EURO 2024 Copenhagen
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2887. User experience and timetable optimization

Invited abstract in session MD-54: Europe's Rail MOTIONAL: Algorithms for railway planning, stream Public Transport Optimization.

Monday, 14:30-16:00
Room: S01 (building: 101)

Authors (first author is the speaker)

1. Sara Gestrelius
Mobility and Systems, RISE RESEARCH INSTITUTES OF SWEDEN

Abstract

Many optimization models and algorithms have been proposed for the railway timetabling problem over the past decades. However, in practice, timetables are still constructed by planners with little to no optimization support. One step towards closing the gap between the state of art and state of practice is to research user experience aspects related to optimization-based timetable planning tools, and thereby better understand when and how the planners could gainfully use the algorithms in their everyday work.

In MOTIONAL WP6, RISE investigates user experience aspects that come into play when a timetable planner working for an infrastructure manager wants to use optimization/automation to solve conflicts for a train, or a set of trains, in the long-term planning process. “Participatory Design” is used to design a timetable planning support tool with optimization. The purpose of participatory design is to give a variety of stakeholders who will use the tool the opportunity to provide input on function, interaction, and visualizations to create a high-quality tool that supports their daily work. At the same time, optimization researchers will ensure that the design suggestions are likely to be implementable.

In this presentation we will share our current status of work, including knowledge gained from interviews, a hierarchical task analysis and a first sketch of the functionalities developed in the “Participatory Design” process.

Keywords

Status: accepted

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