Co-production of knowledge for designing inclusive digital mobility solutions – the methodological approach and process of the TRIPS project:

We are still far from achieving the ambitions of ensuring independent living and providing equal opportunities to enjoy seamless, accessible, and independent trave1 for persons with special access needs. The goal of the project TRIPS (TRansport Innovation for vulnerable-to-exclusion People needs Satisfaction) is to empower people with different access needs to play a central role in the design of inclusive future mobility solutions. For this reason, a participatory approach is developed and applied to co-product knowledge on existing barriers, co-create solutions and co-evaluate the resulting prototypes and services. The project thereby engages seven European cities in the open innovation process. The paper introduces the first phase of the project, the user requirements analysis by illuminating the methodological approach and reflecting on first results of the co-production of knowledge. Special emphasis is placed on the building of the local working groups and their involvement in the research. The paper further demonstrates how participatory research in the context of inclusive mobility is enabled despite the current COVID-19 pandemic situation.