Designing for complex public environments requires more than addressing isolated user interactions. It demands an understanding of the broader system in which these interactions occur. Therefore, I decided to conduct further research in relation with the help of a university lecture and five different strategic methods, that aim to provide further clarity and a more structured insight into the different parts of this project.
System Mapping
The first of those approaches is system mapping. It is used within design research to visualize relationships between actors, infrastructures, and external influences. Rather than focusing on single touchpoints, system maps enable designers to identify interdependencies, power structures, and flows of information, and uncover opportunities for more systemic and sustainable interventions (zero360., 2026). In this project, system mapping serves as the starting point for investigating the experience of German train platforms. These environments are characterized by high density, time pressure, and diverse user groups, making them inherently complex.
At the center of the system map lies the proposed design intervention: a physical guidance system intended to improve orientation and interaction on platforms. Placing this concept at the core allows for a structured analysis of how it connects to and influences the surrounding system. The layer around the focal point consists of direct stakeholders, including passengers, train staff, and Deutsche Bahn (DB). Passengers represent the primary user group, yet they are far from homogeneous. Commuters prioritize efficiency and speed, tourists require clarity and guidance, while elderly users or individuals with disabilities depend on accessibility and physical support. Train staff and conductors, on the other hand, are concerned with operational efficiency and safety. By mapping these different perspectives, it becomes clear that improving the platform experience requires balancing multiple, and sometimes competing, needs. Expanding outward, the system includes indirect stakeholders such as station personnel, UX designers, engineers, and production teams. These actors are responsible for implementing, maintaining, and iterating the proposed solution. Their inclusion highlights that design outcomes are not only shaped by user needs but also by technical feasibility, organizational structures, and economic constraints. On an even broader level, societal actors, such as the general public and environmental stakeholders, introduce additional layers of influence, shaping long-term priorities such as sustainability and public acceptance.
The relationships between these actors are visualized through a network of connections, illustrating flows of communication, influence, and dependency. The density of these connections reveals a highly dynamic system in which changes to one element can have cascading effects across others. This insight directly informs the next step of the design process: evaluating how an intervention might alter the system.
Discovered Change & Impact
To address this, a Change and Impact map was developed. Building directly on the system map, it introduces a temporal dimension by comparing the current state (“Before”) with a projected future scenario (“After”). The “Before” perspective synthesizes the key issues identified in the system analysis, including disorientation, overcrowding, inefficient boarding processes, and limited accessibility. These challenges are not isolated but interconnected, reinforcing one another and contributing to an overall stressful experience (Mural, 2025).
The “After” perspective explores how the proposed physical guidance system could transform these conditions. For example, improved orientation may reduce passenger uncertainty, which in turn can streamline movement flows and support more efficient boarding. However, the map also critically considers potential trade-offs, such as increased reliance on technological systems, maintenance requirements, or unintended behavioral changes among users. This step is crucial, as it ensures that the design is not evaluated in isolation but as an active component within a complex system. The logical progression from system mapping to impact evaluation demonstrates how insights are translated into informed design decisions.
Inclusion & Accessibility
In parallel, the project integrates inclusion and accessibility as fundamental design principles. Inclusive design research emphasizes that accessibility should be embedded from the beginning, rather than later along the design process (Figma, 2026). To operationalize this, two additional mapping approaches were used. The first identifies the physical, cognitive, and social requirements necessary for users to fully experience the product. The second focuses on barriers, analyzing which user groups may be excluded and why.
This analysis revealed that physical guidance systems, while potentially beneficial, can also introduce new barriers, particularly for individuals with visual, auditory, or cognitive impairments. As a result, the design strategy prioritizes multimodal interaction, ensuring that information is communicated through multiple sensory channels. At the same time, a minimal and clear design language is emphasized to avoid adding complexity to already dense environments. These considerations are directly linked back to the system map, reinforcing the idea that inclusive design is not a separate concern, but an integral part of the overall system.
Value Proposition Canvas
To further refine the concept, the Value Proposition Canvas (Strategyzer, 2026) was applied. This tool builds on previous analyzes by explicitly linking user needs to design solutions. The Customer Profile identifies key user goals, such as navigating efficiently and reducing stress, alongside pains like confusion and overcrowding.
The Value Map translates these insights into concrete design features, including intuitive guidance systems and improved information structures. To get a second view point, the canvas was also applied to Deutsche Bahn as an organizational stakeholder, highlighting goals such as operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. This dual perspective ensures that the proposed solution aligns both with user expectations and institutional objectives.
Product Idea
The outcome of this interconnected process is a product concept for a physical guidance system integrated into train platforms. While still in the brain-storm phase, the current direction explores the use of light-based elements, such as illuminated pathways or dynamic signals, to guide passengers intuitively. The concept directly responds to the insights generated through the system mapping, the impact analysis, and the user-centered frameworks.
Information Gathered
In conclusion, the use of system mapping, Change and Impact analysis, inclusive design methods, and value-driven frameworks were valuable methods to create valid connections and help get a clearer picture of the problem at hand and what factors have to be considered, when designing for a complex and challenging physical space. Each method builds upon the previous one, creating a logical progression from understanding complexity to proposing targeted interventions. This showed me how important it is to view design not as isolated problem-solving, but as a practice to deeply understand complex interactions and interconnected systems.
Next Steps
With the added insights and findings, the prototypes that were already developed can be refined and tested. After that I want to work on defining the end product narrower through more in-depth research and prototyping with higher fidelity.
Literaturverzeichnis
Figma. (2026). Accessibility and inclusion in design. Von Figma: https://www.figma.com/resource-library/creating-accessible-and-inclusive-design/ abgerufen
Mural. (2025). Change impact assessment template. Von Mural: https://www.mural.co/templates/change-impact-assessment abgerufen
Strategyzer. (28. January 2026). The Value Proposition Canvas. Von Strategyzer: https://www.strategyzer.com/library/the-value-proposition-canvas abgerufen
zero360. (2026). Was ist: System Mapping. Von zero360.: https://zero360.de/glossar/system-mapping/ abgerufen
