Mobile users often multitask while traveling, but their fragmented attention can lead to issues like missing their stop. However, HCI researchers have put relatively little attention on developing technology to help with travel multitasking.
To address this, we conducted field observations and interviews to understand how people multitask while on public transit and what challenges they face.
We uncovered four key insights, identified two significant challenges, and provided design recommendations for public transit agencies and mobile service providers.
Overview
Mobile users often multitask while traveling, but their fragmented attention can lead to issues like missing their stop. However, HCI researchers have put relatively little attention on developing technology to help with travel multitasking.
To address this, we conducted field observations and interviews to understand how people multitask while on public transit and what challenges they face.
We uncovered four key insights, identified two significant challenges, and provided design recommendations for public transit agencies and mobile service providers.
Contribution
● Conducted user interviews and field observation research to analyze travel multitaskers' behaviors when using public transport.
● Coded interview scripts with ALTAS.ti, an online application for qualitative-data analysis with grounded approach.
Contribution
● Conducted user interviews and field observation research to analyze travel multitaskers' behaviors when using public transport.
● Coded interview scripts with ALTAS.ti, an online application for qualitative-data analysis with grounded approach.
Role
UX Researcher
Role
UX Researcher
Stage 1. Online Recruitment
Team
2 HCI Professors
4 UX Researchers
Team
2 HCI Professors
4 UX Researchers
Stage 2. Shadowing Study + Short Interview (30 minutes)
Tools
ATLAS.ti, Otter.ai
Google Suite, Latex
Tools
ATLAS.ti, Otter.ai
Google Suite, Latex
Stage 3. Semi-structured Interview (60~90 minutes)
Duration
May 2021 - Dec 2022
Duration
May 2021 - Dec 2022
Research Paper Publication to HCI Top Conference
Research Paper Publication to HCI Top Conference
Research Paper Publication
to HCI Top Conference
2023 CHI Conference at Hamburg, Germany
2023 CHI Conference at Hamburg, Germany
2023 CHI Conference at Hamburg, Germany
This research has been accepted as an academic paper for the 2023 CHI Conference in Hamburg, Germany. It is an honor to be a co-author of this paper and one of the presenters during the session.
Check our research paper here
This research has been accepted as an academic paper for the 2023 CHI Conference in Hamburg, Germany. It is an honor to be a co-author of this paper and one of the presenters during the session.
Check our research paper here
Introduction
Introduction
Introduction
What's travel-based multitasking?
What's travel-based multitasking?
What's travel-based multitasking?
People today can multitask almost anywhere and anytime due to advanced technology.
Travel-based multitasking behavior is defined as when “individuals endeavor to do multiple things concurrently while on the way to destinations.”
People today can multitask almost anywhere and anytime due to advanced technology.
Travel-based multitasking behavior is defined as when “individuals endeavor to do multiple things concurrently while on the way to destinations.”
What do travelers do during travel multitasking?
What do travelers do during travel multitasking?
What do travelers do during travel multitasking?
Some travelers engage in productive tasks that transform their “dead time” into meaningful time by reading books or using computers.
Some use tech for enjoyable activities such as listening to music, playing digital games, and viewing media on mobile devices.
Some travelers engage in productive tasks that transform their “dead time” into meaningful time by reading books or using computers.
Some use tech for enjoyable activities such as listening to music, playing digital games, and viewing media on mobile devices.
Problem
Problem
Problem
However, travel multitaskers’ fragmented attention will likely negatively impact their travel tasks, e.g., by causing them to miss their stop, lose belongings due to packing them up in a rush, or even hurt themselves due to hurriedly disembarking.
While public transit has become a space where people use a wide variety of information technologies, the infrastructure and services that support this ubiquitous behavior have lagged far behind.
However, travel multitaskers’ fragmented attention will likely negatively impact their travel tasks, e.g., by causing them to miss their stop, lose belongings due to packing them up in a rush, or even hurt themselves due to hurriedly disembarking.
While public transit has become a space where people use a wide variety of information technologies, the infrastructure and services that support this ubiquitous behavior have lagged far behind.
Research Question
Research Question
Research Question
RQ1: What are travel multitaskers’ behavioral patterns on public transit and the causes underlying them?
RQ2: What challenges to travel multitasking do travel multi- taskers frequently encounter?
RQ1: What are travel multitaskers’ behavioral patterns on public transit and the causes underlying them?
RQ2: What challenges to travel multitasking do travel multi- taskers frequently encounter?
RQ1: What are travel multitaskers’ behavioral patterns on public transit and the causes underlying them?
RQ2: What challenges to travel multitasking do travel multi- taskers frequently encounter?
Recognizing complexity & empathizing users
Recognizing complexity & empathizing users
Recognizing complexity & empathizing users
Understanding travel-multitaskers
To answer these questions, we conducted a qualitative study consisting of shadowing and semi-structured interviews with travel-multitaskers to observe their behaviors and experience when taking public transports.
Understanding travel-multitaskers
To answer these questions, we conducted a qualitative study consisting of shadowing and semi-structured interviews with travel-multitaskers to observe their behaviors and experience when taking public transports.
Understanding travel-multitaskers
To answer these questions, we conducted a qualitative study consisting of shadowing and semi-structured interviews with travel-multitaskers to observe their behaviors and experience when taking public transports.
Understand public transports environment
Different transportation modes and environments will lead to prevalent travel-based multitasking practices and activities. For example, while car users must actively participate in driving and navigation, public transit allows passengers to undertake productivity tasks while traveling.
Understand public transports environment
Different transportation modes and environments will lead to prevalent travel-based multitasking practices and activities. For example, while car users must actively participate in driving and navigation, public transit allows passengers to undertake productivity tasks while traveling.
Understand public transports environment
Different transportation modes and environments will lead to prevalent travel-based multitasking practices and activities. For example, while car users must actively participate in driving and navigation, public transit allows passengers to undertake productivity tasks while traveling.
Research Methods
Research Methods
Research Methods
Online Recruitment
Role
UX Researcher
Shadowing Study + Short Interview (30 minutes)
Team
2 HCI Professors
4 UX Researchers
Semi-structured Interview (60~90 minutes)
Tools
ATLAS.ti, Otter.ai
Google Suite, Latex
Duration
May 2021 - Dec 2022
Stage 1.
Recruitment with screening questionnaire
Stage 1.
Recruitment with screening questionnaire
Stage 1.
Recruitment with screening questionnaire
Participant recruitment for this study was divided into two stages, based on our goals and approaches to data collection and analysis.
For the recruitment, we distributed recruiting ads via four main channels: Facebook groups with themes related to public transit, Facebook pages intended for recruiting research participants in our country, the researchers’ personal networks, and word of mouth.
Questions include
● Demographic information
● Travel behavior in the past six months (i.e., types of public transit they frequently took, and their journey purposes, frequencies, and timings);
● Frequent choices of tasks on public transit
● Tendency to multitask
Participant recruitment for this study was divided into two stages, based on our goals and approaches to data collection and analysis.
For the recruitment, we distributed recruiting ads via four main channels: Facebook groups with themes related to public transit, Facebook pages intended for recruiting research participants in our country, the researchers’ personal networks, and word of mouth.
Questions include
● Demographic information
● Travel behavior in the past six months (i.e., types of public transit they frequently took, and their journey purposes, frequencies, and timings);
● Frequent choices of tasks on public transit
● Tendency to multitask
Participant recruitment for this study was divided into two stages, based on our goals and approaches to data collection and analysis.
For the recruitment, we distributed recruiting ads via four main channels: Facebook groups with themes related to public transit, Facebook pages intended for recruiting research participants in our country, the researchers’ personal networks, and word of mouth.
Questions include
● Demographic information
● Travel behavior in the past six months (i.e., types of public transit they frequently took, and their journey purposes, frequencies, and timings);
● Frequent choices of tasks on public transit
● Tendency to multitask
Stage 2.
Shadowing study - Goal
Stage 2.
Shadowing study - Goal
Stage 2.
Shadowing study - Goal
The main objective of the shadowing study was to observe people’s multitasking behaviors, including their attention-switching, task choices, technology choices, and responses to the dynamic environments within public-transit vehicles. These observations allowed us to investigate their in situ behaviors that would have been difficult to obtain through retrospection, such as autonomous responses to environmental stimuli.
The main objective of the shadowing study was to observe people’s multitasking behaviors, including their attention-switching, task choices, technology choices, and responses to the dynamic environments within public-transit vehicles.
These observations allowed us to investigate their in situ behaviors that would have been difficult to obtain through retrospection, such as autonomous responses to environmental stimuli.
Shadowing study - Session
Shadowing study - Session
Shadowing study - Session
Each shadowing session began as the shadowed participant waited to enter a public-transit vehicle, and ended when they exited it.
Shadowing study - As a observer
Shadowing study - As a observer
Shadowing study -
As a observer
Debriefing with short interview
Debriefing with short interview
Debriefing with short interview
Our questions focused on quick clarifications of the participant’s in situ perceptions, feelings, experiences, and rationales behind their multitasking decisions that might have been difficult to recall in a subsequent semi-structured interview
Stage 3.
Semi-Structured Interview
Stage 3.
Semi-Structured Interview
Stage 3.
Semi-Structured Interview
After each shadowing session, we invited each participant to a semi-structured interview lasting between 90 minutes and two hours to capture their multitasking experiences on public transit over the preceding six months.
The goal of the semi-structured interview was to explore their experiences, rationales behind choices when multitasking, feelings toward incidents, and any challenges they had.
After each shadowing session, we invited each participant to a semi-structured interview lasting between 90 minutes and two hours to capture their multitasking experiences on public transit over the preceding six months.
The goal of the semi-structured interview was to explore their experiences, rationales behind choices when multitasking, feelings toward incidents, and any challenges they had.
Qualitative Data Analysis
Qualitative Data Analysis
Qualitative Data Analysis
Applied ATLAS.ti to analyze scripts
Applied ATLAS.ti to analyze scripts
Applied ATLAS.ti to analyze scripts
We used ATLAS.ti to code our shadowing and interview scripts.
We would assign the quote with a related 'code,' like using a thematic tag to describe the quote. After we analyzed the data of our first three interviewees, all researchers would discuss and group each code. Therefore, we could use a bottom-up method to find their behavioral patterns and challenges.
We used ATLAS.ti to code our shadowing and interview scripts.
We would assign the quote with a related 'code,' like using a thematic tag to describe the quote. After we analyzed the data of our first three interviewees, all researchers would discuss and group each code. Therefore, we could use a bottom-up method to find their behavioral patterns and challenges.
Findings - Three Multitasking Patterns
Findings - Three Multitasking Patterns
Findings -
Three Multitasking Patterns
Habitual Behavior, Part of the Daily Routine
Habitual Behavior, Part of the Daily Routine
Participants sharing this pattern habitually performed such tasks while traveling with little regard for whether they would be completed.
One of our participants (P5) said, "I probably have checked some stock stuff at that time. It just occurred to me that I haven’t done this today and so I did it.”
Participants sharing this pattern habitually performed such tasks while traveling with little regard for whether they would be completed.
One of our participants (P5) said, "I probably have checked some stock stuff at that time. It just occurred to me that I haven’t done this today and so I did it.”
Making the Most of Travel Time
Making the Most of Travel Time
Participants who shared this multitasking pattern expressed their motivations negatively (e.g., avoidance of idleness) and positively (e.g., seeking a feeling of being productive). Their main goal was to fill dead time, and they were open to switching to other tasks, as long as doing them helped them fill the time.
As P10 said, "I am a person who can’t tolerate being idle, I feel that I just had to find something to do, even including playing games."
Participants who shared this multitasking pattern expressed their motivations negatively (e.g., avoidance of idleness) and positively (e.g., seeking a feeling of being productive). Their main goal was to fill dead time, and they were open to switching to other tasks, as long as doing them helped them fill the time.
As P10 said, "I am a person who can’t tolerate being idle, I feel that I just had to find something to do, even including playing games."
Completing Last minute Work or Clearing Work Backlogs
Completing Last minute Work or Clearing Work Backlogs
This pattern of travel multitasking was motivated by the participants' heavy workloads and desire to complete them during the travel.
P15 reported squatting down among a crowd of passengers in a moving train to use her computer: "There happened to be some urgent business to deal with at that time. I had to turn on the computer to send a document to a client because there was no way to use my phone to do this. "
This pattern of travel multitasking was motivated by the participants' heavy workloads and desire to complete them during the travel.
P15 reported squatting down among a crowd of passengers in a moving train to use her computer: "There happened to be some urgent business to deal with at that time. I had to turn on the computer to send a document to a client because there was no way to use my phone to do this. "
Challenges & Concerns
Challenges & Concerns
Challenges & Concerns
Unavailability of Clear Cues for Journey-Monitoring
Unavailability of Clear Cues for Journey-Monitoring
Unavailability of Clear Cues for Journey-Monitoring
The loud environment, unreliable stop-announcement systems, and malfunctioning auditory systems can make it difficult for participants to receive the cues to disembark. This situation worsens when participants are multitasking.
For example, P02 shared that, "I had to look out the windows. Some buses don’t broadcast [stop announcements], don’t know why, maybe it’s broken, so I can’t focus on listening to the radio."
From the original assumption, Pet owners have difficulty in tracking pets’ medical records and manage their documents.
From the interview insights, I got specific pain points that users share, such as pet owners having difficulty keeping pets' physical records and transferring documents with different vets.
Concerns about Privacy
Concerns about Privacy and
Personal Image
Concerns about Privacy
Some participants expressed concerns about their privacy and personal image when they were aware of other people on public transit.
For example, P26 said, "If I need to pay with a credit card for online shopping, I will try to use it at home because I have no way to ensure my privacy on public transportation fully."
Some participants expressed concerns about their privacy and personal image when they were aware of other people on public transit.
For example, P26 said, "If I need to pay with a credit card for online shopping, I will try to use it at home because I have no way to ensure my privacy on public transportation fully."
Concerns about Personal Image
Concerns about Privacy and
Personal Image
Concerns about Personal Image
Interestingly, however, some participants took other people on public transit as positive pressure to perform tasks such as reading or studying to present a positive image to other passengers.
P14, for example, mentioned one occasion on which she wanted to project a diligent attitude toward learning: "I have some strange insistence, that is to be perfect in front of strangers, so that people next to me will think, 'Oh, this young lady is so hard- working, she is not looking at the people around her but at her books.' Anyway, I forgot to get out of the train at that time."
Interestingly, however, some participants took other people on public transit as positive pressure to perform tasks such as reading or studying to present a positive image to other passengers.
P14, for example, mentioned one occasion on which she wanted to project a diligent attitude toward learning: "I have some strange insistence, that is to be perfect in front of strangers, so that people next to me will think, 'Oh, this young lady is so hard- working, she is not looking at the people around her but at her books.' Anyway, I forgot to get out of the train at that time."
Design Implications
Design Implications
Design Implications
Diversify different channels to provide more travel information
Diversify different channels to provide more travel information
Diversify different channels to provide more travel information
Show real-time updates about a vehicle’s current location, speed, and upcoming destinations that passengers can access, for example, with browsers, official transit-service apps, third-party apps, and vehicle-mounted physical displays of existing and new types, which would allow passengers flexibility in accessing the required information across channels, and reduce the unnecessary attentional cost of switching between devices.
Show real-time updates about a vehicle’s current location, speed, and upcoming destinations that passengers can access, for example, with browsers, official transit-service apps, third-party apps, and vehicle-mounted physical displays of existing and new types, which would allow passengers flexibility in accessing the required information across channels, and reduce the unnecessary attentional cost of switching between devices.
Setting customized reminders to alert travelers
Setting customized reminders to alert travelers
Setting customized reminders to alert travelers
Future technology can consider implementing customized reminders.
For example, a countdown feature could be included to give passengers a sense of urgency about wrapping up their tasks and packing their belongings.
Future technology can consider implementing customized reminders.
For example, a countdown feature could be included to give passengers a sense of urgency about wrapping up their tasks and packing their belongings.
Future technology can consider implementing customized reminders.
For example, a countdown feature could be included to give passengers a sense of urgency about wrapping up their tasks and packing their belongings.
Learn & Takeaway
Learn & Takeaway
Learn & Takeaway
Growing interest in ethnographic field studies
Growing interest in ethnographic field studies
Growing interest in ethnographic field studies
After conducting observation research with travelers, I became more interested in field studies.
I took courses at UT Austin to conduct a parent-child field study to understand their interactions with mobile phone usage, regulations, and each other. This experience deepened my fascination with the dynamics of user behavior and technology.
After conducting observation research with travelers, I became more interested in field studies.
I took courses at UT Austin to conduct a parent-child field study to understand their interactions with mobile phone usage, regulations, and each other. This experience deepened my fascination with the dynamics of user behavior and technology.
Learning how to code complex qualitative data
Learning how to code complex qualitative data
Learning how to code complex qualitative data
With 30 participants generating a vast amount of interview data, it was crucial to collaborate with other researchers to define categories, codes, and quotes for grouping our final findings. Through multiple meetings with UX researchers and professors, we identified behavioral patterns and their challenges.
With 30 participants generating a vast amount of interview data, it was crucial to collaborate with other researchers to define categories, codes, and quotes for grouping our final findings.
Through multiple meetings with UX researchers and professors, we identified behavioral patterns and their challenges.
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About
About
About
About
About
About
Stage 1
Online Recruitment
Stage 2
Shadowing Study + Short Interview (30 minutes)
Stage 3
Semi-structured Interview (60~90 minutes)