Turning Frustration into Innovation: How a Delayed Train Sparked a Behavioral Design Moment
Have you ever noticed how some of our most creative moments emerge from situations that initially frustrate us? Yesterday provided me with exactly such an experience.
When Plans Go Awry
I was making a day trip back to Coventry to visit one of my former professors from Warwick Business School and catch up with old friends. Everything was meticulously planned - until I arrived at Euston train station, and discovered my train would be delayed by 16 minutes.
My first reaction? The typical frustration we all feel when our carefully arranged schedules are disrupted! Standing there watching the minutes tick by on the departure board, I felt, like my fellow travelers, that familiar sense of powerlessness and frustration.
The Shift in Perspective
But then something clicked. Instead of reading a book “It didn’t start with you” by Mark Wolynn in a noisy crowd with passengers hitting each other while passing by, I realized this was actually an opportunity. After all, I’ve been thinking about behavioral interventions for common psychological friction points in daily life - and, of course, what’s more universal than the experience of delayed public transport?
SCORE Framework in Action
Some of you may remember the SCORE framework I shared in a previous post - a structured approach to identifying and solving behavioral challenges.
Facing this 16-minute window, I decided to put it into practice in real-time.
I pulled out my phone, and opened ChatGPT 4o with a brief prompt based on the framework. Below is the refined version of my prompt, with bold texts showing how the SCORE framework is applied:
“Set the stage
I am a Behavioural Science Researcher that conducts research for a behavioural intervention campaign on improving delayed train situation in the UK. Here are some of details I noticed while waiting for a train at Euston station on a typical Saturday morning:
15 minutes before the train’s original departure time, the billboard showed that the train will get delayed for 16 minutes. It seems to be a common phenomenon in the journey between London Euston and Birmingham New Street station.
passengers were told about the platform number to get on board 2 minutes before the trains new departure time.
the train had another 6 to 10 minutes delay after passengers were on board.
the tv inside the train showed the train arrived to stations on time (based on the old schedule).
Clarify Instructions
Please provide a 1000-word analysis of a behavioural intervention campaign that aims to, or alleviates, the train delay issue. Include one or more relevant framework of behavioural intervention, relevant academic research papers (including in-text citations where possible).
Render Tone
As it will be published to public, it should be readable to non-technical audience with a professional tone. In the analysis, use bullet points if necessary.
Outline Format & Exemplify
Format the response into four sections and present it on canvas for further editing:
Provide description and step-by-step reasoning why certain behavioural intervention frameworks chosen, and their elements
Effective behavioural intervention campaign with examples. Outline of an experimentation is preferred.
Key performance metrics to assess the experiment for tracking campaign success
Relevant parties in the UK to communicate with about this campaign”
From AI to Insights
ChatGPT’s response was promising but, as expected, only touched the surface of this complex issue. Here’s the actual response I received:
“Title: Behavioural Intervention Campaign to Improve Passenger Experience During Train Delays Between London Euston and Birmingham New Street
- Frameworks for Behavioural Intervention: Rationale and Elements
To design an effective behavioural intervention campaign for improving the passenger experience during train delays, we rely on two key frameworks:
COM-B Model (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation – Behaviour)
The COM-B model, developed by Michie et al. (2011), provides a comprehensive approach to understand and influence behaviour:
Capability: Do passengers have the psychological understanding and physical means to cope with delays?
Opportunity: Are there external factors enabling or inhibiting positive behaviours (e.g., communication quality, station facilities)?
Motivation: What drives passengers’ actions during delays — frustration, expectations, social norms?
EAST Framework (Easy, Attractive, Social, Timely)
This framework by the Behavioural Insights Team (2014) simplifies intervention design:
Easy: Make the preferred behaviour simple to follow.
Attractive: Use design and rewards to draw attention.
Social: Highlight what others are doing.
Timely: Prompt people when they are most receptive.
Why these frameworks?
COM-B enables diagnosis of behavioural barriers and informs targeted strategies.
EAST ensures the strategy is user-friendly and likely to engage a broad audience.
By combining COM-B and EAST, we aim to understand why current behaviours occur and how to encourage better responses to train delays through subtle, cost-effective interventions.
- Intervention Campaign Design and Experimentation Objective
To reduce passenger frustration and increase transparency and satisfaction during train delays between London Euston and Birmingham New Street.
Behavioural Issues Identified
Delayed and inconsistent communication about platform numbers.
Misleading onboard information systems.
Passengers feel uncertain and powerless.
Campaign: “Stay on Track: Know What to Expect”
A behavioural intervention with the following components:
1. Transparent Delay Alerts (Timely & Attractive)
Clear digital signage at stations explaining typical delay durations.
Notifications via app with real-time expectations (“Your train is likely to be delayed by 10–15 minutes as usual on this route”).
Emojis or icons indicating delay severity to visually cue expectations.
2. Platform Predictability Nudges (Easy & Timely)
Historical data used to display “likely platform” estimates earlier.
Add colour-coded signs for confidence level: “Platform 6 (90% confidence).”
3. Positive Waiting Spaces (Attractive & Social)
Designate waiting zones with visual entertainment, digital books, trivia, or live social feeds.
Prominent signage with messages like “80% of passengers wait here calmly when delays occur.”
4. Onboard Honesty Campaign (Capability & Motivation)
Modify onboard screens to show accurate real-time delays instead of default timetables.
Train staff provide brief audio updates highlighting the realistic expected arrival.
Proposed Experiment
Design: Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT)
Control Group: Standard delay experience, no interventions.
Intervention Group: Receives all “Stay on Track” campaign elements.
Location: London Euston to Birmingham New Street line over 6 weeks.
Sample Size: 2,000 passengers (1,000 per group).
Data Collection Methods:
Surveys post-journey (NPS, satisfaction, perceived transparency).
Mobile app engagement data.
Delay tolerance observation (e.g., agitation levels, complaints).
- Key Performance Metrics to Assess Campaign Success
Quantitative Metrics
Passenger Satisfaction Score: Pre- and post-journey survey responses.
Net Promoter Score (NPS): Measures likelihood of passengers recommending the service.
Real-time App Engagement: Click-through rate on delay notifications.
Complaint Rates: Changes in frequency and tone of delay-related complaints.
Behavioural Metrics
Passenger Movement: Use of waiting zones vs. platform crowding.
Delay Acceptance Levels: Whether passengers exhibit fewer negative behaviours (e.g., confrontations, social media rants).
Qualitative Feedback
- Interviews or open-ended survey responses about feelings of control, clarity, and fairness.
- Relevant UK Stakeholders to Engage To ensure the intervention’s success and scalability, collaboration with the following parties is recommended:
Network Rail: Controls station facilities and digital signage.
Avanti West Coast: Operator of the London Euston to Birmingham New Street line.
Department for Transport (DfT): For potential policy integration and funding support.
Office of Rail and Road (ORR): Provides regulatory oversight and data sharing.
Transport Focus: Independent transport user watchdog that collects passenger feedback.
Behavioural Insights Team (BIT): For co-design and evaluation assistance.
Rail Delivery Group: Industry body coordinating between train operators.
Early engagement and co-design workshops with these partners will help embed the intervention within operational systems and align with ongoing digital transformation efforts.
Conclusion: By applying behavioural insights to improve how information is shared and environments are designed during train delays, we can transform a common frustration into a more manageable experience. This campaign offers a replicable model for other high-delay routes, paving the way for a more empathetic and transparent transport system.”
The above analysis shows how AI can quickly structure a problem space, providing a foundation for human creativity and expertise to build upon. While algorithmically sound, it lacks the nuanced understanding that comes from lived experience - which is exactly where our human perspective adds value (that’s why I asked ChatGPT to present the response on canvas, which I could further refine and expand upon in small, manageable portions)!
The Irony of Innovation
By the time my train arrived (still 16 minutes late!), I had the skeleton of a behavioral intervention project that I’m genuinely excited to develop further. What began as an annoying delay, surprisingly, transformed into the seed of something potentially valuable.
The Bigger Question
This experience makes me wonder: How often do we miss these moments of potential creativity because we’re placing the spotlight on the frustration of disruption? What other “waiting periods” in our lives could, with a few dose of our creativity, be reframed as opportunities for innovation?
Sometimes does our best thinking happen not despite interruptions, but because of them.