Bridging the gap
Master’s thesis in partnership with Ruter
January - May 2026Brief: Create technological and physical solutions for Ruter to make bus travel more accessible and user-friendly for people with visual variations.
Bus travel is often perceived as less reliable compared to other forms of transportation. For people with visual impairments, it can be challenging to locate bus stops and identify the correct bus upon arrival.
In this project, I am exploring how alternative sensory cues, such as sound and vibration, can improve accessibility throughout the journey. The concepts include physical interventions, recognizing that not everyone can or wants to rely on a smartphone while traveling. In addition, the project proposes enhancements to the Ruter app to better support inclusive and user-friendly navigation.
Insights through observations and workshops
The project apply a participatory and iterative design approach, integrating observations, interviews, workshops and usability testing.
Users with visual impairments were recognized as key experts, and their lived experiences were central to the development process.
Insights from stakeholders at Ruter, the Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted, and specialists in universal design further strengthened and informed the project.
Research activities
Observations: Conducted travel observations with three individuals with visual impairments.
I am a running-guide during training at Bislett stadion once a week.
Participated in four workshops at Ekskurs involving bus drivers, employees from the Agency for Urban Environment, and individuals with various disabilities.
Interviews: Conducted 12 in-depth interviews (nine participants with reduced eyesight and three who are blind).
Workshops: Organized and facilitated two ideation workshops at the Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted (seven and four participants).
What is & what if?
Using a strategic design approach, I move between understanding “What is” and envisioning “What if” to bridge present challenges with future opportunities.
The project is now entering the prototyping phase. Testing ideas early in real-world contexts with users is essential to ensure relevance, usability, and meaningful impact. I am pleased with the progress so far and excited to continue developing the concepts into concrete design proposals.
The next steps include creating user journeys for the concepts and exploring how Ruter can implement them in ways that are both technically feasible and user-friendly.
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