Field Study - Interview transcript

How often do you commute?
5 days every week.

What route do you take?
Train to T-Centralen then subway to Slussen

Where do you stand when you're waiting for the subway?
If possible I try to stand close to the front of the train as it's less to walk.

Even if it's crowded?
No, if it's crowded I'll walk towards the middle

Do you use the SL-app?
Yes

What function do you like with it and what do you dislike?
I use the routeplanner a lot and like it. The traffic information doesn't really show all the information and sometimes it doesn't even work properly

Why are you traveling with the subway?
It's pretty smooth, it's fast and you don't have to wait for long if you miss a train. Also, I get a free SL-card from the school

What do you do to pass time while commuting?
I listen to music, play games on the phone or practice the drum lesson

What's the worst that could happen on the subway?
If there's a power failure and the train gets stuck between to stations

Field study, interview transcript

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.

Field study, interview transcript - Johan Sannemo

I performed my interviews at T-centralen during early afternoon, to avoid the crowded rush.

My first interview was performed with a woman in her late 20s, studying for a medical profession.

How often do you travel by subway?

Every weekday, from Sundbyberg to T-centralen (blue line), and then from T-centralen to Slussen (red/green line).

What is the worst that could happen on the subway?

A terrorist bombing, or some other similar event.

What do you like about the subway?

The frequence of departure is very good.

What do you think works perfectly about the subway?

The night and weekend schedule covers my needs perfectly

What information do you miss in the subway?

Don’t know. More information about the “resegarantier” during delays. It would be nice if it was easier to know what exit I should take, when I’m going somplace new.

Why do you use the subway instead of travelling by car?

I don’t have my driver’s license yet. If I had my driver’s license, I wouldn’t use the subway as much (possibly when going to party, since I

What bothers you about the subway?

The turnstiles. Especially when people try to pass through them by going behind me. Makes me feel really uncomfortable and scared, especially late at night. The turnstiles themselves also feels dangerous.

How’s the environment on the subway around TC/Slussen?

It’s way too crowded. Sometimes I don’t even get on a subway because of all the people.

How do you occupy yourself when you travel?

In general I use my phone. If I travel with someone I know, I talk to them.

My second interview was performed with a male high school student.

How often do you travel by subway?

I commute several times a week, mostly using the red line to T-centralen.

Why do you use the subway?

It’s both cheaper and more environmentally friendly than traveling by car. I don’t have a car either. For shorter distances I mostly walk instead.

What do you like about the subway?

It’s a very fast and convenient method of transport. It has a good reach.

What’s most important for you when traveling by subway?

That my trip is not delayed.

How do you find the environment in the subway?

I like the design of the platforms in general, so I’ve never really had a problem with the exterior environment. I’ve never felt unsafe in the subway system, except during an occasional trip late at night.

What do you usually do when you are waiting for the subway, or during the subway trip?

I often sit and play around with my phone. Sometimes I do my math homework.

What’s the worst part of travelling at T-centralen?

The crowdedness! There is so much people, especially in the morning and early evening.

Do you use the SL app?

Yes

What information in the app do you find most useful?

The real time information. I find it very useful to know if a train is delayed or not.

The interviewees were informed about the context of the interview. The interviews were recorded typing on a laptop, which the interviewee were then given a chance to read through the typed notes to add additional context or clarifications.

In general, a big problem is the crowdedness at the stations. A product to decrease the crowdedness without having to increase the number of trains departing would be a good area to focus on. Both of the interviewees use their phone a lot in the subway, so a mobile application could be useful.

Field study/Transcript – Thony Price

This interview was carried out on my way to school because my route passes through the stations of interest, Slussen and T-Centralen, this was during the morning rush about 8 am. This gave the best odds to find a participant fit for our population, daily commuters. The interviewee at hand would also be a probability sample which supposedly gives more generalizable data.

The question we had prepared was designed to be open and useful in a semi-structured way with space follow up questions. I took notes as fast as possible during the interview and as soon as it was done filled in the gaps and clarified thoughts that was hard to transcribe during the interview. This is the result:

Population check: How often du you commute and through which regions?

Everyday, bus from Orminge to Slussen and Slussen to T-centralen by subway.

Do you use the SL-app? To do what?

Yes, I do. Use route planner, really often.

What’s most important when you travel by the subway?

That I can rely on the planned route.

What’s your worst-case-scenario when commuting?

Major delays. Because when making plans, meetings, airport-check-ins you must put your faith in SL’s hands and pray. If they’re late it can have big consequences or lead to mych frustration.

What do you like about the subway?

That most part of the time it works flawlessly.

What information du you miss?

Better info on connections, when I switch from bus to subway or vice versa I always need to check the SL-app to know if I should hurry or not to minimize my waiting time.

How about the environment/comfort/safeness on the sub?

I like it, especially the SL-helpers that usually work on the bigger stations and also the camera monitoring.

Why are you commuting and doesn’t travel by car for example?

It’s the best option both concerning time and price when compared to go by car.

How do you occupy yourself during the commute?

I read books or prepare work.

What is the worst characteristics of Slussen/T-Centralen?

In T-Centralen it’s insanely crowded most times and a bit dirty.

What annoys you the most and why?

High prices because, yeah it's pricy! And delays because you depend so much on it to be on time.

What should be done about it?

SL needs to buy better trains and if there’s a delay I want to know right away, alternative routs would be nice or that the route planner changes the route to a better option. 

Before our ways parted I asked for premission to share the answers and luckily my wish was granted, this of course is smarter to do before asking away..!