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Summary: A small interview study on how travellers in Germany cope with delayed and cancelled trains, with a sampling design built to compare different kinds of travellers.

Context: Group project in the Computer-Supported Cooperative Work course, University of Siegen.

Skills: Interviewing · Sampling design · Thematic analysis

Tools: MaxQDA, Teams

My role: I designed the sampling plan, recruited four of the six participants, conducted interviews, and did an initial round of coding in MaxQDA.

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Research Objectives and Sampling

The main objective for this study is to understand a break-down situation and how people appropriate technology for their next use. Since the topic is not only about the people’s self-reflection, we also need to understand the ‘raw’ reaction in real scenario. Two methods were drafted to fully capture this need:

• Field observation and notes: we observe passengers at the train station, before onboarding and during transit time. We, ourselves, experienced delayed and cancelled trains which conveniently made us familiarize with the situation and acquainting with other passengers. Our expected output from observation is: real reaction (such as facial expression, action and behavior)
• Semi-structured interview: we conducted total 6 interviews. They are mainly students who are fresh to German train system, except 2 cases who are native Germans. It is convenient sampling. However, I designed analysis angles so interesting findings can be compensated from small sample (as seen below). Our expected outcome from interview is: self-reported feeling and actions, while we can draw lines in their different traveler's profiles.

Question

There are five sections in our Interview Guide as below:

Section 1: User profile

Section 2: Core break-down

Section 3: Tools & Technology use

Section 4: Information Reliability

Section 5: Review & Future action

What I found

• Not knowing what happens next. Most international students in their 20s and 30s, even with some German, were frustrated when they could not tell when the next train would arrive or where to go, and could not read the signboards or follow the announcements. ‘you know when you're really stressed I feel like I'm A0’ - A, International Student, Long-distance Traveler
• Frustration even among locals. German travellers were used to delays but still disliked cancellations. Some found the crowded digital signboards hard to scan for delay information. ‘The language is okay but sometimes that's a little bit chaotic. At first, you must look everywhere on the screen because there isn't only in the middle. There are many information at the same time. They should have on the right time the right information on the screen.’ - S, Native German, Daily Traveler
• Ideas from participants. Carpooling options, and SMS notifications instead of app or email messages because of limited mobile connection and phone battery on long journeys. ‘ I am interested to share a cab or something like this on the app so that people can come together and find a solution for it’ - D, International Student, Long-distance Traveler
• How travellers appropriate the system. This is the most interesting findings which show diversity in user’s profiles and practices. For local travelers, they are more aware, less panicked and equipped with a personal step-by-step action for each option to deal with the situation. For international students who are very new to delayed train experience, they trust an experienced companion first, then the rail operator's app, and always cross-check with the station's digital board. They prefer to depart from or arrive at main stations because there are more connections, and they plan generous buffers for transfers.
  • “I don't know how to change my dealing with the situation. I think I would do the same things again.” - S, Native German, Daily Traveler
  • “Strategy that I developed: Open the app first, check if there are alternative routes or connections that I could rather take. Breathing and staying calm. Asking people and hearing people what they say.” - T, Native German, Occasional Traveler
  • “Going forward in the future, if I face this kind of coming up, uh, even instead of like waiting in a specific station, I would just want to go to the main station. That way there should be a connection that would take me to my home easily.” - M, International Student, Long-distance Traveler
  • “If I'm traveling with a friend who is more experienced than me my first source would be  that. If I'm traveling alone my first source would be DB” - A, International Student, Long-distance Traveler
• A hidden feature. Participants suggested app features that they would remedy the break-down situation: push notification from app, which already exists. This suggests the app's options are not well communicated.

An informal observation