Design for Retractable Staircase for Buses
405
Fig. 5 Flowchart of concept 5
1. Product cost
2. Folding/Unfolding time
3. Ease of operation
4. Compactness
5. Product life.
In the market study, it was determined that if the model were to be available
for use in mass transportation system the cost would be the most critical factors.
Governments would only apply the suggested design if incorporating the retractable
stairs would not eat into the budget allocated toward upgradation or renovation of
existing buses in the fleet. This translates to cost factor having significant weight in
the Pugh matrix. Similar parallels can be used to explain the decision to provide a
large weight to product life. Ease of operation represents another important parameter, the time taken to implement this system should not be so large that the entire
operation involved before and after the unfolding of the retractable staircase results
in substantial delays and affects the commute of everyone. Such delays could not lead
to inculcation of increased animosity toward elderly and children in some regular
commuters which could be a cause for increased discomfort especially for the elderly
and children over time.
The usage of the Pugh matrix has led to the determination of concept 2 as the
concept which shall be further developed. Concept 3 was the second best and high
very high score in most criteria; however, the additional cost of including the sensors,
405
Fig. 5 Flowchart of concept 5
1. Product cost
2. Folding/Unfolding time
3. Ease of operation
4. Compactness
5. Product life.
In the market study, it was determined that if the model were to be available
for use in mass transportation system the cost would be the most critical factors.
Governments would only apply the suggested design if incorporating the retractable
stairs would not eat into the budget allocated toward upgradation or renovation of
existing buses in the fleet. This translates to cost factor having significant weight in
the Pugh matrix. Similar parallels can be used to explain the decision to provide a
large weight to product life. Ease of operation represents another important parameter, the time taken to implement this system should not be so large that the entire
operation involved before and after the unfolding of the retractable staircase results
in substantial delays and affects the commute of everyone. Such delays could not lead
to inculcation of increased animosity toward elderly and children in some regular
commuters which could be a cause for increased discomfort especially for the elderly
and children over time.
The usage of the Pugh matrix has led to the determination of concept 2 as the
concept which shall be further developed. Concept 3 was the second best and high
very high score in most criteria; however, the additional cost of including the sensors,