SMART

How might we design a participatory system that empowers subway riders to share and access real-time arrival data?

Sep 2018 (2 Weeks) /

Eunjung Kim (Independent Project)

SMART is a crowdsourced platform designed to help users both obtain and contribute real-time subway arrival and departure information. Sparked by my personal frustration with inaccurate subway information in New York City, this project explores how participation—through small, accessible actions—can improve collective transit experiences. SMART introduces three modes of interaction: a mobile app, QR code posters, and interactive touchscreens. Together, they form an ecosystem where riders contribute to—and benefit from—shared data. Although SMART was a short, two-week concept exploration, it marked an early turning point in my practice—prompting me to consider user needs and contextual access points in everyday urban systems.

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1. Framing the Design Question

This project began with a daily frustration: using the subway in NYC and realizing that arrival and departure information was rarely reliable. The lack of accuracy added stress—especially when transferring between lines. I began to wonder: What if passengers themselves could help provide real-time updates? Could we design a participatory system that empowers riders to share information with one another?

2. Research Process & Insights

Observing Public Infrastructure

I began by observing station infrastructure. Some places—like Hudson Yards—had interactive screens that seemed ideal for delivering real-time updates. But across most stations, the situation was less promising. I noted several key limitations:

Interactive touchscreens are not widely available.
Most stations lack real-time arrival boards altogether.
Even where touchscreens or boards exist, the timing is often inaccurate.

These observations revealed an opportunity: to create an alternative layer of communication—one that doesn’t rely on station-installed hardware, but instead builds on people’s participation.

Exploring Alternative Entry Points

To broaden participation beyond touchscreens, I looked for places where riders naturally pause or pay attention—station walls, car interiors, and transfer zones. This led to the idea of reaching users through posters with QR codes, which could prompt interaction even without screens.

3. Ideation & Concept Development

Designing a Flexible Access System

Based on early observations and insights, I began exploring how riders might interact with SMART across different environments. Rather than designing around a single access point, I envisioned SMART as a participatory platform—something riders could engage with from anywhere, regardless of available infrastructure.

The core idea was simple: no matter the context, users should be able to both contribute and retrieve real-time subway data through small, accessible actions. This led to the development of three complementary access points:

Posters with QR Codes: For stations without interactive infrastructure, printed posters would offer an easy point of entry. Riders could scan the code to report or check arrival times.

Mobile App Interface: For riders outside the station or in transit, the mobile version of SMART provides a lightweight, always-available way to view and contribute information on the go.

Interactive Touchscreens: In a few stations equipped with digital kiosks, SMART could be accessed via NFC tags, allowing users to instantly open the platform and engage with real-time data on-site.

Each access point offered a different interface, but all were tied to the same central system—a shared, crowd-powered database aimed at improving both accuracy and the overall rider experience through participation.

This approach allowed SMART to be more than an app—it became a distributed network of trust where every small action could contribute to a more reliable transit experience.

4. Prototyping Access Points & User Flows

Testing Access Points in Context

With the three access methods defined, I began prototyping how each would function in context—focusing on ease of use, visual clarity, and the ability to encourage quick participation.

Poster Prototype

In stations without interactive kiosks, I prototyped a low-fidelity poster with a prominent QR code. Riders could scan it to instantly access SMART. As a low-fi concept, the poster’s design leaves room for development. For example, it could evolve into a public-facing advertisement, subtly encouraging riders to contribute updates by showing how small, everyday actions can support fellow commuters.

Mobile Application

The app prototype focused on simplicity. Riders could quickly check arrival times or tap a button to share an update based on what they saw in real time. Rather than acting as a passive data viewer, the app was designed to invite users to actively contribute to a shared system.

Interactive Touchscreen Integration

In select stations equipped with digital kiosks, I imagined an NFC-based experience where riders could tap their phones to instantly access SMART. The current demo is a low-fidelity sketch, leaving room for future design development. It could evolve to attract attention and encourage participation in more engaging ways—transforming large public displays into intuitive entry points for civic participation.

Across all three access modes, I prioritized clarity, immediacy, and low-friction interaction—reinforcing the idea that small actions can collectively create meaningful, crowd-sourced impact.

5. Reflection

Although SMART was developed over a short, two-week period, it marked an early turning point in how I approached design. Rather than focusing solely on interface or aesthetics, this project encouraged me to think about systems, user context, and how small, participatory actions could lead to collective impact.

Looking back, SMART helped me recognize the power of designing flexible access points—and laid the groundwork for later projects where empathy, infrastructure, and behavior converge. It reminded me that even small, speculative concepts can surface meaningful questions about how we interact with public systems.