Route: 6,
T-centralen <—> Slussen.
Target group:
Frequent travellers.
Method: semi-structured interview.
Place: Gamla stan
metro station.
Time: Mon 22 feb,
forenoon.
I geared up with
half a bag of individually wrapped candies (fruktkolor, tveksamt
aptitliga), and a sign taped to the bag stating:
"Ta en kola,
svara på en fråga." (Have a taffy, answer a question.)
Thus armed I
positioned myself on the metro platform, knowing that everyone who
would enter or exit a metro car would be travelling on our chosen
route.
Moving along the
platform I first targeted preadolescents, hoping that they would not
be too self-important to reject gifted candy. (But at the same time
being mature enough to reject what their parents had told them about
such gifts from strangers.)
As their grubby
little paws clutched a taffy, older travellers observed and accepted
this social norm, making them more approachable in turn.
My one question to
all travellers was: "How often do you take the metro to-or-from
Gamla stan?"
This was my demographic test. If the answer was every week or more, then as
they caressed the wrapping of their gifted taffy, I would continue
with: "Great! I'm doing a survey for a course in KTH and you're
exactly who I'm looking for. Can I ask you 5 more quick questions?"
This procedure goes
against the course literature's suggestions of starting by presenting the interviewer and the goals of the interview, providing informed consent and reassuring the interviewee about
ethical issues. But on the upside I did not waste their time and they
all seemed happy or at least content. (I did not even briefly waste
the time of people who declined answering my questions, because no
one declined, thus no non-response bias.)
Junior-school boy 1.
How often do you
take the metro to-or-from Gamla stan?
Only when I'm going
to Jesper. [How often is that?] Depends, perhaps every week? We
usually go to my place.
Junior-school boy 2
(Jesper).
And how often do you
take the metro to-or-from Gamla stan?
Every day, almost.
To school and such. [Morning and afternoon then?] Yeah.
Great! I'm doing a
survey for a course in KTH and you're exactly who I'm looking for.
Can I ask you 5 more quick questions?
Yes, ok.
Where do you usually
stand on the platform?
Not too close to the
edge. [Haha I meant along the platform, near the entrances or in
between.] Oh I usually walk over here because it's where I should
exit [from his exit station].
What do you usually
do while you're waiting for the metro and while you're in the metro
train?
We're usually
talking, or I'm using my mobile. (Junior-school boy 1: And games.)
Do you have the SL
mobile app?
Yes. [Do you use
it?] Not really.
What do you like
about the metro?
I don't know. You
can go to different places.
Anything you don't
like about it?
When you have to
stand up.
Senior man.
How often do you
take the metro to-or-from Gamla stan?
Oh it adds up, often
enough. [So pretty much every week?] Yes.
Great! I'm doing a
survey for a course in KTH and you're exactly who I'm looking for.
Can I ask you 5 more quick questions?
Do I get 5 more
taffies? [Haha we'll see.]
Where do you usually
stand on the platform?
At my age you see...
I usually walk until I find a bench.
What do you usually
do while you're waiting for the metro and while you're in the metro
train?
It depends,
sometimes I read Metro, sometimes I have something else with me.
Do you inform
yourself about anything before or while you are using the metro?
What's that? I don't
understand. [What information do you look at to help with your trip?]
Oh I don't make any great plans for taking the metro. [Do you look at
the signboard above the platform?] Oh yes of course, and I listen to
the speaker and the announcements on the train. *Looks around
searchingly* And I use the maps when I'm going far. Mostly to see how
many stops it'll be.
Do you use the SL
mobile app?
Yes, I have it. [Do
you use it?] I suppose I could use it more.
What information
about the metro would you like to have?
If there are any
problems and if there are delays.
Woman, late 40's.
How often do you
take the metro to-or-from Gamla stan?
2-3 times per week.
Great! I'm doing a
survey for a course in KTH and you're exactly who I'm looking for.
Can I ask you 5 more quick questions?
So you're just
asking some questions. [Yes.] Ok.
Where do you usually
stand on the platform?
Depends on where I'm
going. I don't like it when the train's are short.
What do you like
about using the metro?
It's convenient.
Many stops in the inner city, and gets you far into the suburbs. You
don't have to wait too much.
Does anything bother
you?
Yes! Let's see. They
are really noisy, I mean the wagons but the people too sometimes, and
it's never really clean anywhere, just icky. They haven't really made
any newer wagons for ages. Is that what you are doing, in KTH? [This
project is looking at ways to improve the information in and around the
metro.] That's good. [Anything else that bothers you?] Yes but I
can't think of it right now.
How about things
that worry you when you are using the metro.
I don't use the
metro at night, at such times I'll take a taxi. [Why?] Well you don't
know who's hanging around here then.
What do you usually
do while you're waiting for the metro and while you're in the metro
train?
These days reading
on the mobile is common.
I talked to one more
person but didn't transcribe it and promptly forgot most of it.