#Rackathon:

Hacking the Bike Rack Code BOB EDMISTON, SEATTLE NEIGHBORHOOD GREENWAYS

BROCK HOWELL, CASCADE BICYCLE CLUB

Agenda

What problems are we solving?

What’s special about you guys?

What’s your method?

What have we done so far?

What have we learned?

What is next?

Personas bring Geller’s model to life!

<1% Franz: Strong & Fearless

7% Eddie: Enthused & Confident

60% Wendy: Willing-but-wary

33% Walker: No Way No How

Wendy: the Willing-but-Wary cyclist

“I’d love to ride my bike more, but I’m afraid to ride in

traffic.”

Wendy longs for the day when her children can ride their

bikes to school safely, to soccer practice, to friends’ houses

and to the library. Until then, Wendy drives her children

everywhere. Since Wendy didn't grow up cycling in traffic,

she never developed the skills for mixing it up with cars and

trucks and probably never will voluntarily “take the lane.”

Wendy will only ride where she feels safe. Wendy thinks

biking to the park to play might be the first step to instill

healthy lifestyle habits to her children.

Where would Wendy Ride? • Local businesses

• Schools

• Parks and Libraries,

• To work, if it’s not too far

• Cafes, restaurants

Wendy: http://tinyurl.com/Wendy-WBW

Know your users

UCD Project Plan

#Rackathon 1: What works, what doesn’t and why?

Design Ideation

#Rackathon 2: Refine dimensions

Increase prototype fidelity

#Rackathon 3: Field Research to evaluate prototypes

#Rackathon 4: Early Adopter Program

Publish #Rackathon findings and design recommendations

Drive adoption of new bike rack standards into Municipalities

credit: emotive systems UK

#Rackathon 1,

learn what works

and not

#Rackathon 2,

refine

requirements via

prototyping

#Rackathon 3,

Field usability

testing

#Rackathon 4,

Early Adopter

Pre-production

Open Source Design,

Advocate for Adoption

Experience Sh**y

Rack User Experience

#Rackathon 1, Formative Research

1. Invite bike rack makers to bring their best racks.

2. Invite the broadest possible range of types of people and bikes.

3. Evaluate how well each bike works on each rack.

4. Survey and photograph the user experience

5. Synthesize and Ideate (after event)

#Rackathon #1 Findings

1. Staple racks were the only winning design

2. Most racks failed hard

3. Hanging racks are especially gender

hostile and not AAA

4. But, refinements are needed

#Rackathon 2: Refinement

Dimension refinement:

1. LOA

2. HOA

3. Spacing

4. Angles

Approach: Low-fidelity hacking with wood,

plastic pipe, bikes

Smaller invite list, targeted research goals

#Rackathon #2 Findings

As length decreases toward 24”, seat/handlebar

collisions become problematic.

Extracycle upper hard limit is 27” between center stand

and fork crown.

Ideal height is 33” to support frames while clearing seats.

Angled attachment prevents handlebar collision

between racks

36” to 48” spacing is good, but dependent on angles.

Need more research on spacing, angles and

clearances.

#Rackathon 3: Field Research

Increase prototype fidelity for mid-fidelity

usability testing

Steel and wood

Add real families and kids for another

reality check

#Rackathon 3: Field Research

Findings

Round pipe is easily cut with common tools.

The 27” upper limit on length is optimal.

Some low seats go under the 33” high top bar,

but it’s ok.

Spacing: 36” at 60 degrees or 48” at 45 degrees

is worth testing in Beta

Next: #Rackathon 4: Early Adopter

Program

Impact HUB Seattle, possibly other sites

Goal:

Big N usability data

Determine final angles and spacing

Evaluate clearance requirements, likely 24” minimum

all around

Open Source the Design Standard The reasons behind our decisions

Reference Designs

Give away findings to both rack

manufacturers and buyers

Help Rack Buyers

Look Brilliant

Municipality procurement programs (SDOT, King County Metro)

Building codes (DPD)

Commercial purchasing recommendations (Commute Seattle)

Bob Edmiston, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways

Brock Howell, Cascade Bicycle Club

Questions?

Bob Edmiston, Seattle

Neighborhood

Greenways

Brock Howell, Cascade Bicycle Club