In 2021, digital design office forwerts and DB Fernverkehr set up a design team to realise the transformation of SBICE (Service Bundling@ICE) and create a modern and aesthetic design that provides customers with the best possible service availability and a simple management process for ordering food and drinks at their seat. Led by Angela Schwerdhöfer and Christoph Ohl from DB Fernverkehr and the Head of UX Alexander Livigni from forwerts, the interconnected teams worked miracles to design and implement the system. The close collaboration with product owner Lionel Evrard, who contributed his expertise in digital systems gained from prior work, enabled a strong link between design and development, which was crucial for the success of the project.
Red Dot: What does design mean to you?
Deutsche Bahn, DB Fernverkehr / forwerts interactive: For us, it’s all about the people who use our products and their needs. If you provide users with informative and easily accessible content without distractions, without them needing to question themselves – then you’ve got a design that works, that looks right and feels right.
To what extent do you think new technologies are changing design?
The biggest risk with everything is apathy – but we prefer to spend our time thinking about the opportunities that digitalisation presents.
What makes your work unique?
There are lots of challenges. But getting the right people to join forces and work together – that’s where the magic happens, and then nothing seems impossible. The aim is always to leave the complexity of it all behind and provide the users with easily accessible functions and content without distracting them.
