Animated short film: "The Road Trip" - Inspired by the RV traveling couple's blog, Break Away Adventures, and their real Fall Leaf Peeper road trip, the film tracks the Podium system along their journey across 14 different states from Boulder, Colorado to Bar Harbor, Maine
Podium: Vehicle Workstation
Concept passenger cockpit layout that supports work while in motion, centered around a transformable stand that provides specialized adjustability. To develop the layout, 2 physical, full-scale functional prototypes were built and installed inside a real vehicle, with participants completing real digital work tasks (essay writing, spreadsheet manipulation, photo/video editing) with the workspace equipment while the vehicle was in motion.
Project Outcomes:
Physical Prototyping
User Testing
Human Factors
User Testing
Human Factors
The Traveler's Lifestyle
Since COVID, the rise in digital remote working signals a trend of employees exerting more control over their lifestyles away from the traditional office. Additionally, the introduction of autonomous vehicles creates an increased attention to the passenger’s in-transit activities. The user group of Remote RV workers, who display a life prioritizing the freedom of adventure, epitomize the use case of in-transit productivity to its extreme, and thus, in line with the practice inclusive design, became the target audience for the project.
Inclusive Design:
Solving problems for one specific set of people has the potential to benefit a wider range of other groups as well (Extentia).
Views from RV blogger Breakaway Adventures (source: breakawayadventures.net)
“I love being able to go out the roads going places and not worrying about trying to find a bathroom or trying to find a restaurant. You have a lot of freedom with the RV’s.” (KD)
“We’ve seen some amazing things.” (JS)
“My favorite part? Going to sleep wherever the *** I want.” (PO)
“We’ve seen some amazing things.” (JS)
“My favorite part? Going to sleep wherever the *** I want.” (PO)
The road trip from Colorado to Maine is inspired by the RV blogger Break Away Adventures' Fall Leaf Peeper road trip. In an interview with the couple, the blogger said that the Podium system was almost "exactly what I envisioned how our roles would be: I would be the driver, and I need a navigator, and I tried to set the truck up so the navigator role would be easy to accomplish with the right tools there in front of us."
Map of Break Away Adventures' fall Leaf Peeper road trip (source: Break Away Adventures on youtube)
Challenge: The Sunken Space
Amongst nomadic remote workers, there is a common challenge of insecurity and vibration of belongings during transit, leading to unproductive, uncomfortable working during long travel days
Initial Interviews
Participants
6 part-time or full-time remote RV workers
Methods
6 ~30 minute semi-structured interviews; thematic analysis to identify trends
Results
Identification of 11 major themes of the RV work experience through thematic analysis of interview transcripts
- Internet
- Power
- Tools
- Space Scarcity
- Personal Actualization/Empowerment
- Freedom/Flexibility
- Storage
- Movement
- Comfort/Quality of Life
- Vehicle Evolution
“The drive time becomes this sunken space where you can’t do anything… you can’t be productive.” (SA)
“Sometimes I would actually have to work while we had to drive somewhere. That's that's very, very difficult. Almost impossible.” (JA)
“Sometimes I would actually have to work while we had to drive somewhere. That's that's very, very difficult. Almost impossible.” (JA)
Current setup photo from Breakaway Adventures RV Blogger email. (source: Breakaway Adventures correspondence)
The Instability of Motion
To identify the factors that reduce productivity and comfort when working in a moving vehicle, 4 participants were asked to complete 4 tasks (essay writing, spreadsheet manipulation, photo/video editing, and a typing test), simulating digital work.
“It’s a an earthquake the entire time you're driving. The roads are bumpy, things are bouncing around.” (JS)”
“As you go around the corner, you click on the wrong thing and suddenly I've sent wrong email!” (JA)
“As you go around the corner, you click on the wrong thing and suddenly I've sent wrong email!” (JA)
In-Car User Test: Current Experience Benchmark
Research Question
What are the factors that reduce productivity and comfort when working on the road in a moving vehicle?
Participants
4 randomly selected in-person testers
Methods
Participants are asked to complete 4 tasks (essay writing, spreadsheet manipulation, photo/video editing, and a typing test), simulating digital work, to evaluate the design’s effect on productivity and work experience while the vehicle is moving
Results
Qualitative descriptions of instability of belongings and nausea from object shaking.
- Typing test results: average words-per-minute (WPM): 46, accuracy: 96
- Overall satisfaction: 2.25/5
Photos from the current experience user test round
“Why am I so nauseous?” (MR)
The Opportunity
Develop a workspace setup for in-motion passengers that prioritizes security of belongings. How might we make the experience of in-motion working more pleasant, productive, and secure?
Design Criteria
- SecureThe design should address the turbulent conditions of a moving vehicle.
- ProductiveThe design should improve the efficiency and ability of the passenger to complete intensive digital work tasks.
- PleasantThe design should increase the feeling of joy, comfort, and independence while working in a moving vehicle.
- IntegratedThe design should smoothly fit into the visual aesthetic and physical experience of the rest of the vehicle interior.
- InnovativeThe design should provide new, unique functionality to the existing market.
Development Process
Initial sketch & sketch model ideation exploring alternative human interface devices to assist work in a moving vehicle
Iteration 1
Iteration 1 works-like prototype
Iteration 1 works-like prototype detail
Iteration 1 works-like prototype user test: in use in moving vehicle
Iteration 1 in-person user test in moving vehicle
Results
Productivity and pleasantness of work are hindered my unfamiliarity of input device (split keyboard system) and bulkiness of model.
- Typing test results: average words-per-minute (WPM): 40, accuracy: 92
- Overall satisfaction: 2.1/5
Iteration 2
Iteration 2 works-like prototype
Iteration 2 works-like prototype detail
Iteration 2 works-like prototype user test: in use in moving vehicle
Iteration 2 in-person user test in moving vehicle
Results
Productivity and pleasantness of work both improved with iteration 2 design.
- 67% increase in overall work satisfaction (2.5/5 to 3.9/5 from benchmark of using laptop on lap to iteration 2 prototype)
- 26% increase in words-per-minute typed (46 to 54 from benchmark of using laptop on lap to iteration 2 prototype)
Final Works-Like Mockup
Demonstration of folding mechanism
Demonstration of adjustment system
Final 1:6 Scale Looks-Like Model
1:6 scale looks-like model, detail
Workstation layout
1:6 scale looks-like model detail
1:6 scale looks-like model detail
Testimonials
“I don’t do video editing because it’s too hard, this would give me the opportunity to do those things.” (NC)
“There is even a relevance beyond working: reading books, coloring, painting their nails, trip planning, journaling, watching a movie” (EC)
“This is kind of exactly what I envisioned how our roles would be: I would be the driver, and I need a navigator, and I tried to set the truck up so the navigator role would be easy to accomplish with the right tools there in front of us.” (JS)
“There is even a relevance beyond working: reading books, coloring, painting their nails, trip planning, journaling, watching a movie” (EC)
“This is kind of exactly what I envisioned how our roles would be: I would be the driver, and I need a navigator, and I tried to set the truck up so the navigator role would be easy to accomplish with the right tools there in front of us.” (JS)