February 10, 2026

🚴 Velix - Design Thinking

Collaborative Urban Safety for Cyclists

Course: Design Thinking (TU Wien) Team: Group 2 Members: Elodie Arock, Aitana Carracedo Cidoncha, Evan Cocain, Maya Gomes Role: UX Research, Prototyping & Concept Development

🎯 The Challenge

Urban cyclists regularly experience near misses and micro-dangers that never appear in official accident statistics.

The problem

Existing reporting tools are mainly smartphone-based. Using them while cycling is slow, distracting, and unsafe, especially in dense traffic.

The consequence

Because reporting requires too much effort, many incidents remain undocumented. City planners are left with incomplete and biased data about dangerous infrastructure.

💡 The Solution: Velix

Velix is a dual-component system designed to create a seamless connection between cyclists and urban decision-makers.

1. The Device

Handlebar-mounted reporting tool

A low-tech, distraction-free hardware device that stays accessible while riding.

Key features

Voice activation Cyclists can say: “Hey Velix, report parking problem” to instantly log an issue without stopping.
One-touch button A physical alternative for manual input when voice recognition is unreliable.
Haptic feedback A vibration confirms that the report has been successfully recorded.

Technical components

GPS for precise location
Microphone for voice input
NFC for secure data transfer
Vibration motor for feedback

2. The Community Hub

Interactive urban safety map

Public digital screens placed in strategic community locations such as university campuses.

How it works

NFC sync Cyclists tap their Velix device to upload ride data.
Heat maps Red markers indicate reported problem zones, while green markers show resolved improvements.
Collective awareness Users can add context to reports and see that their experiences are shared by others.

🧩 The Design Process

We followed a structured Design Thinking methodology, progressing from research to concept validation.

📚 1. Literature Research

We first validated our core assumption. Studies confirmed that a dedicated physical device outperforms smartphone apps by enabling instant, low-effort reporting and capturing contextual data at the exact moment of the incident.

🗣️ 2. Expert Interviews

We interviewed urban cyclists from Vienna and the Netherlands, a bicycle rental volunteer, and a police officer.

Key insight

“If reporting isn’t quick, transparent, and simple, it simply won’t be made.”

Design implication Immediate confirmation through vibration or sound was essential to reassure users that their action mattered.

📸 3. Cultural Probes

To explore the emotional dimension of cycling, participants received toolkits containing city maps, stickers, and “future postcards”.

Activity Cyclists marked locations using emojis representing emotions such as anger, fear, or sadness.

Outcome This approach revealed emotional hotspots and added depth to purely statistical data.

🎲 4. Design Game: Report or Ignore?

We created a custom snake-style board game to observe reporting behavior in a playful but revealing way.

Gameplay Players encountered everyday scenarios like blocked bike lanes and had to choose between:

Report: slower but stable
Ignore: faster but risky

Key findings

Routine dangers become normalized and are often ignored
Extreme events are more likely to be reported
Social influence strongly affects decision-making

This confirmed the need for a system that reduces friction and actively counters apathy.

🚀 Future Vision

Velix reframes cyclists from passive users of infrastructure into active contributors to city planning. By building a living network of shared experiences, Velix aims to make Vienna’s streets safer, smarter, and more inclusive.