CORDIS

Project Context and Objectives:
The project IC-IC “Enhancing interconnectivity through infoconnectivity” is part of the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme focussing on improving transportation of passengers by enhanced intermodality. Its purpose is to develop an InfoConnectivity System (ICS) which provides useful information to the passenger while travelling and explicitly while changing transport modes. ICS supports passengers so that they can enjoy smooth travel despite using various transport modes and encountering different countries and languages.

The stated project goals are:
• Identification of current practice in passenger focused information in interconnections between short- and long-distance transport networks (airports and connecting ground and air transport)
• Suggestions of innovative passenger focused information supply
• Suggestions of mobility enhancing concepts of interaction between transport network and their passengers in zones of intertwined information
• Model applications to show how intertwined information, ”designed for all“ in a multitude of languages, could work
• InfoConnectivity guidelines for optimization of existing interfaces between transport networks and passenger target groups addressing design, planning and deployment aspects.

The Project Coordinator and Contact for interested persons in IC-IC is STAR Engineering GmbH (Germany). Project partners are the International Institute for Information Design (IIID), FH Joanneum University of Applied Science and Fluidtime Data Services GmbH from Austria, Ecole Nationale des Arts Décoratifs and Attoma sarl from France, FUENFWERKEN Design AG from Germany and ESPI Designers B.V. from the Netherlands. Further Information about the project can be found on the project homepage www.ic-ic.eu.

Project Results:
The first period of the project mostly covers preparation activities for the development of an ICT (Information & Communication Technology) based ICS (InfoConnectivity System). In this sense a survey in three different European countries (Spain, Poland, and Russia) has been executed in order to assess missing customer information and the demand and possibilities for an ICT enhanced ICS. Based on these results also a theoretical assessment of required customer information was done by modelling different Personas, Journeys, and Scenarios. They can show different perspectives and needs of required information, by e.g. elderly or handicapped travellers as well as young, mobile ones. These results were then tested in field investigations, by means of fact-finding and benchmarking of self-service machines.
In the second project period the development of an ICS showed exemplary for four airport regions (Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris and Vieanna) was the main objective. This resulted in an Europe wide, standardized traveller App for providing orientation at airports to foreign tourists and journey information to everyone along the journey. This mean has been chosen from a range of information channel as it has the biggest impact and can be realized quickly. The ICS requirements have been derived in part from the results of the first half of the project and in part from Stakeholders' feedback. Based on this a fully working prototype, its design and implementation possibilities have been elaborated. In order to show a roadmap to implement ICS on airport regions, a Business Modell as well as Policy Recommendations have been derived covering ways to ease ICS implementation. Moreover, an ICS handbook presenting the project results in an interest sparking way for Stakeholders that are interested in implementing ICS has been provided. With a presentation of this mobile solution and possible business models on a stakeholders conference in Paris the project was finalized.

Potential Impact:
The possibilities of such an ICS are huge, as it leads to the creation of an information ecosystem. This can lead to a better interconnected area, attracting more tourists as they can travel more easily to their destinations. Especially groups with special requirements, like non-native speakers, elderly or handicapped people are more dependent on qualitative and relevant information. The availability of such information results in a positive travel experience. Moreover, a positive travel experience leads to a higher customer satisfaction and loyalty, which can be the competitive edge for the European tourism sector. Especially considering the massive invest and activities from emerging countries like United Arab Emirates or Turkey, a well working network of European transport providers, hubs and tourism should be more adapt to competing.
In addition, not only the tourism sector can benefit, but also the connected cities and towns, as interconnectivity is also important for local public transport providers. An improvement of interconnectivity through infoconnectivity can increase also travel experience for the every-day user which then could lead to a more frequent use of public transport reducing green house gas emissions. The application of ICS in various scenarios and places is possible, therefore, its potential impact for both industry and society enormous. In case of interest, visit our website: www.ic-ic.eu.

List of Websites:

www.ic-ic.eu