Lokanshu Jain
Exhibit — Chapter II
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A shared three-wheeled Tum-Tum parked on a roadside in Loni–Kalbhor, Pune
Hero slot — replace with a field photograph or research visual from the project.

User Ethnographic Research

Field research into the daily realities, behaviours and challenges of Tum-Tum drivers in Loni–Kalbhor.

Research & StrategyUser ResearchEthnographyLoni–Kalbhor, Pune
ContextCollege / Academic Project
CategoryResearch & Strategy
SubcategoryUser Research / Ethnography / Field Research
LocationLoni–Kalbhor, Pune, India
ParticipantsTum-Tum drivers
RoleUser Research Contributor
02 — Overview

Understanding the People Behind the System

This project explored the Tum-Tum transportation ecosystem through field research, interviews and observation.

The research focused on understanding drivers' daily experiences, operational challenges, economic realities and interactions within the larger transportation ecosystem.

03 — Field research

Research in the Field

The work was carried out on the road rather than at a desk — riding, waiting, watching and talking with drivers between trips.

Observation→Interview→Documentation→Insight
Asset pendingField photograph — primary research evidence
Replace with a field photograph from Loni–Kalbhor. Landscape, portrait, square and panoramic files are all supported.
Asset pendingInterview documentation
Asset pendingObservation notes
Asset pendingResearch documentation
04 — The driver

A Day Behind the Wheel

Interviews surfaced the everyday arithmetic of driving a Tum-Tum — what comes in, what goes out, and what is outside the driver's control. Figures shown below come from the original project material.

  1. 01Daily income
  2. 02Operating expenses
  3. 03CNG costs
  4. 04Servicing
  5. 05Permit costs
  6. 06Union contribution
  7. 07Passenger demand
  8. 08Trip patterns
  9. 09Payment behaviour
Asset pendingIncome / expenditure analysis
Replace with the original income and expenditure diagram.
Asset pendingTrip patterns / demand documentation
05 — Ecosystem

The Driver Is Part of a Larger System

A driver's day is shaped by passengers, permits, the union and the flow of money around them.

Asset pendingEcosystem map — primary project visual
Replace with the original ecosystem / system map. Keep the file as authored — no redrawing required.
Tum-Tum driversPassengersMIT studentsWorking professionalsUnionPermitsUPI / paymentsIncomeShared-auto operations
06 — Friction

Finding the Friction

Observation and interviews helped reveal problems within the existing transportation system — most of them sitting between people rather than inside any one of them.

  • Driver needs↕
  • Passenger needs↕
  • Operational constraints↕
  • Existing transportation alternatives
Asset pendingProblem identification visual
Asset pendingResearch findings
07 — Synthesis

Connecting the Evidence

Field observations, interviews and broader ecosystem analysis were brought together to build a shared understanding of the problem.

PersonasPESTEL analysisCompetitive analysisIncome / expenditure analysisEcosystem map
Asset pendingPersonas
Asset pendingPESTEL / competitive analysis
Include only the synthesis visuals that exist in the original project material.
08 — Opportunity

When Research Opens a Design Opportunity

Team output. Building on the research, the team explored a zero-commission mobile application intended to connect Tum-Tum drivers and passengers while supporting sustainable driver operations.

Team output
Asset pendingProduct concept / app flow
Replace with the team's concept or flow visual.
Asset pendingPrototype screens
Asset pendingFeature visuals or prototype walkthrough (video supported, poster image, no autoplay audio)
09 — Contribution

My Contribution

My contribution

My contribution focused on understanding the transportation ecosystem through field research, interviews and observation.

What it revealed

Working directly with Tum-Tum drivers helped me understand the gap between how a transportation service is designed on paper and how it is actually experienced in everyday life.

How it fed the team's work

This research formed part of the foundation for the team's subsequent system and product exploration.

§ 10 — Reflection

What this project taught me

“This project strengthened my ability to look beyond a stated problem and understand the people, behaviours and systems behind it. Field research showed me how direct observation can reveal constraints and opportunities that are difficult to identify through secondary research alone.”
11 — Full research

Explore the Full Research

View the complete field research, ecosystem analysis and project development on Behance.

View Full Project on Behance →
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