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Helsinki’s Transport: A Service Design Success Story
Firstly, Service Design, what’s that?
Well…
“Service design improves the experiences of both the user and employee by designing, aligning, and optimizing an organization’s operations to better support customer journeys.”
Helsinki’s Transport: A Service Design Success Story
Recently, Dave completed his Service Design certificate course at NCAD, and for his final project, he explored some of the most successful service design projects. A standout example was Helsinki’s public transport system, which has undergone a remarkable transformation. Coincidentally, Diarmuid was in Helsinki recently for the football and can confirm that the system is far from terrible.
The Challenge
Helsinki’s public transport system is a vital part of daily life for both residents and visitors. However, like many urban networks, it wasn’t always the most user-friendly. Inconsistent pricing models, unclear touchpoints, and challenges with ease of use were some of the key areas that required attention.
That’s where Hellon a design consultancy, came in. Embedding themselves within the Helsinki transport authority for six years, their mission was to transform the system using full-stack service design. Hellon worked closely with:
- 4,300 customers
- 120 employees
- 25 bus drivers
- 20 political decision-makers
- 70 external stakeholders
This extensive engagement enabled them to understand the needs of all types of users, allowing for a holistic redesign of the service.
The Approach
Over the course of their engagement, Hellon launched 50 projects, ranging from rapid 5-day design sprints to long-term strategic planning. A major outcome was the introduction of the New Zone Model, which revamped pricing, interfaces, and customer touchpoints, creating a system that was more intuitive and user-focused.
One of the keys to success was Hellon’s commitment to understanding how real users interacted with the system. By following 30 customers over three months, they were able to observe and address various pain points as they emerged. Improvements were made to signage, ticketing systems, and the physical infrastructure of bus stops and train platforms to enhance the overall user experience.
The Results
By 2022, the impact of these changes was clear:
- 83% of customers felt safe using Helsinki’s public transport, up 9% from 2021.
- 89% of customers were either “very” or “relatively satisfied” with the service.
- TripAdvisor reviews reflect this positive shift: only 0.4% of reviews rated Helsinki’s transport system as “terrible”. For comparison, Dublin’s Luas has 14% terrible reviews, while the London Underground has 2%.
What Can We Learn?
Helsinki’s success highlights a few essential lessons for cities and organisations looking to improve their transport systems:
- Engage with users: Hellon’s process was built on listening to real users. Their feedback shaped a system that worked for everyone.
- A holistic approach: Transforming Helsinki’s transport wasn’t about making piecemeal changes. It required addressing all aspects of the service – from pricing to infrastructure.
- Iterate and improve: Continuous feedback and refinement ensured that improvements were meaningful and long-lasting.
- Ensure accessibility: Test with users who have disabilities
Conclusion
Dave’s final project on Helsinki’s public transport system demonstrates the power of service design when it’s applied thoughtfully. Hellon’s approach shows that by engaging users and continually improving the service, you can create a transport system that’s not just functional – but one of the best around. Diarmuid, fresh from his recent trip, can vouch for it!
