One of the things I didn't have much trouble using was the entry and exit turnstiles. If it has a green light on with a white arrow showing, then it means you can enter through there. But if the red light is on with the white bar showing, it means no entry. One cannot enter through there because people on the other side use it as exit points. Basically, it's pretty much easy to understand and use... but in the few weeks that I've been riding the Bart, I've encountered a few people (5 or so) who tried entering through the exit turnstiles. Obviously their ticket is rejected and they wonder what went wrong. Some think for a moment and look around to see what's wrong, while some approach the bart personnel. One time, I was exiting a Bart station and once outside a woman asked me which way was the entrance to the bart. I told her, "any of those," pointing at the turnstiles. As I walked away, I realized I gave her the wrong answer.. it's possible that she might try to get into the bart through the exit points as a few people have done. Or she may have tried getting in without a ticket.
The bart system is fairly easy to use, considering the fact that one is used to riding it already. Apparently, it still causes confusion to some commuters, including the new ones. They don't enter/exit in the proper turnstiles. People would ask me sometimes if they're taking the right train or what is the right train to take. And I try to help them as if I've lived in this city long enough. Hehe. Anyway, what's my point... in the one month I've been riding the Bart, I've already encountered several people who have had trouble using the system. And using the design principles of Donald Norman, I will try my best to analyze the system.
Conceptual Model: The bart system has a pretty much good conceptual model. Commuters generally know which train they need to ride at a specific time. Trains are named by their last destination and based on the map below, the commuter can determine what train they should take to reach their end point. Although they have a good conceptual model, it is possible that they are lacking on other design principles that causes confusion for some commuters.
Visibility and Mapping: In the Bart station, you see the entry/exit turnstiles. You see signs to take the escalator to the train platform. Once you're waiting for the train to arrive, there are signs around the area to inform you which platform to go to, what time the next train is coming, if the next train is the train you want to take, the succeeding trains that are arriving, train schedules, and the bart map. If you're already in the train, the Bart stops have signs on the platforms so you can tell if you are already at your stop or not. Sometimes, not always, the Bart driver announces the station of the next stop or the current stop where the Bart is at. The train also has the map posted inside the cars so you know if you're near your desired station. All these visible signs and mappings are available within the Bart system that people would know their way around easily... well, almost.
One of the reasons why people get lost using the Bart system is because of vague signs. Let's talk about the turnstiles first. The color often used to mean "GO" is green and "STOP" is red. This is used in traffic lights and street signs as well. But why are people still entering on the red-marked turnstiles? Well, sometimes when people are in a hurry they don't really have time to stop and think, or choose which way to enter. They just go to the turnstile that is in their direction. Disassociation may also happen because the green and red lights transfer to different turnstiles everyday. So if you're used to entering the right most turnstile, there will come a time when that turnstile is marked red. So now your usual routine is disrupted and so you're confused which turnstile to enter - is it the red one or the green one? If you're in a hurry, you might act first before you think. So you try the next turnstile, regardless if it's green or red.
*My solution? Well, my proposed solution to this minor problem is to specifically assign turnstiles for entry and for exit permanently - to provide consistency. With mapping though, the green arrow seems to work just fine since people enter on the side that the arrow points to (because a turnstile has 2 sides). Maybe they should change the red bar (no entry sign) to a red "X" mark perhaps. Not everyone may be familiar with the no entry sign. Since entry and exit points will be permament, a sign above the turnstiles could be placed with arrows and words "Enter Here" or "No Entry" for signs going inside the platform and "Exit Here" or "No Entry" for signs leaving the platform. Visibility and correct mapping can help new commuters to exit/enter the right way. Consistency/permanency in their locations can help local commuters to better acquire an association to the proper turnstiles, and be able to enter and exit easily without having to think/choose which way to go. Traveling for me shouldn't be stressful. It should be a time to loosen up before and after a stressful day at work or school. So commuting shouldn't even be a problem-solving obstacle.
Another vague sign I noticed in the Bart are the direction signs in the platform. One side says "East Bay" and the other side says "Milbrae/SFO." I've been here for a month already and until now I'm confused what "East Bay" means or if "SFO" is the direction I'm going to. I always have to check the map before I even board the train. Apparently I'm not the only one confused. I was on a train going to Milbrae and a girl in front of me asked if this train was going to pass downtown San Francisco. She asked me this when we were at the San Bruno station already. Obviously she took the wrong train so I told her to get off the next station and ride the train on the other side of the platform. She did as she was told, but as she stepped out, she went up the escalator... hmmm.. she was supposed to take the train on the other side, not leave the bart station. She wasn't the only person to ask me about which train to take - the one on this side, or the other side, or the next one. People are generally confused on directions, despite the fact that there are maps in the area. These people aren't necessarily lazy or stupid, there just may not be proper mapping in this aspect.
*My solution? It would be good to have more visible signs of direction, because what we only see are end points and not stops in between. Most of the people who asked me for directions are going to Downtown San Francisco. Indeed, which train should one take to go downtown? Depending on where the person is, one can take Milbrae, Pittsburg, Richmond, Dublin, Fremont, and SFO - practically all trains. That is confusing. There are a few maps in the area, but sometimes they are not easy to find. Maps also indicate tracks based on color, but as the trains arrive, they are not color coded! Alas, what is one to do when the train is in front of you and not a map in sight? So, yes it would help to have these trains color coded too, to have a better association when reading the map. Additional screens in the area would also be helpful to indicate the stops where this particular train in this platform will go to and not necessarily just its end point.
Constraints happen only when you exit or enter the turnstiles - that is if your ticket has enough money your trip requires. A small screen in the turnstile will provide Feedback if your ticket is valid, expired, or if it lacks a certain amount. There are no other constraints or feedback to inform you that you are in the right or wrong direction. Well, yes there are signs you see around and information you hear about where you are going - these can serve as constraints or feedback only if you are very familiar with directions. The girl who asked me if she was on the right train to downtown obviously didn't see the station signs and the announcements as constraints or feedback that she was on the wrong train. My feedback to her was the only thing that made her realize her mistake. It is definitely not a good feeling when you're riding a train wondering if you're in the right or wrong direction.
*My solution? One thing I can think of is again putting screens inside the car trains (like those moving red text) to inform the commuter about succeeding stops towards the direction the train is going to. This way if the screen doesn't mention downtown S.F., then she is definitely on the wrong train. Buses have these screens, so I don't see any reason why Barts can't have them too. Buses also have these automated voices that inform commuters what the next stop will be. Barts can have these automated voices too instead of screens - if the driver doesn't want to talk at all.
I'm sure there are other possible solutions too, but those are what I can only think of at the moment. There are also other issues that I haven't discussed, like purchasing tickets. But that's another several paragraphs or so. I only tackled those issues I currently have problems with and thus my suggestions on how we can somehow improve on it and make commuting much easier for everyone. Although it may seem that these solutions are only helpful for newbies like me, it doesn't necessarily mean they are not helpful to other local commuters too. Newbies should not be left out in designing the system. It may take weeks to get used to knowing the Bart system perfectly, but it doesn't have to take that long. A tourist should be able to figure out the system without having to ask locals or at least with minimal help from locals. If you ask the wrong person, they just might ask you for some money in exchange.
*Photo taken from E.Johnson's Flickr, Bart.gov
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