This is an observation of an interactive technology in a public use. I chose CitiBike, a fairly new transportation bicycle sharing system in NYC used by multiple people around the world. In Europe similar systems have beed working for years. A very similar model for the CitiBike is in London, having the same bikes model and the same apparatus yet there are a few differences between the systems. CitiBike and such are a cleaner transportation mean that a city infrastructure should be ready to obtain such as dedicated bike lanes. The system allows a one use (withhold 2 options- daily or weekly) and multipole use

The action of renting a bike is divided mainly between 2 different groups of users:

1. One time use: (24 hours or 1 week option) Available through the actual apparatus, requires a credit card (used for security, theft and damage that might occur). 30 minute use until payment.
2. Members use: (annual) Available only through CitiBike site and takes up to 5 business days to obtain the electronic key which enables the transaction. For a one time payment a year of use in the system. 45 minute use until payment.

I will review mostly the transaction itself by the group of Annual members as it is the main group. Also the yearly membership is being encouraged to be bought through a better time condition (45 min instead of 30) and better value for the payment.

Communication with the user:

In every station there is a kiosk equipped a 10” screen slightly tilted diagonally to facilitate view of the screen. A metal keyboard (NOT tilted) with 16 metal buttons is situated right under the screen. Payment and receipts slots are located under keyboard. The whole human-kiosk-interaction is located very low and average height people need to bend over to reach it. The tilt of the screen is not enough to compensate for the low location. The screen communication is simple and clean, having up to 5 visually big options in every screen. (see pic)

Breaking down the process of using CitiBike for an annual member to 6 main steps:

1. Insert electronic key
2. Receiving a signal from apparatus that transaction started
3. Releasing bicycle from rack
4. Utilizing bicycle (45 minuets no additional payment)
5. Returning bike to an empty rack
6. Receiving a signal from apparatus that transaction complete

An annual member dose not need to use the kiosk at any point of the transaction, the interface with the apparatus is based on three lights communicating the state of a transaction (this is also where a keypad for unlocking a bike is located).

Lights meening:

• Green for OK/CONFIRMED
• Orange for IN PROCESS (not very clear)
• Red for UNAVAILABLE/NO TRANSACTION

Thoughts:

Time for unlocking bicycle from dock is about 5 seconds if there are no issues and could go up to a minute with difficulties (see video). Time for returning a bicycle is the same. I have noticed some difficulties in releasing the bike to start a transaction for a few of the users. The electronic key doesn’t seem to work very easily on the unlocking faze. Also when returning a bike some docking spots are not receiving the bike although it seem there is no flaw in the action. Female users found it more difficult as an intuitive reaction to a non functioning sensor is lifting the bike from its chair to change the angle of entrance to the docking place. The system is a useful and easy to utilize. There are many many other aspect that are not being considered here as the actual use of the bike like the adjustment of the sit or the automatic activation of the lights and how they stay on for a while after a transaction is being complete, and leave the “hot” bicycles that were recently used blinking…

unsuccessful transaction:

CitiBike Observation from Oryan Inbar on Vimeo.