Ecosystem Map: A Granular Representation of the Edmonton Transit Service (ETS)

Abstract

An ecosystem map is a visual representation of an organization and its offered services. Through text, shape, colour, and line, it identifies relationships, issues, and service gaps and challenges. The visual acts as a communication tool between stakeholders and decision- makers as they plan, develop, and execute the service. There are no firm rules when representing ecosystem maps; the designer simply must frame the elements in as comprehensive and easily understandable a fashion as possible. In this project led by professor Isabelle Sperano, we partnered with community learning partner Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) to analyze its structure and the many elements that comprise it. With a focus on the topic of safety in public transit, I take a very granular view, listing every last channel, touchpoint, interaction, and safety concern and relate them to each other in a series of concentric rings that represent the user, stakeholders, and operational layers within the complex service. The ecosystem map is then used to inform the subsequent stages of the project, including research and solution development.

Department: Design

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Isabelle Sperano