Workshop Challenges Urban Icons to Create "My Perfect Transit App"

You Generated Great Ideas

Brainstorming in-person, online, and via text, our Urban Agents submitted over 600 ideas for improving how we get around our city! We collected ideas about how your app could help you plan your next trip, have a smooth ride, adjust to change, learn from others, feel productive, and more. (Check them out at Urban Agent HQ)

We Sorted Ideas into Feature Categories

By grouping similar concepts, we formed 71 categories that describe potential feature areas. From "Summarize Whole Trip" to "Collect Rider Feedback" and "Learn My Priorities" to "Donate Rides," these groups expressed the wide range of possibilities for our app.

Urban Icons "Shop" for Their Features

We invited our most engaged brainstormers to join us as Urban Icons at a Design Workshop. We challenged them to choose their top five must-have features to create their ideal, completely custom transit app. It was tough to choose only five!

Sketching Our Apps' Screens

Using their custom feature lists as guides, Urban Icons drew key screens to explain how their apps would work for them.

Pitching "My Perfect Transit App"

With only two minutes on the clock, each Icon told the story of their custom-made app, explaining how they would use their features to make getting around awesome.

Jacqui's CTA App: Get me from point A to point B

Mark's Using Time: For somebody who rides the CTA everyday

Em's Transit Snob: For people who know where they're going and how to get there

George's Urban Agent

Theora's Learning App

Annemarie's Fake It Real: Look like an expert even when I'm not

Dan's Tick Tock Transit: For total efficiency

Melissa's Chicago Transit Buddy

Rex's Routebook: Uses statistics & social networking to make your trip more predictable & fun

Pete's Spice It Up: Transit game

Alex's My CTA: Because it's all about me

Liz's Chicago Transit Pro: For the highly-productive, expert know-it-all, Chicago transiter

Build Phase Coming Soon

During this next phase, our design team and development partners will work to code your ideas into a transportation app for the Chicago region. There will be more ways to participate during prototyping and beta testing, so stay tuned!

If you haven't already, sign up to receive our project updates.

Brainstorm 4: Enjoying

Last week we generated great ideas about how your app could help by learning from you and others. In Brainstorm Challenge 4 we'll focus on enjoying with these prompts:

• What is your favorite way to get around your city and why do you love it?
  What makes the bus, train, car, cab, water taxi, bike, or your own two feet the best way to travel? Other than just getting to your destination, what makes you really enjoy your journey?

• How might public transit incorporate the best parts of other ways to get around?
  What do you really appreciate about other ways to travel? What could change about transit to always make it your first choice? No idea is too big!

Check out Agent HQ for more inspiration from Agents' stories about enjoying from our Research Phase.

Submit Your Ideas…Via Text

Text your ideas to 773-340-0447. Text "sign up" to begin, we'll send you a Brainstorm prompt once or twice a week over the next few weeks, and you send us as many ideas as you'd like.

Submit Your Ideas…Online

• Draw your idea. The sketch can be simple – we just need to understand it.
• Attach a picture of your sketch in an email to agent@designingchicago.com. Give your idea a title in the subject line
  

Submit Your Ideas…In Person

Join us at our Chicago studio to meet other Agents, learn more about brainstorming, and come up with great ideas. 
6:00-8:00 PM  |  March 4th  |  Greater Good Studio  |  2864 N Milwaukee Ave
Please RSVP here

Keep in mind

• You can send in as many ideas as you like - the more, the better!
• Your submissions will be posted on Urban Agent HQ, where our team and the world can view, discuss, vote for, and be inspired by your work.
• Before you get started, read through our Submission Guidelines and Terms so you know what we expect from all of our participants. 
• We rely on your questions and feedback to help us make this process better, so please let us know how we can improve!

Brainstorm 3: Learning

Last week we generated great ideas to help you have a smooth trip. In Brainstorm Challenge 3 we'll focus on learning with these prompts:

• What are the most important things you want your app to learn about you?
  How might your app help you have a great trip by knowing more about you? How could this app truly become your transportation app? 
• What could your app learn from other users to improve your trip?
  Maybe your question could be answered by one person down the block. Or maybe you need the compiled wisdom of thousands of Chicagoans. What are you wondering, and how could your app help by using the knowledge of the crowd?

Check out Agent HQ for more inspiration from Agents' stories about learning from our Research Phase.

Submit Your Ideas…Via Text

Text your ideas to 773-340-0447. Text "sign up" to begin, we'll send you a Brainstorm prompt once or twice a week over the next few weeks, and you send us as many ideas as you'd like.

Submit Your Ideas…Online

• Draw your idea. The sketch can be simple – we just need to understand it.
• Attach a picture of your sketch in an email to agent@designingchicago.com. Give your idea a title in the subject line and tell us:
  What is your app doing? What's clever and unique about your idea?
  What is happening around you? What's the context of using this app?

Submit Your Ideas…In Person

Join us at our Chicago studio to meet other Agents, learn more about brainstorming, and come up with great ideas. 
6:00-8:00 PM  |  February 25th & March 4th  |  Greater Good Studio  |  2864 N Milwaukee Ave
Please RSVP here

Keep in mind

• You can send in as many ideas as you like - the more, the better!
• Your submissions will be posted on Urban Agent HQ, where our team and the world can view, discuss, vote for, and be inspired by your work.
• Before you get started, read through our Submission Guidelines and Terms so you know what we expect from all of our participants. 
• We rely on your questions and feedback to help us make this process better, so please let us know how we can improve!

Brainstorm 2: Moving

Last week we generated great ideas to help planning. In Brainstorm Challenge 2 we'll focus on moving with these prompts:

• How Might My App... help me have a smooth trip from when I leave one place to when I arrive at the next?
  How might your app help during the whole trip, whether you're going down the block or across town? How could your app make you feel confident about each step of your trip? How might your app help you seamlessly transition between modes of transportation (ex. train to bus)? 
• How Might My App… help when things don't go as planned?
  Maybe you're running late, or your meeting was canceled, or the train is delayed. Or, what if the weather's better than expected, you've finished work early, or you want to try a shortcut? When things change, how could your app help?

Check out Agent HQ for more inspiration from Agents' stories about moving from our Research Phase.

Submit Your Ideas…Via Text

Text your ideas to 773-340-0447. We'll send you a Brainstorm prompt once or twice a week over the next few weeks, and you send us as many ideas as you'd like.

Submit Your Ideas…Online

• Draw your idea. The sketch can be simple – we just need to understand it.
• Attach a picture of your sketch in an email to agent@designingchicago.com. Give your idea a title in the subject line and tell us:
  What is your app doing? What's clever and unique about your idea?
  What is happening around you? What's the context of using this app?

Submit Your Ideas…In Person

Join us at our Chicago studio to meet other Agents, learn more about brainstorming, and come up with great ideas. 
6:00-8:00 PM  |  February 18th, 25th & March 4th  |  Greater Good Studio  |  2864 N Milwaukee Ave
Please RSVP here

Keep in mind

• You can send in as many ideas as you like - the more, the better!
• Your submissions will be posted on Urban Agent HQ, where our team and the world can view, discuss, vote for, and be inspired by your work.
• Before you get started, read through our Submission Guidelines and Terms so you know what we expect from all of our participants. 
• We rely on your questions and feedback to help us make this process better, so please let us know how we can improve!

Brainstorm 1: Planning

Hello Urban Agents- welcome to the first brainstorm challenge!

From our research, we know that every trip is made up of two modes: planning and moving. This week we're focusing on planning, and we'll give you two prompts as starting points to help you create great ideas for your future app. You can be inspired by one or both and submit as many ideas as you like!

Prompt One: How Might My App... prepare me for my next trip?

How could your app give you information that makes you feel prepared to leave the house? How might your app take the worry out of your trip? How might your app prepare you for your next thing, whether that thing is right now, later today, or tomorrow? What do you do to prepare for trips, and how could your app help?

Prompt Two: How Might My App… plan trips based on things I care about?

Maybe you really care about being on time, or care about having a stress-free trip or simply care about burning calories that day. What do you care about when planning your trips, and how could your app help?

Check out Agent HQ for more inspiration from Agents' stories about planning from our Research Phase.

Submit Your Ideas Online

• Draw your idea. Your sketch can be very simple- the important thing is to visualize your idea so that others can understand it. Check out the video above for some examples, and click over to Agent HQ to see what other Agents have been up to.
• Take a picture of your sketch.
• Attach the picture in an email to agent@designingchicago.com
  
• Give your idea a title in the subject line and answer these two questions to help us understand your idea:
  

1. What is your app doing? Tell us what's clever and unique about your idea.
2. What is happening around you? Tell us about the context of using this app.

Submit Your Ideas In Person

Join us at our Chicago studio to meet other Agents, learn more about brainstorming, and come up with great ideas. The prompts for each event will correspond to that week's challenge, and you're welcome to come to as many as you'd like.
6:00-8:00 PM  |  February 11th, 18th, 25th & March 4th  |  Greater Good Studio  |  2864 N Milwaukee Ave
Please RSVP here

Keep in mind

> You can send in as many ideas as you like - the more, the better!

> Your submissions will be posted on Urban Agent HQ, where our team and the world can view, discuss, vote for, and be inspired by your work. Click on over to the HQ to see what other Agents have been up to and join the conversation!

> No photo = no post. We can't take emails without images, so please include that sketch!

> Don't worry if you see that someone else has sent in a similar idea already - the more ideas the better!

> Don't worry if you don't take public transit, or don't live in Chicago. We think everyone has at least one idea for how getting around cities can be better, and we want to hear them.

> Before you get started, read through our Submission Guidelines and Terms so you know what we expect from all of our participants.

Any questions?

We rely on your questions and feedback to help us make this process better, so please let us know how we can improve!

Welcome to the Design Phase

Check out this video to learn more about how you can help us turn research insights into an app that makes navigating our city awesome.

We’ll kick off the Design Phase on February 11th with the first of four brainstorm challenges for our app's features. Whether you've already been participating as an Agent or have been following along, we're excited to see your ideas!

Save the Dates: Brainstorm Open Studio
Now you can participate online and in person. Join us at our Chicago studio to meet other Agents and come up with great ideas. Your work will be posted on Agent HQ where the world can comment and vote for favorites!
6:00-8:00 PM  |  February 11th, 18th, 25th & March 4th  |  2864 N Milwaukee Ave

RSVP for Brainstorm Open Studio

New Agents Welcome!
Didn't participate in the Research Phase? Think you can't draw? No problem! We'll teach you everything you need to know to think up and share your great ideas. There's still time to join the team!

RSVP for Brainstorm Open Studio

During the Design Phase, you can participate online and in person. Join us at our Chicago studio to meet other Agents, learn more about brainstorming, and create great ideas. Your work will be posted on Agent HQ where the world can comment and vote for favorites!

6:00-8:00 PM  |  February 11th, 18th, 25th & March 4th  |  2864 N Milwaukee Ave

You're invited to attend as many live brainstorms as you'd like. Please complete the RSVP below and we'll save you a seat. Feel free to RSVP for one date now and come back later to RSVP for another.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Brainstorm Open Studio RSVP

Name *

Name

First Name

Last Name

Email Address *

Date(s) *

Please select the brainstorm(s) you are planning to attend.

February 11

February 18

February 25

March 4

Number attending

Are you bringing anyone with you?

Questions or Comments

Thank you for submitting your RSVP! 

Research Workshop Turns Your Stories into Design Directions

You Sent In Your Stories

Great work, Agents! With your participation, we learned a ton about how people know where they are, get where they’re going, and try to have a great day along the way. In the Designing Chicago research phase, Urban Agents submitted over 300 navigation tools, pro tips, and best and worst transportation moments. (Check them out at Urban Agent HQ!)

These stories came from the real experts- people finding their ways around Chicago and cities across the world.

Urban Icons Assemble

Each of these stories could spark great ideas for our app, but we wanted to distill these experiences and prioritize a few key directions for the design phase. So we invited our most observant, empathetic, and imaginative Agents to join us as Urban Icons at a Research Workshop.

Fueled by pizza and candy, the Icons worked in small groups to analyze the stories.

How Might We... 

Icons developed How Might We statements (HMWs) based on Agents’ stories. These are open-ended statements of possibility, describing an area for potential change.

Our Urban Icons developed over 150 How Might We statements! In the design phase, we’ll be using some of these HMWs to generate lots of ideas for features for our app, so we needed them to be broad enough to encourage creativity but narrow enough to help refine our focus.

Sorting & Prioritizing Design Directions

As a large group, we put all of the HMWs up on the wall, found connections between ideas, and sorted all of these possibilities into categories. We knew that our Design Phase wouldn’t be able to address all 32 categories, so we asked the Icons to vote for the highest priority areas of opportunity.

These areas will help focus the design phase around the most important problems (and greatest opportunities!) we found in the research phase.

Design Phase Coming Soon

That was the end of the Research Workshop, but there's still more to do with Designing Chicago!

We’ll kick off the Design Phase in February with a series of brainstorm challenges for our app's features. Whether you participated in the Research Phase or are new to the team, we're excited to see your ideas! If you haven't already, sign up to receive the Brainstorms via email.

Assignments Recap

One more week to submit to the Research Phase!
In preparation for the research workshop, we'll be printing all of the stories on Urban Agent HQ on Sunday December 2nd. We want to include your transit tools, pro tips, and best and worst moments, so please submit them soon!

How to Submit your Stories
Take a picture that relates to your story.
Attach the picture in an email to agent@designingchicago.com
Name your story in the subject line.
Answer the Assignment questions (see below) in the email body.
Send! You'll get a confirmation email in a few minutes from Urban Agent HQ.
Repeat with a separate email and photo for each story.

Assignment One: Observe Your Commute
Identify transit tools on your commute - things that help you know where you are, and get where you're going. Answer these questions:
1. What information is this tool giving you? Why are you using it right now, and what's helpful about it?
2. What information do you really want to know, in this moment, that this tool isn't giving you?

Assignment Two: Become a Newbie
Step outside of your regular routine and go somewhere new. Send in the transit tools that help you find your way along this new journey. Answer these questions: (same as Assignment One)
1. What information is this tool giving you? Why are you using it right now, and what's helpful about it?
2. What information do you really want to know, in this moment, that this tool isn't giving you?

Assignment Three: Collect Pro Tips
Share your expertise and collect tips from the pros. What are the secret commuting tricks that help you feel like a professional city dweller? Answer these questions:
1. What is the Pro Tip?
2. What benefit do you get from following this Pro Tip?

Assignment Four: Share Your Best and Worst
What are your transportation highs and lows? The very best, and very worst moments from among all your transit memories? Answer these questions:
1. What happened?
2. Why was it the Best or Worst? 

Assignment 4: Share your Best and Worst

(If you're new to Designing Chicago, check out Assignment 1 first. You can complete the assignments in any order, but Assignment 1 has some important info about how to participate.)

Agents, thank you for working so hard over the past few months. Thank you for believing in this project and sharing our vision that our city can be more connected, more livable and more sustainable. We’re almost done with research, and we can’t wait to start designing in 2013. But there's still one more type of information we'd like to learn about first.

Your final research assignment is to share your Best and Worst transportation moments. We've learned a lot about the tools, information, and tips people use to know where they are and get where they're going, but now we want to hear what's good and bad about your journey.

For the Best moments, you can send in stories about your ideal trip, your favorite transit memory, or a highlight from your commute today. For the Worst moments, tell us a bit about the low points getting around our city. Again, these can be stories from your past or something that happened on your trip today. These moments can be as big or small as you like.

When you remember or notice a Best or Worst moment, take a picture that relates to the story. Or find a related image on Wikimedia Commons that's in the public domain or under a Creative Commons license. (Please take care to attribute as required. See an example from an Agent here.)

Email the picture to agent@designingchicago.com. Name your story in the subject line, and then answer these 2 questions:

1. What happened?

2. Why was it the Best or Worst?

Why are we asking you to collect Best and Worst moments? We want our tool to help with the whole journey, and that includes all its ups and downs. Sharing stories about the extremes of best and worst will help us learn about not just how we think about transportation, but how it makes us feel. Emotions can have a big impact on our experiences, so we want to be sure they're represented in our research.

We hope you have fun sharing and discussing your Best and Worst, and we look forward to meeting you at the Designing Chicago Party on December 7th!

Keep in mind:

> Collect and share as many stories as you like - the more the better!

> Don't worry if you don't live in Chicago! We're curious about the Best and Worst of getting around everywhere and across many modes of transportation.

> Before you get started, read through our Submission Guidelines and Terms so you know what we expect from all of our participants.

> We trust that you will be safe in your Agent activities, but just a reminder: Please don't take photos while operating a moving vehicle (car or bike). If you can pull over, please do, or take a similar photo later when you don't need both your hands to steer.

(check out Assignment 1 for more good tips)

Urban Agent HQ

Your submissions will be posted on Urban Agent HQ, where our team and the world can view, comment, share, and learn from your work. The discussion on the HQ will help us develop research insights, so join the conversation!

Any questions?

Please let us know! We'll compile common questions on our FAQ page, but if you can't find your answer there, just send us an email. We rely on your questions and feedback to help us make this process the best it can be. So please let us know how we can improve!

Update 3: Save the Dates!

Check out this video for a quick update and info on two big events!

There's still plenty of time to send in your Pro Tips for Assignment 3. The next time you feel like an expert at getting around your city, send a picture to agent@designingchicago.com and tell us about those little things you do to make your trip faster, better, or more enjoyable. And don't forget to ask your friends, coworkers, or even a real professional for their expert advice, too!

The Designing Chicago Party: Join us on Friday, December 7th at Greater Good Studio in Logan Square to celebrate the work you've done, and meet us and each other! Mark your calendars now, and look for an official invite soon.

The Research Workshop: Urban Icons will gather in our studio on Wednesday, December 12th for a working session where we'll take all the stories, photos, comments, and ideas from Agent HQ and figure out what they mean. We'll identify the biggest user needs, the strongest opportunities, and the priorities to guide our app's design. Icons will be selected in the next few weeks from the most observant, empathetic, and imaginative Urban Agents. Let us know that you're interested, and we'll be sure to consider your work.

See you on Urban Agent HQ!

Assignment 3: Collect Pro Tips

(If you're new to Designing Chicago, check out Assignment 1 first. You can complete the assignments in any order, but Assignment 1 has some important info about how to participate.)

Agents, your third assignment is to collect Pro Tips. These are the transit shortcuts, the best practices, the secret expert knowledge that all commuters have, but that nobody ever talks about, because nobody ever thought to ask. So, we are asking! What have you learned through experience that you didn't know when you started out? Maybe you learned through trial and error, or from friends, coworkers, and other riders.

Send in your own Pro Tips as well as those you collect from other experts. These experts could be your friends and coworkers or even real professionals like bus or taxi drivers, station attendants, and bike messengers.

When you think of or hear a Pro Tip, take a picture and email it to agent@designingchicago.com. Name your tip in the subject line, and then answer these 2 questions:

1. What is the Pro Tip?

2. What benefit do you get from following this Pro Tip? 

Why are we asking you to collect Pro Tips? We want our tool to be informed by the amazing wealth of knowledge that’s found only in locals like you. We want our tool to take into account the nuanced expertise of riders and the quirky realities of our city. (And don't worry if you're not in Chicago- we can learn a lot from experts everywhere!) Hearing about your Pro Tips will help us learn more about what information is gathered through experience and might be missing from other transit tools.

We hope you have fun collecting Pro Tips, and we can't wait to see what you share!

Keep in mind:

> Collect and share as many Pro Tips as you like - the more the better!

> Don't worry if you don't live in Chicago! We're curious about Pro Tips  everywhere and across many modes of transportation.

> Before you get started, read through our Submission Guidelines and Terms so you know what we expect from all of our participants.

> We trust that you will be safe in your Agent activities, but just a reminder: Please don't take photos while operating a moving vehicle (car or bike). If you can pull over, please do, or take a similar photo later when you don't need both your hands to steer.

(check out Assignment 1 for more good tips)

Urban Agent HQ

Your submissions will be posted on Urban Agent HQ, where our team and the world can view, comment, share, and learn from your work. The discussion on the HQ will help us develop research insights, so join the conversation!

Any questions?

Please let us know! We'll compile common questions on our FAQ page, but if you can't find your answer there, just send us an email. We rely on your questions and feedback to help us make this process the best it can be. So please let us know how we can improve!

Spanish translations for Assignments 1 + 2 are available

It might have gone a little under the radar as we got our process in sync, but we are now adding Spanish translations to each assignment video as they appear (usually about a week after it 'airs').

We've been working with a fantastic translator, Maria Paula Loayza (an undergrad design student at the School of the Art Institute) and with her help we'll be interpreting any Spanish submissions to the assignments.

So if you have spanish speaking (or reading for that matter) friends, please suggest they view our first two assignments. 

Update 2: Making news & Becoming a newbie

Check out this video for some great news and a quick update!

If you've already submitted transit tools from your trip as a newbie, keep up the good work!  If you haven't yet completed Assignment Two, don't worry- there's still plenty of time. You can respond to the assignments any time during the Research phase, which runs for 5 more weeks!

Becoming a newbie doesn't have to be too hard. You probably already go new places every now and then, and we can learn as much from these small trips as a big adventure. It could be as simple as finding a new restaurant for lunch, getting to a meeting in a different neighborhood, or going to a friend's house for the first time.

The next time you find yourself going somewhere new or using a different mode of transit, keep an eye out for transit tools, send them in to agent@designingchicago.com, and we'll get them posted on Urban Agent HQ. We're excited to see what else you discover as a newbie, and we'll be back with Assignment Three next week!

Assignment 2: Become a Newbie

(video con subtítulos en español)

(If you're new to Designing Chicago, check out Assignment 1 first. You can complete the assignments in any order, but Assignment 1 has some important info about how to participate.)

Agents, your second assignment is to become a newbie. You can do this by either 1) Going somewhere new or 2) Taking a new mode of transportation to a place you go regularly. Either way, we want you to collect the transit tools you use during your entire journey.

Just like for Assignment 1, when you notice yourself using a transit tool, take a picture and email it to agent@designingchicago.com. Name your tool in the subject line, and then answer these 2 questions about this transit tool:

1. What information is this tool giving you? Why are you using it right now, and what's helpful about it?

2. What information do you really want to know, in this moment, that this tool isn't giving you?

Why are we asking you to become a newbie? By having an experience outside of your usual routine, you'll probably have different questions and use different tools to know where you are and get where you're going. We can learn a lot from people in new situations because they have more needs than experts, and their needs are more obvious. Newbies are one type of extreme user, and if we can meet the needs of extreme users, we have a better chance of meeting everybody's needs.

We hope you have fun trying something new, and we can't wait to see what you discover!

Keep in mind:

> Become a newbie as many times as you'd like, and send in as many transit tools as you find- the more, the better!

> Don't worry if you don't live in Chicago! We're curious about transit tools everywhere and across many modes of transportation.

> Before you get started, read through our Submission Guidelines and Terms so you know what we expect from all of our participants.

> We trust that you will be safe in your Agent activities, but just a reminder: Please don't take photos while operating a moving vehicle (car or bike). If you can pull over, please do, or take a similar photo later when you don't need both your hands to steer.

(check out Assignment 1 for more good tips)

Urban Agent HQ

Your submissions will be posted on Urban Agent HQ, where our team and the world can view, comment, share, and learn from your work. The discussion on the HQ will help us develop research insights, so join the conversation!

Any questions?

Please let us know! We'll compile common questions on our FAQ page, but if you can't find your answer there, just send us an email. We rely on your questions and feedback to help us make this process the best it can be. So please let us know how we can improve!

Update 1: Great work so far & Exciting news!

Check out this video for a quick update and a HUGE announcement!

If you've already submitted transit tools from your commute, keep up the great work- we want to see even more! Keep sending them in to agent@designingchicago.com and we'll get them posted on Urban Agent HQ. If you haven't yet completed Assignment One, don't worry- there's still time. Get to it, and we'll be back with Assignment Two next week!

Assignment 1: Observe Your Commute

(video con subtítulos en español)

Agents, your first assignment is to observe your own commute. The same trip you take every day, but this time you're going to do it with fresh eyes. 

The next time you leave your house, we want you to keep your eyes peeled for TRANSIT TOOLS: things that help you know where you are, and get where you're going. Almost anything in your life could be a transit tool: announcements, signs, posters, buildings, websites, apps, other people, cars, hey, even NPR could be a transit tool. As long as it's something that gives you information that helps you navigate your city.

When you notice yourself using a transit tool, take a picture and email it to agent@designingchicago.com. Name your tool in the subject line of the email. Then, answer these 2 questions about this transit tool:

1. What information is this tool giving you? Why are you using it right now, and what's helpful about it?

2. What information do you really want to know, in this moment, that this tool isn't giving you?

You might be wondering why are we looking for transit tools. Well, as a team we’ll be looking for patterns in what people see and do. Those patterns are hugely insightful as we start to make decisions about what most people want and need. This is the very first stage of user-centered research, a best practice for designing anything new and innovative.

Learning about the tools you use will teach us how people use the assets that are available today, what’s working well about them that we don't need to replicate, and how we might build our app to work with them.

Learning about the info that you’d really like to know, that tools aren’t telling you, will teach us about the holes in people’s experiences - the needs that are unmet right now, that we can help meet with our app.

More Tips

> You can send in as many transit tools as you like - the more, the better!

> No photo = no post. We can't take emails without images, so please include that picture. This might mean tossing your digital camera in your bag, or figuring out how to get pictures off of your cellphone!

> If the tool isn't visual (eg: the radio) just take a picture of whatever's in front of you (eg: your iPod, your car's dashboard) that can "represent" the tool.

> If you really can't (or just didn't) get a picture in the moment, take one later of a similar moment. We just need a visual example to support your point.

> If you want to show us a website, don't send a link. Take a screenshot of the website and send that in as your picture!

> Don't worry if you see that someone else has sent in the same transit tool already - we're looking for the patterns so if you use something too, we want to know!

> Don't worry if you don't take public transit, or don't live in Chicago! We're curious about transit tools everywhere, and we're curious about transit tools on trains and buses and bikes and the sidewalk and cars and carpools and airports.

> Before you get started, read through our Submission Guidelines and Terms so you know what we expect from all of our participants.

> We trust that you will be safe in your Agent activities, but just a reminder: Please don't take photos while operating a moving vehicle (car or bike). If you can pull over, please do, or take a similar photo later when you don't need both your hands to steer.

Urban Agent HQ

Your submissions will be posted on Urban Agent HQ, where our team and the world can view, discuss, share, and learn from your work. When you send your first submission, you'll get a confirmation email with an automatically-assigned Agent Name. This Agent Name will be displayed with your submissions on Agent HQ. Just let us know if you're like to personalize your Agent Name. Click on over to the HQ to see what other Agents have been up to and join the conversation!

Any questions?

Please let us know! We'll compile common questions on our FAQ page, but if you can't find your answer there, just send us an email. We rely on your questions and feedback to help us make this process the best it can be. So please let us know how we can improve!

Urban Agent Reference Sheet

Here's a handy, printable cheat sheet for Urban Agent Assignment One.