The final step of this research phase was to conduct the planned surveys at two German train stations. Due to changes in my travel schedule and time availability since the last blog post, I conducted the interviews in Berlin and Munich instead of Augsburg as originally planned. Despite this adjustment, I was able to approach a diverse range of people at both stations and collect valuable data and insights through the interviews. The final step of this phase was to organize, review, and analyze the collected data.
Questioning
Before bringing the survey to the train stations, I first tested the questions with family members and friends. This initial test phase aimed to evaluate whether the questions were understood as intended and whether they were concise and easy to answer. The feedback was largely positive, and only minor adjustments were necessary. As a result, I was able to proceed confidently to the next stage of the research.
The first round of on-site interviews took place in Berlin during one of my trips. At Berlin Main Station, I spoke with three participants and asked them the prepared survey questions. The selected individuals represented a diverse group and provided a range of interesting and varied responses. With the participants’ consent, I recorded the conversations, which was particularly helpful during the data analysis phase.
The second survey location was Munich Main Station. There, I interviewed five people in the area around the train platforms. Once again, the participants were diverse in terms of age, gender, and language background. All interviewees agreed to voice recording and provided detailed answers to the questions. However, the high level of background noise, caused by ongoing construction work in addition to the typical sounds of a busy train station, posed a minor challenge. It made conversations more difficult and resulted in some recordings being less clear than desired.
Despite these limitations, I am satisfied with the overall outcome of the survey and the number of participants I was able to engage within a relatively short period of time.
Analysis
To take a deeper look at the data collected during the surveys, I began by transcribing the voice recordings into text format. I chose to retain the original languages of the participants, resulting in transcripts in both German and English, depending on the language used during the interviews. Writing out the individual responses allowed me to gain a clear overview of the answers and to identify the range of opinions, experiences, and ideas shared by the participants.
Here is the overview I created for the interviews:
Some of the responses were expected, while others were surprising and addressed aspects I had not personally considered. For the rating-based questions, the scores varied between two and seven, reflecting a wide range of individual experiences. Responses to the question about problematic locations within train stations differed significantly between participants. In contrast, the question asking whether improvements to train platforms would lead to a better user experience was answered with “yes” by all participants.
The final question, which asked participants to share their own ideas, was not answered by everyone, as it was the most challenging and time-consuming question. Nevertheless, the responses I did receive were highly insightful. One of the biggest surprises was that a participant identified the service center as the most problematic area within a train station. This answer stood out to me because it was not something I would have mentioned based on my own travel experiences. However, it is a valid and understandable perspective and just as valuable as the other responses.
One particularly encouraging moment was when a participant suggested improvements in information structure, clearer signage, and floor-based guidance systems to enhance orientation. These ideas closely align with my own thoughts and proposed directions for the project, and it was reassuring to see that another user independently identified similar areas for improvement.
Information Gathered
My main takeaway from this method of data collection is that users experience train stations in very different ways, both during their journeys and while spending time at the stations themselves. However, one point all participants agreed on was that train stations are in need of further improvement, and that these changes should be implemented as soon as possible.
I also found that while users identify multiple problematic areas within train stations, improvements to train platforms in particular would be highly appreciated. Participants expressed the belief that enhancing platform design and functionality would significantly improve their overall travel experience in Germany.
Overall, the survey provided useful and insightful responses that fulfilled my initial goal of gaining a broader and more diverse understanding of everyday user experiences. I therefore consider this research step to be both successful and valuable for the continuation of my project.
Final Conclusion
Over the course of the last ten blog posts, I had the opportunity to explore my chosen topic from multiple perspectives and to experiment with different research approaches. This process served as an important first step into the subject and made it clear to me how engaging and complex this field is, as well as how many opportunities there are for further exploration, experimentation, and design. It also showed me that user experience at German train stations is a real-world challenge with significant potential for improvement and innovation.
For these reasons, I plan to continue researching this topic in the future. My goal is to further broaden and deepen my knowledge while moving closer to developing concrete and meaningful solutions to improve the user experience at German train stations.
