Last Thursday, students Amy Wu and Luke Stern presented at Citi Bike NYC Data Showcase, the second examination of all the data produced by Citi Bike rides. Amy and Luke sought to enhance the tourist experience with ideas requiring little budget or resource.
Next City writes:
Citi Bikes’ software and hardware interfaces can be rage-inducing. They’ve been working with students studying interface design at the School of Visual Arts (SVA). The goal is in large part to reduce the sort of friction that can occur when you attempt to put your credit card in and generate a printed code to unlock a bike, all under the watchful gaze of those in line behind you. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. And it’s impossible to know which experience you’ll have until you try…The research team is working towards: “We’re trying to hack the user experience of Citi Bike,” said Luke Stern, who presented alongside his fellow SVA student Amy Wu. Their research team has mocked up a system that would allow casual users to pre-pay away from the maddening crowds, either online or by mobile phone, by accessing a wider variety of passes than currently exist — a $2 single-ride pass, or a $15 Weekend Pass, good for three days.
