At first glance, a travel information system seems like an uncluttered design task. The information is known, the user is clear, the purpose is clear. But those who look a little further will see that the traveler is not a constant. The same person who quietly seeks his connection in the morning is waiting on a crowded platform in the afternoon with heavy bags for a delayed train. Same system, totally different context.
We use travel information here as an example - not to judge existing systems, but because the domain makes the impact of context particularly clear. The traveler is recognizable, the situations are concrete, and the consequences of a wrong design choice are immediately felt. But the principles apply equally well to traffic management, planning software or any other digital system that people use in an operational context.