Design for Experience

DESIGN FOR EXPERIENCE Ross McIntosh

DESIGN FOR EXPERIENCE

Sense the City...

Type: Duration: Core Staff: Group Members:

Introduction If the shifts, movement and influx of people continually shape a city, what does it look like beneath its physical surface? What forms the character of a particular neighbourhood and how do different kinds of people perceive the space and relate to it? What kinds of experiences create meaningful connections between people and place.

In this project, we were asked to design a civic experience that directly responds to a particular area or neighbourhood of Glasgow.

The intended experience should centre the deployment and use of an artefact to promote a deeper level of engagement between people and the area or neighbourhood assigned.

Group/Individual 6 weeks Kirsty Ross, Janet Kelly & Ian Grout Luis Sousa Marwa Ebrahim Chiara Heppner Ashleigh Jamieson Ross McIntosh

Contents 5//Initial Research 6//STEP Cards 7//Design Opportunities 8//Concept Generation 12//Artefact Prototyping 13//User Testing 14//Storyboarding 16//Brand Development 17//Product Development 24//Video Prototype 26//Presentation 31//Reflection

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Initial Research After being briefed for the project, we conducted desk and field research as a group around our allocated area of Glasgow using observations, photography, interviews and journeys.

After being briefed for the project, we were assigned research groups and a particular area of Glasgow to analyse and explore - our tutorial group were assigned the area of Glasgow Green.

During the research phase of the project, we were to have compiled desk research prior to field research but as a group we struggled to accumulate much information on the green online and sought direct action to undertake our research.

As a group we visited the park on numerous occasions to build up an understanding of the area. We attained more information from physically being in the greenspace than anything we could

gather outwith. This implied that the best way to experience the space was to physically be there and witness the area firsthand. As a group we all visited as tourists to the space and after further visits we began to discover more about the space with continued engagement and participation. As a park the Green is vast to navigate and a key insight was a need for a better way-finding and suggestion facilities as it was easy to feel disorientated from the city surrounds and overwhelmed in situ.

Towards the end of our research stage we were to gather our insights as a group and map our findings to define design insights and opportunities.

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STEP Cards Method for capturing initial insights and exploring potential design opportunities During this project, we were introduced to STEP card analytical tool, which captures insights from desk and field research and helps analyse them from various perspectives using four distinct lenses; Social, Technological, Economical & Political.

The aim of these tools is to explore research based insights in more depth. By asking questions around the insight, the STEP card facilitates greater consideration of the bigger picture of the identified issue and categorises the route cause. By analysing each issue through the four different lenses, the source of the problem became more prevalent and tangible to assess in greater detail. Through the ‘What If’ scenario’s in the STEP card format, it was rather quick and easy to generate design drivers and thematic directions during the define phase.

Once everyone has comprised there STEP cards, in our tutor groups we physically printed out the given templates of these tools and grouped them together to identify opportunity areas. By doing this task, we got to see everyone’s perspective of the space as well as beginning to define and expand our own area of interest each.

From collating all our STEP cards together, it was evident at first that strong themes were emerging. Once we had affinitised these cards, we could identify specific themes/topics in which to develop.

As a group we decided which theme/topic we wanted to develop, this process was largely based on our initial insights and emerging themes arisen from this exercise. My area of interest going forward was to do with ‘engagement with the space’, I felt this theme was consistent with my research conducted and insights generated with my STEP cards.

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Opportunities What are the insights defined and which design direction should I explore?

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At this stage we were to individually identify the design opportunity were going to explore further.

I focused mine around getting users to access information better, engage with the park more and to encourage continual engagement.

I choose these opportunities as they were loosely based on the ‘What if...’ statements of the STEP cards. These focus areas should provide me with enough scope to cover the experience framework and relate strongly to my key insights.

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KEY INSIGHTS - Lack of engagement - Poor signage - Loss of potential - Boring and bleak...

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Concept Development Through use of sketching and prototyping, I then developed a concept that can be tested on users Once I had my design opportunities identified, I broke them up into experience phases. This helped me to ensure I considered each part of the user experience and that the phases synthesise well together.

During the anticipation stage of the experience, I wanted to entice users to engage with the artefact. From my STEP cards, the rise in technology has resulted in natural space being less used over time as technology grows exponentially pervasive in our daily lives. To engage with new users, the area must upgrade with the changing city in order to connect with its people. For this I envisioned that users can interact with a giant touchscreen welcome interface at every gate around the park.

Ensuring that visitors and tourists can engage with the space and that the space can engage with them.

The spectacle of this experience will be the

interface which is an orientation and discovery tool that helps them explore the environment to its fullest potential by responding to users needs and requirements by helping them find and get to where they want to go. This system opens up opportunity for the park to be more interactive and explorative for its users onward.

Lastly, to encourage people to come back, they need to feel connected to the greenspace in order to leave behind a collected memory. The issuing of a reward once users have achieved targets and goals means that are encouraged to further participate and engage again. The interface data acquired by the system can react to its citizens needs over time and enable the space to be more useful and fun for tourists as well as more serendipitous for locals. This system will grow bigger and better as Glasgow Green continues to flourish and expand.

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Artefact Prototyping Visualisation and semantic interpretation of the proposed service and artefact touchpoints From conceptualising the artefacts that combine to be my service, I decided to experiment with the form and visual language of these artefacts.

To aimed to design these objects to blend in with the Glasgow Green environment yet be noticeable and eye-catching for users to interact with and recognise the artefacts as part of a brand.

I chose, “Access Glasgow” as the brand moniker to signal that these artefacts are to enable you to access areas and information about Glasgow more efficiently and effectively as well as create a semantic palette to harmonise all the artefacts together to suggest unity and cohesiveness. The creation of a single logo devoted to Glasgow Green also combines multiple elements into a singular brand.

This was essential considering there is so many components and touchpoints are integral to the service. Making artefacts allowed me to experiment

with how the service will work and define who the users of this service might be. As the location of these ‘information points’ will be at every gate in the park. The system could log more about the users who enter the park, learn their motivations for coming, suggest some attractions dependant on their reasons for engagement and be rewarded upon leaving the park for participating or engaging with Glasgow Green. The range of users who come to Glasgow Green is wide and varied. If the park knew more about its users then could it tailor the intended experience towards particular groups?

Expansion was a key element of this concept and if the service were successful in attracting more users to Glasgow Green, then the service would have to cater for greater flow, an accompanying app could be used to expand capabilities and service capacity further as attendance grows.

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User Testing

Having created prototypes, I sought to share and test the concept with users at Glasgow Green Further to creating a range of conceptual and experiential prototypes for the service. I tested my conceptual ideas with visitors to Glasgow Green to find out what there opinions and reactions to the service would be. For this round of testing, I chose to have a general conversation with visitors to get to know them. This was integral to my testing as I wanted to assess the tone of the interface to make it conversational and friendly to interact with. This also allowed me to examine how much information users are willing to share with others, this was important to assess due to the ethical considerations of data usage and collection.

Users approached were very mixed from local pensioners to foreign tourists, each with their own motivations for coming to Glasgow Green.

When questioned about the hypothetical service and interacted with the prototypes, the respond was mostly positive but wanted to experience the service as intended as the drawings and paper prototypes lacked the essence of the experience as a whole.

“This looks fantastic!

I wish there was one in every city I go to! It would make traveling a lot easier Garcia, 29 and enjoyable” Spanish Tourist & Visitor

“It’s a great idea

to get more people out and about and explore what’s around them”

John, 65 Pensioner & Dogwalker

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Storyboarding Collating all the feedback gained from user testing, I refined my user journeys and the system to ensure the service is easy to access and understand for all users

After receiving user feedback at Glasgow Green, I refined my concept by envisioning certain user groups interacting with the service and evaluating how each group would benefit most from the service. Designing for so many users became slightly problematic though as the inputs and outputs of the service became rather muddled.

Instead for the final user journey, I narrowed the users group to just ‘new’ and ‘existing’ visitors, with the later being a user who has came to Glasgow Green before and trailed the service. Existing visitors to Glasgow Green would be advised to utilise

an app to explore the area for future endeavours.

The app experience will offer a more personal and tailored service towards the individuals needs; like translation and virtual reality guides.

The integration of a companion app completes the set up and offers a holistic solution towards long term or frequent use and save the main interaction points for ‘new’ visitors and users without smartphone access.

Together, I am happy with how users can access the system in theory but need to translate this compatibility through with the design and interface.

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Artefact Development Refining the design and interface of the artefact deliverables for use in further testing and promotional advertisement of the proposed service For my final deliverables, I concentrated on the communication of the service and artefacts as a whole. Previously these were hard to define simplify and its purpose fluctuated and varied.

‘Access Glasgow’ is a civic operating system that provides an interactive and connected information service for Glasgow Green, with the aim of making the area more accessible and enjoyable for new and existing users of the park.

The central artefact of this service being the ‘Access Point’ which is a living interface that reacts to user engagement with purpose to aid in user exploration of Glasgow Green.

The ‘Access Point’ acts as a digital facilitator that enables users to find and guide user destinations by suggesting trials, routes and attractions. This digital assistant allows users

to query their surrounds and encourage deep exploration and civic engagement amongst citizens and the area.

In order to develop this artefact, I established a solid brand and semantic scheme and assembled models using plywood and printed details to give an authentic and true to like appearance. To demonstrate the interactive interface, I designed the models to work around touchscreen devices to allow users to interact with the scale models. I also rendered the artefacts in situ within Glasgow Green to give an true to life representation of the aesthetic of the artefacts. Alongside the aesthetic of the models, I created a reactive user scenario, an app interface and also a breakdown of the service experience in three main stages.

Video Development

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Demonstration of service artefacts in use and value created by new user and area civic relationship To illustrate how the ‘Access Glasgow service works within Glasgow Green, I created a video prototype to demonstrate the system in use and the value created by using this interactive interface when exploring the area. The basis of the video is a stereotypical user who usually doesn’t engage with greenspace, who is too consumed by technology and an active city lifestyle that the park exists and needs encouragement to interact with an area like Glasgow Green.

Here the ‘Access point’ attracts the user’s attention was about to ignore the park. The user is enticed to approach and interact with the user friendly interface. Here a critical moment arises when the user allows the park to connect with her phone via an app. This app will link her

throughout her journey and stimulate engagement beyond. Using the service, the user’s relationship to the park is no longer hindered by technology but enhanced as she is challenged to explore a route and visit certain exhibits. When complete, she signs out at her nearest gate, only to be rewarded for her engagement. The user then can share their experience live to create anticipation and interest for their network to also visit Glasgow Green. The video simulates the benefits of such a system as it visualises the artefacts in situ and the user interaction and reaction to this technological intervention. The video should be extended to show further interaction and how attitudes and behaviours change over time when ‘Access Glasgow’ connected.

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Presentation The project concluded with a ‘Peachy Keachy’ slideshow presentation where I was timed to communicate the value of my proposal to the tutors and class.

For the final presentation, we were to pitch our civic experiences in the form of a ‘peachy keachy’ slideshow presentation which are timed to ensure our presentations are concise and clear.

As my artefact is a service, I wanted to pitch the deliverables only, as this would allow me to discuss all artefacts interrelated to the service.

My slides consisted of presentation visuals and semantic overlays to give the impression that the artefacts are realistic and operational. Alongside my slideshow, I was to present my video prototype to convey the value this service imposes on users and also interactive models that have touchscreen

devices embedded to prototype the user interface and interaction. Both models served different purposes with one focusing on the interface for a new users, while the other demonstrated the dynamic response offered for existing users of the service.

Overall, I was happy with my deliverables but during the pitch, I became overwhelmed and started to stutter and forget my words. This was embarrassing and a shame considering how much effort I put into creating the deliverables to fall down with the pitch. In future, I should practise presentations like these as they are automatically timed and lack of preparation can spoil the presentation.

Reflection

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Looking back on how well I performed during this project and what I have learnt from the process and outcome The Design for Experience project provided the platform for freedom of exploration of the design brief and allowed opportunity to practise many methodologies accumulated on the course to date within a single multi-directional project. Originally, I was rather upset that I had been allocated Glasgow Green as it is an area of Glasgow to which I have been. All the other areas assigned I was familiar with , and being born and raised near the West End, I assumed that would have been the perfect location to assign me for this project. However, I was very pleased to be doing outdoor fieldwork again and moving on from initial disappointment, I gradually accepted that the area of Glasgow Green would be a wonderful area to explore and research. That been said, as a Glaswegian, it was disparaging that this was one of the first times I was engaging in the park. As my tutorial group comprised of people who have only lived in Glasgow since starting university, it was shameful that they knew more about this space than me. Although personally embarrassing, I thought to use this example when developing my concept in order to resolve my own latency for interacting with an area like Glasgow Green.

The structure of this project was very interesting as we were to complete the first stage of the double diamond - Discover and Define - within the first week of the project. This was a difficult task for me as I am a keen researcher but under this structure, I learned to discipline myself to not over research and it also taught me to act more impulsively upon ideas that I believe have potential or traction for development. So often during the research stage of a project, I am reluctant to make a choice and define directions and opportunities as I fear I haven’t absorbed all the information or observations necessary to continue. I believe this alteration in project structure has constituted to my process being more linear, with a clearer and more concise line of thought due to the research conducted being simplistic and to the point This change in process also ensured that I focused my time and efforts developing my concept and de-

livering it to a high resolution. A lesson learned from this going forward would be to break up the design process and be more assertive as to when to move phases and stop researching Although these cards were initially only to be used to capture insights, I found these useful to be categorised into recurring themes for opportunities; Social, Technological, Economical and Political. These themes were engrained in my mind through as potential design drivers. In particular, I focused on technology being the main catalyst for lack of engagement within natural greenspace and parks and through the, “What If...” questions devised a concept that reversed the damage to park population and engagement has caused and further encourage integration between nature and technology to explore how these contrasting entities can harmonise and complement each other to create exciting and innovative experiences.

As for my proposal, I strongly believe that the underlying concept behind this service has potential although, at in its current state I would suggest it is unfinished and would benefit from more testing, more time spent finishing the interface and the service system map as this concept has strong links to the stakeholders who would provide this service and I haven’t explored fully the economical and political benefits that installing this service would give stakeholders apart from access to user data and linkage with user’s social media and app ecosystem. If given more time and resources, I would have linked to have tested a scale model of the ‘Access Point’ to fully test how users would anticipate how to interact with the artefact as well as testing its fitness for purposes when catering with a variety of different users and gather responses for the whole experience.

As a final year project, I feel I learned a lot to prepare myself for the diversity and independence fourth year entails as the freedom assigned of this project will path way for me to structure future projects more effectively and ensure I fully demonstrate my capabilities and strengths in design.