Future tram for Sheffield?

[Annie Bynnol 612]

This is a good response planner but as someone who has been involved in software design for a good 30+ years, I know, and am sure you too are aware, of the discipline user experience design. The questioner is simply a non-expert user. And no matter how great the designer thinks he or she is, if it doesn't work for the user, it doesn't work.

 

Many online services (of complexity arguably much greater than a set of traffic lights) have learned this the hard way. Indeed I was a meeting at the Home Office last year discussing all the UX-related enhancements to gov.uk.

 

As we like to say, "the user is king".

 

Interesting points. If only the operation of traffic lights in cities was as easy as train signalling or a pelican(etc.) crossing in the middle of nowhere.

 

Identifying which "user is king" or whose UX to measure is not only sometimes difficult but often impossible neither does help to cope with future proofing, change and desire which are often far too complicated for a computer to model.

Software control should be easy-and feedback from surroundings can be monitored, acted on and learnt so that timings can change accordingly. However software does not respond well to "its crap" by the stopped driver of a heavily laden lorry at the bottom of the hill when another 5 cyclists, 10 cars, 5 pedestrians, 2 lorries, 5 vans, one taxi dropping off are also saying "its crap" with various levels of venom and levels of pollution. Or the effects and similar responses at the surrounding 5 junctions, shops businesses etc.

 

Who is the user at a road junction?

Perhaps in the future the software should be able to explain to "Mr Angry" why all the lights are against them all the time -in twitter format.

[E-Man Groovin 27]

Interesting points. If only the operation of traffic lights in cities was as easy as train signalling or a pelican(etc.) crossing in the middle of nowhere.

 

Identifying which "user is king" or whose UX to measure is not only sometimes difficult but often impossible neither does help to cope with future proofing, change and desire which are often far too complicated for a computer to model.

Software control should be easy-and feedback from surroundings can be monitored, acted on and learnt so that timings can change accordingly. However software does not respond well to "its crap" by the stopped driver of a heavily laden lorry at the bottom of the hill when another 5 cyclists, 10 cars, 5 pedestrians, 2 lorries, 5 vans, one taxi dropping off are also saying "its crap" with various levels of venom and levels of pollution. Or the effects and similar responses at the surrounding 5 junctions, shops businesses etc.

 

Who is the user at a road junction?

Perhaps in the future the software should be able to explain to "Mr Angry" why all the lights are against them all the time -in twitter format.

 

Great, considered and intelligent response (as usual I must say) Annie. These are very good points. In terms of road junctions the whole idea of UX may present interesting challenges, and the answers may not be technical (my degrees are in psychology, so I'm at home with that stuff). What might be needed is something to do with communication perhaps? Nevertheless I remain firm in my view that the UX issues should be faced and dealt with, I think we might have a better city as a result.

 

But I really like the points you raise in your post. They have got me thinking. Thanks :-)

[Cyclone 10]

You suggested by stating:

 

Surely if both set of lights turned to green at the same time the waiting traffic at Penistone Rd and Leppings Lane would move together.

Which would alsol heip traffic that want to access the outside lane to cross to Herries Rd sooner than they can at the momecnt being stuck in a single file up to the split to 2 lanes by the garage. Which is another problem

 

that you think you know better than the people who designed it.

 

You're also wanting them to optimise the operation of the junction around someone entering it from one of the minor approaches, making a turning movement.

 

The junction will be optimised for the heaviest flows, which are straight ahead on the main road. The minor movements have to fit in around that.

 

I have offered you the contact details for a very nice chap at the Council who will explain to you how the junction works and why, in a way you will understand. It's much better if you speak to them direct rather than me being an intermediary.

 

Let me know if you want the details.

 

---------- Post added 12-11-2017 at 13:48 ----------

 

The engineers who design junction layouts and configure signals use software and modelling tools which are pretty much industry standard. They also have to follow regulations and guidance set down by the government.

 

The fact is that someone who does something for a living will normally know more about it than an occasional user of the facilities. You would not expect it to be any other way. It's not impossible that an end user might have a brilliant idea that no-one else has ever thought of, but in a lengthy career, I've not seen one yet involving how traffic signal junctions are designed / operated.

 

There are usually alternatives, the good designer considers them all and comes up with the best solution available.

 

This isn't a case of "we know best" its a case of a driver entering a large, complex junction from a side road and making a turning movement, somehow expecting that the junction configuration should be optimised to minimise their delays. It probably could be, but that might well mean delays elsewhere in the main approaches. The priority will normally be to move the traffic on the main approaches most efficiently. There will be quite a few other considerations too.

 

Drivers have views and are entitled to express them. They should also get their queries answered. I've offered this person the details so they can contact someone at the Council who can explain why that junction works the way it does and answer any questions they have.

 

It's possible as a user though to see many small inefficiencies.

For example, at this junction.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.4114254,-1.5039817,3a,75y,97.14h,79.35t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sK1bT0tJa1mctUsg3eCxxZQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DK1bT0tJa1mctUsg3eCxxZQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D49.192554%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656

The left turn filter to turn down Leppings Lane doesn't come on when traffic is coming out of Leppings Lane.

Or here

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.410194,-1.5039472,3a,75y,293.2h,95.47t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sF4dGlLKJi8071lze6_gY0w!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DF4dGlLKJi8071lze6_gY0w%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D8.558521%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656

I sat at these traffic lights and watched as the red cycle for ALL the lights stayed on simultaneously for longer than any light ever gets a green.

That's no traffic through the junction in any direction, including foot traffic (if they waited for a green man).

[Annie Bynnol 612]

It's possible as a user though to see many small inefficiencies.

For example, at this junction.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.4114254,-1.5039817,3a,75y,97.14h,79.35t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sK1bT0tJa1mctUsg3eCxxZQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DK1bT0tJa1mctUsg3eCxxZQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D49.192554%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656

The left turn filter to turn down Leppings Lane doesn't come on when traffic is coming out of Leppings Lane.

 

If the turn you are describing is the left turn from Catch Bar Lane into Leppings Lane then:

 

As there is no filter to indicate a left turn on the traffic lights so both ahead and left turns are stop on red, go on green. This arrangement protects the pedestrians crossing Leppings Lane.

This crossing is not controlled by the users, it is part of the cycle. If it was controlled by pedestrians other vehicle movements at this junction would be affected by the increased complexity of the cycle presumably slowing all users.

 

In the US and elsewhere, drivers would automatically give way to people at this kind of turn unfortunately in the UK drivers are not trusted/capable/not used to this level of consideration which speeds up every road user including themselves.

[BigAl1 143]

This is deserving of a thread in its own right rather than derailing the subject of trams