Co-Creating the Future of Green Mobility: Validation Workshop with AUTh Postgraduate Students
On 31 March 2026, the School of Civil Engineering at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh) hosted an energetic, hands-on co-creation and validation workshop, bringing together postgraduate students from the MSc programme “Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development” and the MOBILAIR research team. The session put the MOBILAIR application to the test, with fresh eyes and sharp minds.The workshop was designed not just as a demonstration, but as a genuine co-creation and validation exercise, structured around three core activities:
A. Discovering the app Students received a comprehensive presentation of the MOBILAIR application’s current features and services — from real-time air quality maps and eco-routing to AI-powered nudging, gamification elements and the innovative “What if” scenario feature. This gave participants the foundation they needed to engage critically and constructively.
B. Brainstorming user needs In small groups, students explored how the application could better serve different mobility profiles and daily routines. Discussions ranged from the needs of students commuting across campus, to workers navigating high-traffic corridors, to cyclists looking for safer, less-polluted routes. Four key themes guided the conversation: routing options, nudging strategies, “What if” scenarios, and gamification mechanics.
C. Feedback and recommendations for the final version The session concluded with a structured feedback phase, during which students provided concrete input on existing features and proposed recommendations for new functionalities. Their suggestions directly feed into the development roadmap for the final version of the MOBILAIR application.
The session is a vivid example of what participatory design looks like in practice. By involving real users people who move around Thessaloniki every day in the refinement of the app, we ensure that MOBILAIR’s features are not just technically sound, but genuinely useful and motivating.
We thank the students and their supervisors for their enthusiasm, creativity, and invaluable contributions to making MOBILAIR a better tool for everyone.
