My project was to design a safety accessory for women motorcyclists in Ahmedabad. My research aimed at understanding the target group’s lifestyles and their associations with mobility and thereby, two-wheelers. I focused my observations on their present and future requirements in terms of vehicular safety.
Rapid urbanization, changing demographics and inadequate public transport systems have resulted in doubling of the sales of two-wheelers over the past decades. According to industry estimates, two lakh two-wheelers are bought for/by women. With such large numbers of women becoming increasingly mobile, issues of their safety – both emotional and physical – have to be attended to. Therefore, my research aimed at reasoning and tapping the opportunity area – need for safety accessories for women riding two wheelers; providing an understanding of what safety means to a woman; mapping socio-cultural/political/environmental influences behind her choice of purchase or lack of purchase of two wheeler accessories like helmets, eyewear, etc.; and encouraging the voluntary use of safety accessories while riding.
The project looked at a woman motorcyclist’s perceived safety and personal security. Ahmedabad, being the study area, gave adequate opportunities to interact with women riders. It also involved developing an understanding of the considerable variation in transportation needs of men and women. I applied different approaches of user centric design research methods like observing behavioural traits that women adapt to protect themselves from what they perceive as a threat. This resulted in the design of a product - a scarf, for protection against harsh weather, and a set of scenarios which suggest service and system level intervention.
This project has led me on the path of self-discovery, both as a person and as a designer. I have learnt the importance of self-motivation and gained confidence to make my own decisions.
