Groupmates: Guy Mueller (Industrial Design), Jakob Elliott (Communication Design), and Eli Shust (Communication Design)

SORTA (Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority) partnered with the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning to redesign bus stop poles throughout the city. Through our Collaborative Design studio, Communication Design, Industrial Design, and graduate students worked together to improve accessibility, simplify communication, and better reflect the communities these stops serve.

Before we started ideating and designing solutions, we conducted primary research to better understand the challenges users were actually facing. This allowed us to identify real needs and ensure our solutions were grounded in research rather than assumptions.

During this first phase we:

• Conducted stop observations at several locations for around 30 min intervals. Notes were taken based on the AEIOU (Activity, Environment, Interaction, Objects, User) framework.
• Created behavioral maps based on user patterns. Our maps show the general user flows, time passed, as well as activities of the users.
• Engaged in intercept interviews with bus stop users, asking them important questions about their bus stop experience.
• Published an online survey and posted it around several bus stop locations to gather insights and data on user preferences.

Through our research, we were able to narrow our focus to a few key design questions:

• How can we engage users to interact with the bus stop environment?
• How can we provide users with access to useful information?
• How can we make users more visible to bus drivers?

We wanted to create a visual identity that was compatible with Metro, but also expanded upon their brand by adding elements that create a sense of culture and pride for the neighborhoods of Cincinnati.

We chose Obviously as our main typeface to be paired with Navigo, due to its bold but fun characteristics that are emblematic of Cincinnati’s neighborhoods.

We also chose to use colors from Metro’s existing color palette, with the addition of “Porkopolis Pink” to help broaden the system and add a little more depth.

Our modular system showcases how thoughtful, multi-faceted design can transform the transit experience. By prioritizing modularity, we’ve ensured that our solutions can adapt to various locations, needs, and constraints, making them both practical and scalable.

Ultimately, our work aims not only to address user pain points but to create a more inclusive and vibrant transit system that truly serves the community and aligns with the SORTA brand.