Inclusive public transport design requires understanding diverse user perceptions of territory and environment.

Why It Matters

This insight highlights that effective inclusive design goes beyond physical accessibility. It requires acknowledging and integrating the subjective social representations of users and staff to create transportation systems that are not only usable but also socially accepted and integrated within the community's fabric.

Key Finding

The study found that people using public transport, including those with disabilities, and the bus drivers themselves have different ideas about what 'environment' and 'territory' mean in the context of their journeys. These differences impact how inclusive the transport system is perceived to be.

Key Findings

• Social representations of 'environment' and 'territory' vary significantly among different user subgroups and drivers.
• These varying representations influence perceptions and experiences of public transport inclusivity.
• Understanding these diverse perspectives is crucial for developing truly inclusive public transport systems.

Research Evidence

Aim: To explore the social representations of 'environment' and 'territory' among public transport users (including those with functional differences) and bus drivers, and to identify challenges for developing inclusive public transport.

Method: Qualitative research

Procedure: Conducted interviews with public transport users and bus drivers to gather data on their social representations of the environment and territory in the context of public transport.

Context: Public transportation in Quebec City

Design Principle

Inclusivity in design is achieved by understanding and accommodating the diverse social representations of users and their environment.

How to Apply

Conduct ethnographic research and in-depth interviews with a wide range of users and service providers to map their social representations of the service environment before initiating design changes.

Limitations

The study's findings are specific to the context of Quebec City and may not be directly generalizable to all urban environments. The qualitative nature of the research means findings are interpretative.

Student Guide (IB Design Technology)

Simple Explanation: To make public transport good for everyone, we need to know how different people, including those with disabilities and the drivers, think about the places they travel through and the environment around them.

Why This Matters: Understanding how people feel about their surroundings helps create designs that are not only functional but also feel welcoming and easy to use for everyone.

Critical Thinking: How might differing social representations of 'territory' influence the adoption and perceived success of new public transport technologies or routes?

IA-Ready Paragraph: This research highlights the importance of understanding diverse social representations of territory and environment among users and operators when designing inclusive public transport. It suggests that a user-centred approach must extend beyond physical accessibility to encompass the socio-cultural perceptions that shape user experience and system integration.

Project Tips

• When researching user needs, consider asking about their feelings and ideas related to the environment and location, not just functional requirements.
• Interview a diverse range of potential users and people who operate the service to get a full picture.

How to Use in IA

• Use findings to justify the need for user research that explores social and environmental perceptions, not just physical ergonomics.

Examiner Tips

• Demonstrate an understanding of how social and environmental perceptions can impact user experience and inclusivity, beyond basic accessibility features.

Independent Variable: ["User group (e.g., individuals with functional differences, general public, bus drivers)","Perceptions of 'environment' and 'territory'"]

Dependent Variable: ["Social representations","Inclusivity of public transport"]

Controlled Variables: ["Geographic location (Quebec City)","Type of public transport (bus)"]

Strengths

• Explores nuanced social and psychological factors in design.
• Focuses on underrepresented perspectives in transport design.

Critical Questions

• To what extent do these social representations align with or contradict official urban planning policies?
• How can design interventions actively shape or accommodate these diverse social representations to foster greater inclusivity?

Extended Essay Application

• Investigate the social representations of users and stakeholders for a specific public service or infrastructure project in your local area, and propose design improvements based on these findings.

Source

De manière singulière et d'usage inclusif. Représentations sociales, Transport collectif et interrelations entre handicap, territoire et environnement1 · Recherches sociographiques · 2019 · 10.7202/1066157ar