A Step Towards Inclusive Design and Cross-cultural Communication: Rethinking the Design of Public Bus Services in Hefei Based on the Behaviour of International Student Users

This study adopts a combination of design research methods, including shadowing and customer journey maps, to study the service process of ground public transportation in Hefei from two dimensions of time and space. The researchers observed and captured various visible, identifiable and accessible physical contact points between people and objects and people in the process of using the facilities related to bus stations, as well as the international student users' travel. The impact of the interactive environment on user behavior was studied, the contact points that have serious impact on user experience were discovered, and the travel chain and behavior flow of international student users were established. Based on the research results, this article proposes to optimize the inclusive design of Hefei city bus service from three dimensions: ontology, behavior and value, and constructs a multi-level, multi-channel and all-process product-information-environment-service system of "mobile touchpoints - travel context" to realize user pleasure and cross-cultural communication. In addition, this paper also proposes strategies to improve the inclusive design of the service system from the perspective of different stakeholders, including the government, bus operators, designers and society, to create a positive, positive and friendly inclusive environment, which is important for building a harmonious society.