Assignment #7: Penn Station Personas Arly Ross, David Yates, Myra Einstein, Robert Faludi 3.7.06 We conducted a second round of research in which we engaged more directly with members of this community. Our aim was to become familiar with typical and emerging behavior patterns and formalize the patterns that we observed into a behavioral segmentation model and a series of user personas that illustrate archetypal users.
Penn Station Personas: Review of Physical Space New York City s Pennsylvania Station: 1. Multi-service building Pennsylvania Station is part of a larger complex that includes various office buildings and Madison Square Garden. 2. Four major transit agencies The Station is an underground hub for New Jersey Transit rail, the Long Island Railroad, New York City Subway and Amtrak. 3. Access to local, regional and international travel The Station serves passengers traveling within New York City, to various points in the tri-state metropolitan area, international airports and rail to the U.S. and Canada. 4. Large under-utilized spaces There are large open, empty areas that seem to serve no practical or experience-enhancing purpose. 5. Small over-utilized spaces Spaces meant for pedestrian traffic are instead used as waiting areas leading to a cramped, crowded and impassable part of the station. 6. Multitude of narrow, cramped passageways with inadequate signage Unmarked stairs and passages that lead to mysterious destinations. 7. Disjointed, awkward relationship between spaces The various main areas of the station are connected in a confusing and complex manner.
Penn Station Personas: Personal Interviews We interviewed 20 travelers inside Penn Station on a weekend afternoon in March 2006. Our goal was to capture two different segments of the Penn Station customer base. 1. Amtrak Main Departure Area About half of the interviews were conducted in the main departure area with Amtrak customers. 2. New Jersey Transit Ticket Kiosks: The reminder were conducted at or near the automated ticketing kiosks for New Jersey Transit customers. 3. Interview Method We split our group of four into pairs to intercept passengers for interviews. After introducing ourselves and our project, we asked open-ended questions to probe their responses to the station, signage, kiosks and travel experience. 4. Segments and Personas: These interviews were used to create behavioral segments and user personas.
Penn Station Personas: Primary Behavioral Segments We identified two primary behavioral segments: 1. Metro Area Travelers - Short Trips These travelers use Penn Station as an access point for rail service to relatively nearby areas such as Northern New Jersey and Long Island. They typically travel without luggage, or with light overnight bags. 2. Regional Travelers - Longer Trips These travelers use Penn Station as an access point to for national rail service. They typically travel with more luggage and are engaged in multi-day stays away from home. They travel to more distant locations, such as Washington D.C./Baltimore, Philadelphia, New England, or upstate New York.
Penn Station Personas: Secondary Segments Penn Station also has a variety of secondary users including: 1. People Dropping off and Picking up Travelers These people may need directions, but typically are local and will not have baggage. 2. Shoppers Penn Station offers a multitude of restaurants and services. Patrons come from the surrounding office buildings and hotels in search of products and food. 3. Transfer Travelers Some Penn Station customers only visit the station on their way between two systems, for example, transferring from New Jersey Transit to Long Island Railroad. 4. Passageway Users People using Penn Station as a pedestrian passageway from one building or area to another.
Penn Station Personas: Betty Demographics Age: Occupation: Marital Status: Children: Home: Education: 40s Project manager Married No kids Suburban D.C. M.A. Technographics: Carries a Blackberry. At home she has a Windows PC that's used for connecting to the Internet. She subscribes to Netflix. Goals Find her track. Find somewhere to sit. Locate other transit modes. Motivations Get home without aggravation. Behavioral Characteristics Watching the signs. Waiting. Looking for information. Design Implications Problems around information: wayfinding, tourist information. Track rush is undesirable.
Penn Station Personas: Samir Demographics Age: 25 Occupation: IT Specialist Marital Status: Single Children: No kids Home: Trenton, N.J. Education: B.A. Technographics: Carries a cell phone. Addicted to his ipod. Uses Gmail, Flickr and MySpace. Watches Movies-on-Demand. Goals Buy his ticket fast. Avoid lines. Get a snack: Red Bull and cigarettes. Motivations Get to his friend s house. Avoid delays. Behavioral Characteristics Uses the ticket kiosk. Moves quickly through the station. Design Implications Ticket kiosks are well-liked: they remove aggravation by (usually) reducing or eliminating waiting in line. Automation is desirable and widely accepted. Track rush is undesirable.
Penn Station Personas: Mike Demographics Age: Occupation: Marital Status: Children: Home: Education: 30s Student Married 2 kids New York City Current graduate student Technographics: Carries a smart phone. At home he has a Windows PC that's used for working and connecting to the Internet. He is websavvy and comfortable using e-commerce sites and engaging with online communities. Goals Find the friend he is supposed to meet. Motivations Keep his friend from getting lost in New York City. Behavioral Characteristics Walking around main areas, looking through the crowds, phoning friend, buying a newspaper Design Implications No clear landmarks in the station, no single centralized meeting areas, no visual paging system
Penn Station Personas: Jill Demographics Age: 23 Occupation: Administrative Assistant Marital Status: Single Children: No Home: Long Island Education: B.A. Technographics: Uses a cellphone. Uses a PC both at work and at home. Has 47 connections on Friendster. Rents videogames with her boyfriend. Goals Find lunch. Get a gift for her boyfriend s father. Motivations Shop conveniently and quickly. Avoid being late for return to work. Choice of food, including Penn Sushi. Behavioral Characteristics Walking through long passageways, browsing shops. Comparing food offerings. Design Implications Problems around information: finding shopping options and which options carry what kinds of items.