Railway Station Lounge Service
"Have you ever had to wait over 30 minutes for a train at a station, wondering what to do to pass the time?"
My role
Sole designer: identifying problems, researching, and designing prototypes
Project
University project
Timeline
8 weeks, 2023
Tools used
Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Procreate
Introduction
Project overview
Railway stations are crucial structures connecting most of a country's cities. As urban demands evolve, stations must upgrade their services beyond transportation.
This project aims to enhance passenger satisfaction and meet community needs by creating relaxation lounges in railway stations. These lounges will host local activities and provide passengers with an enjoyable experience during their wait.
Research
Understanding the brief and extracting key points
Thoroughly analysing the brief enables the extraction and identification of the two essential elements that define the core of the project, leading to a deep understanding of the design challenge.
The core of this brief is change and sustainability.
The upgrade of services at railway stations should align with current and future trends, balancing human-centred and environmentally-centred needs.
The brief suggests various challenges.
Which specific challenge can be identified to ensure sustainable change for the railway station?
Framing the design challenge targets train passengers who travel to visit friends and family
The UK’s railway network covers most areas, and 54% of people choose to travel by train to visit relatives and friends, followed by trains for holidays (28%) and business trips (18%).
Challenges
Encourage the local community to engage with and develop the railway stations to create a pleasant service experience for passengers.
Understanding the audience
User
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Adults
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18-30 years old
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Live in a suburban area away from the city centre
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Willing to socialise
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Enjoy different experiences
Need
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Often take the train to visit friends who live across the country.
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Enjoy a comfortable train journey and make the most of the travel time.
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Stay informed about train timetables.
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Engage in conversations, meet interesting new people, and learn about different cultures.
Insight
This user prefers travelling by train over driving to meet new people and engage with different cultures. They value experiences and exploring diverse community atmospheres. For frequent train journeys, they seek a comfortable environment to rest and relax, especially when they are carrying a lot of luggage.
Point-of-View statement
Laura is a curious and sociable person who seeks an enjoyable experience during train journeys. She often travels with gifts to visit friends across the UK, and the frequent transfers can be quite exhausting. She hopes to save her energy during these trips.
Persona
Idea generation and development
Brainstorm initial design ideas to meet audience needs
To address the identified challenge and meet the needs of the audience and the development of the railway station. That focuses on improving passengers' experiences and making them feel valued. This requires support from the local community. The design solution needs to benefit both passengers and the local area.
Categorise the generated ideas based on the How-Might-We questions
Extract key words to shape future scenarios in order to catalyse insights
The inspiration is to transform the railway station into an eco-cultural space shared by passengers and the community.
Design solution
The main cause of discomfort for passengers is the transfer stage. Many small stations lack basic facilities, so attracting local community resources by offering value is essential.
The rest area in the station will be redesigned as a relaxation lounge and local activity hub, providing passengers with a comfortable space to rest, engage in interesting activities, and receive assistance.
Internal ownership
Architect: Design the space as a sunroom with green plants, intelligently divided into zones.
System Development: Develop a system to manage the lounge operations.
Publicity: Use social media and physical materials for promotion.
Service Staff: Organise activities, provide assistance, and maintain customer relations.
Identifying touchpoints for the lounge service experience
Promotional materials inform customers about the relaxation lounge, where they can enjoy their time.
The lounge app provides detailed information about available services, allowing customers to choose from options such as resting, reading, and community activities. Local community members can use the app to organise various events, enhance community culture, and maximise the use of the lounge space.
Additionally, social media, emails, and the app keep customers updated and gather feedback.
Final outcomes
Introducing this relaxation lounge
Sketch
Architectural style reference
The platform floor
The lounge floor
Introducing the relaxation lounge, a key feature of the train station. The ground floor consists of the train platforms, with stairs and lifts leading up to the lounge floor.
The lounge, with its glass roof, allows natural light to brighten the space. It is designed with comfortable seating, greenery, and various facilities to ensure a pleasant and enjoyable experience for passengers.
The poster highlights the lounge's features:
Sunlight, Greenery, Resting areas, and spaces for Cultural exchange
The lounge app for passengers
This app allows passengers to access lounge services. Only core features have been designed as a reference.
The logo combines trains and trees to symbolise sustainability, contrasting with the pollution of past steam trains. The green colour reflects the lounge’s relaxing atmosphere.
After entering the app, the main page displays the most recent activities, which can be swiped through. Below, regular events are categorised.
Clicking the calendar icon navigates to the monthly events view, showing daily events, community events, and festivals.
Selecting an event from the main or calendar page opens the event details. Users can book a time slot for an event.
The schedule page lists the events the user has participated in.
Maintain customer relationships via multiple social media platforms
Maintain customer relationships by informing users about upcoming lounge activities and valuing their feedback. This approach aims to capture their attention and encourage them to choose the train for next trip.
Project takeaway
Design solution beyond immediate needs: emphasising social impact and sustainability through diverse methods
This project employs various methods to identify a design solution, addressing user needs while considering the design's impact and sustainability. It extends the train station's function to benefit passengers and the local community.
However, the solution introduces management and operational challenges. Balancing walkways with the station’s primary function and managing potential conflicts between community activities and passenger relaxation will require continuous research to refine the design.