Lelya Kimel

An interactive visualization showing Berlin through the lens of the 15 minute city concept

This project was created in collaboration with Sebastian Strobel, Florian Zia and Anna Meide. We worked together as a group on the concept, My role was to develop the UX and UI design.

Click here to go to the website.

The 15-minute city is a new model for urban planning. It aims to improve the quality of life by creating cities in which everything a resident needs can be reached within 15 minutes by foot or bike. The main thought behind it is inclusivity through equal access, meaning creating more livable and fair cities for all their residents. There are also positive ecological implications in cities which require minimal travel from location to location.

In this project we decided to look at Berlin and compare it to the ideal of the 15-minutes city. The visualization reveals which areas in the city are already reaching this goal and which do not, it also shows what can these areas improve on.

Process

To create the visualization we experimented with many representations of the complex database, we started with a heat map and ended up with this ‘hexagoned Berlin’ which functions also as a diagram. The hexagons allow us to present the status of each area on its own, along side the condition of the city as a whole.

More information about the project can be found on the website itself.

A research project addressing the dangers for women’s safety in shared autonomous vehicles services

This project was created collaboration with Aleksandra Wingert. We worked together on the research, concept development and wire-frames. In the design and ideation stage I was responsible for the car prototype.

Reaserch

This project looks at the future scenario of self driving ride-shares. We focused on its implications for the safety of women. According to predictions, shared AVs (autonomous vehicles) will have a central role in the improvement of public transport in cities around the world. From the beginning we realized there is a unique problem for women in this promising bright future of shared AVs.

From the research we found that women will hesitate to use a shared AV service for fear of assault. This is best described by Adi Ravia, one of our interviewees:

“I trust AV more than a person I don't know. about AV at least I have data unlike about ‘John’ who is driving the Bus. But obviously I have worries about sharing a car. And in an AV even more than a car with a driver. I'm not even sure if I would use such a service.”

Women are half of the population and according to the OECD use public transport more than men, therefore creating a safe riding service for them is not only an ethical goal but also a business objective.

Process

Our research is the heart of the project and every design decision we made reflected it. We started with user interviews alongside a competitive study on similar existing services and read researches and publications on the the topic. After this stage we talked with experts in the field which also advised us during the ideation stages.

Our proposal

The project does not offer one revolutionary product but rather a set of easy to implement solutions which could fit in any future shared AV service. It can be looked at as a guide towards safer spaces for women.
This is a short summary of the proposed features:

Layout of the car
The car has abundant space and is optimized for privacy without isolation. The car has two doors to make sure no one could block the exit for another passenger, and the seats have armchairs for security and better personal space.

Sitting arrangement
Each passenger will be assigned a seat in a specific order. This strictness will create a respectful atmosphere and prevent the unpleasant experience of that weird guy that suddenly seats next to you on an empty bus.

Preview of car
Before booking a car the passengers will be presented with multiple options ranked according to their preferences (safest, quickest or most comfortable). In this stage they can also see the number of passengers on each car and some basic information about them.

Emergency, reporting and the last mile support
There are a few reporting options that range from small complaints to emergency cases which will lead to immediate action. They are reachable through the app but there is also an emergency button on each seat. The Botton can stop the car or set off an alarm. The alarm will also call the support center which will take care of the perpetrator. The Support center can also “follow” the user until they enter their home if they enable that option.

A digital portal for easy registration at the Berlin city hall.

This project was developed during a UX UI Design course at ReDI School. The assignment was to improve the registration process at Berlin city hall (Anmeldung). At the moment the process is ineffective and confusing. It takes a long time to find an appointment, the form is baffling and the procedure is done in german which is difficult for newcomers.

My suggestion is an online portal through which one can complete the whole process quickly and without struggle. The platform will have detailed explanations in simple language, it will be available in multiple languages, and to solve the lack of appointment, the ID authentication can be done through a video call, similar to the method used by online banks.

I was focused on making the registration as simple as possible. Creating a feeling for the user that they are led through the process smoothly, while receiving answers to any questions or worries they might have.

Process

In the development of the project I have followed the basic methods of UX design. Starting with observing the current customer Journey and user interviews in which the main pain and gain points were uncovered and placed on a value proposition canvas. From the findings I created the new user flow which led to a low fidelity and high fidelity wireframes. Then I developed the design elements and prototype. The prototype was tested with users, iterated and tested again until the current result.

Design decisions

The atmosphere of the design is aimed to create a friendly calming interface. The elements, including the typeface are rounded soft and minimal. The colors are a combination of the blue from the Berlin.de CI with fitting pleasant happy colors. Overall The design should feel contemporary, easy and most of all inviting.

A kinetic typographic installation of 210 paper sails turned by small motors

This project is a result of a collaboration with Jelle Spieker. Among other things, I was in charge of prototyping, developing the production process and coding.

Rendering meaning is an analogue typographic display: 210 paper sails are turned by small motors to reveal either a black or white side. Together these pixels animate a word or an expression. There is a constant ‘swish’ as the display is always in motion.

It displays synonyms in pairs (e.g. ‘angst’ and ‘fear’). The enlarged words in combination with the motion of the many turning motors emphasis the small differences in meaning between those terms and refer to the importance of the subtlety of language.

Process

Due to the complexity and scale of the project, there was a need for a lot of testing and proto­typing. We explored the visual effect and technical issues as more motors were added while trying to predict the problems that will occur when the whole installation would be set up.

We had to create the code without having the whole installation assembled yet. Therefore, I developed ways to debug the code for 210 motors with an arrangement of only two rows from the installation. It was a fascinating and extremely difficult process.

An interactive installation that invites the viewers to reflect on the ambivalent nature of international boundary making

In this project I researched borders and how they are created. What I found is an extremely technical process and I realized that most issues occur when this process is disturbed or not done at all. Meaning, neighbouring countries, that did not decide together where the border between them passes, are bound to have recurring conflicts around their resources, land and population.

The process of boundary making is usually done between countries that have tension and disputes between them. In order to create a stable border both sides have to work together, respect each other and overcome a heritage of hatred.

When the process is done correctly de­marc­ation symbolizes the result of collaboration, dialog and agreement between two countries. The boundary pillars existence embodies a paradoxical duality: Made to separate, at the same time, they also symbolize a connection.

In the installation one looks at a projection of a border pillar. Yet, as the viewer approaches the pillar, it blurs. My intention was to communicate the complexity of the topic which is extremely polarized and simplified in the general discourse. I ask the viewer to look at the matter from up close, to find a more ambi­valent and 'blurry' discussion.

Process

After deciding on the visual effect I wanted to achieve, I explored the best ways to create it. I tried out materials, from textiles to various types of plexiglass and treatments to create the best sharp to blurry effect. I developed the technical aspects, created and tested the construction, researched sensors and wrote the code that made everything work.

The first version included a complex arrangement of rails, a motor, two types of plexiglass, Arduino and sensors. For the second version, I found a simplified solution using a unique type of plexiglass, and smart film which reacts to electricity.