The Design of Interactive Services in a Smart City Node

Abstract

This research is focused on the effects of establishing an interactive service node in a city employing the concepts of smart city development. In today's cities, our everyday lives are increasingly shaped by various technologies and infrastructures, which we encounter everywhere and often. This research investigates this modern condition and their implication for the design of an interactive service node that incorporates smart city concepts. This research begins with a literature review of smart city design and city node development. Then, the servicescape concept of city pedestrian flow is discussed. Thirdly, the research plan and methodologies based on user-centered design and service design are proposed. Furthermore, user observation and the proposed methodology are implemented in the case study area, which is the city node located near Exit 4 of the ZhongXiao-Xinsheng Taipei MRT station. Finally, three design prototypes-the Green Trellis and Smart Bench combination, the Shrub Barriers for Sidewalk Safety improvement, and the Interactive Kiosk and Digital Signage Installation-are proposed and discussed. This research establishes that designing an interactive service node in a ＂smart city＂ is different than designing the same products and services as individual components. One reason for this is because in the social space of a city there is no structured sequence of actions and interactions. Every person experiences—and interacts in—a social space in his or her own unique way. This multiplicity of actions makes each user's perception of the city ＂not sustained, but partial, fragmentary, mixed with other concerns＂ .By integrating user-centered design and service design to map experiences and then to rank design attributes, this research emphasized that the final users are the main object of this type of research. Consequently, the research data has helped to identify the design ideas which appear to be most beneficial and promising for improving the users' experiences. Thus, this research demonstrated that the methodologies used were valid for evaluating the design of an interactive service node for a smart city.