Construction Junction Design Process (Team 1)
Signage and Way-finding Research
Part 1 — Observation
In order to contextualize and develop awareness of the environments of Construction Junction, our group went out and placed ourselves in the space to make observations and interact with customers and employees to map out the general landscape of the project.
Observation Methods:
- Field Visit/Observation
- Design Ethnography (Photo Documentation + Notes)
- Shadowing shoppers
- Guerrilla Interview
EXPLORATION AND CURIOSITY (+)
The interior incites a sense of exploration and adventure. The variety of objects differing in size, shape, and color evoke wistful feelings that encourage the user to walk within the space. The scale of the area is also a compelling factor for the user to investigate the space.
Most people explored the space by wandering around and looking at the signs occasionally for guidance. The signs were not necessary but a welcome enhancement of the space
DISORIENTATION (-)
Signages are inconsistent and visually loud. The large EXIT sign initially made me think I was at the wrong location. There is no comprehensive map that shows me how the space is designed.
Part 2 — Cultural Probe
With a base knowledge of how users behave and navigate the space, our group began to question how these behaviors arise. From the initial observation, the group made note of how certain environmental elements correlate to the general observation. For instance,
CORRELATIONS
- free-form layout ≈ wandering, exploration
- too many signage ≈ disorientation, uncertainty
- materiality ≈ visual cue
Accordingly, the questions we began to ask required more specificity in the mechanisms of how such design elements generate and unfold experiences over time. Our goal was to create a ground for clear causal statements through the cultural probe. Answers such as,
CAUSAL MECHANISMS
- free-form layout induces memories of childhood and play = wandering and exploration
- the inconsistency and visual style of signage impose uncertainty and lack of control = disorientation and mentally and physically draining.
- the variety and contrast in materiality = serves as visual cues
Concept Question — Where do people experience these feelings and what are the more specific contexts in which these experiences happen? How can the probe promote participation?
Accessibility/Visibility : Construction Junction is most of the times filled with customers, and not all the aisles are clearly organized. It reached our concern that it would be important for the cultural probe to be easily distinguishable from the background environment.
We continued on with our original black and yellow color scheme but added the diagonal black and white pattern to include visual elements that would be noticeable even from far distances.
Instead of installing a cultural probe at a single location, the cultural probe questions were placed randomly throughout the space. We also placed these questions on eye-height level and locations where people would easily access.
Usability: Instead of having to hold around a survey, the second prototype promotes participation by allowing participants to be involved digitally. Participants were asked to send photos that capture there feelings to the project-email.
Adding elements of fun and play was also a goal for the second iteration. Taking photos, sharing images and comments, anonymity, etc… were design choices to make the design activity more engaging.
The former iteration asked a sequence of questions. But the second iteration only asks one central question. Our aim was to give more agency and freedom to the participant so that we receive more rich and perceptive data. The questions were free to interpretation and format and structure was less static than the first iteration.
Results and Reflections —
There were also a lack of participation for this iteration as well. People may not have been intrigued by the questions or some factor in the instruction process served as a barrier of participation. Many people may not have had phones that have email features. Most of the customers in Construction Junction are middle-aged residents and may experience difficulty in tasks that are easy to younger age groups.
The questions could have asked too much from the participants. Some of these questions are difficult to address through single photos. Filming is more difficult and people might be less willing to take videos.
The fact that customers are handling potentially dangerous and heavy objects may also be part of the reason participants are not willing to participate. Using phones and taking pictures can be perceived as an unnecessary burden for the participants.
Part 3 — Affinity Diagram
Once retrieving research data from the cultural probes and expanding our awareness of way-finding experiences through desk research, our group began to organize an affinity diagram to categorize our specific insights (low-level observation) into overarching themes of way-finding (high-level observation) at Construction Junction.
A know-how the group developed along the activity is that affinity diagraming can be thought of as finding the missing puzzle pieces of a larger unknown story.
The binary interpretations of the users became more apparent by the pink notes. Users were either deeply compelled by the chaotic atmosphere or enervated from the constant state of alert that the space imposes on the users.
Positive pink notes highlighted the “unique voice” that Construction Junction brings to the local business scene. Notes emphasized words such as style, exploration, and different to reflect the distinctive user narrative of Construction Junction.
Negative pink notes highlighted the “confusion” of navigating Construction Junction. Notes emphasized temporality(change), drained, and unfamiliar to demonstrate what types of factors pull down the general shopping experience.
The core experiences at Construction Junction can be distilled to either “unique” or “uncomfortable” based on the user’s goal, attitude, prior experience, etc…
Part 4 — Brainstorming / Gut-Check
With a strong structure to work with, the only step left was to propose a design solution to the way-finding issues enlightened by the insights generated through the design research.
We brainstormed as a group and asked ourselves “How Might We…” questions to propose hypothetical directions of the design proposal. The aim was to quickly filter ideas in order to establish a clear design approach that relate to the insights and are also feasible to the project timeline.
The Gut-check activity fostered us to be critical about the idea and provided a checkpoint to develop conceptual forms to the proposed design solutions.
Brain Storming
- Generate ideas and sketches
- Explore all possible angles
Gut-Check
- How does this address the insight?
- How will this look like?
Part 5 — Design Intervention
The final proposal consists of three primary design choices:
- A display layout that balances the tension between exploration and certainty.
- Display rooms that promote fun and play
- Comprehensive signage system.
1 — Layout
The new layout establishes a structured grid for ease of shoppers’ navigation. The aisles consist of both conventional rackings as well as new display lofts to variate shopping atmosphere. Platforms are used to display tall and non-uniform objects in order to highlight the fun and playful shapes of reusable objects, whereas rackings are used to emphasize variety and choice.
2 — Display Rooms
Display rooms are effective in delivering not only the detailed feel of objects in space, but it also can be used to encourage users to test and experiment their ideas quickly.
Research supported the notion that users wanted certainty in way-finding. Difficulty for users to imagine how purchased objects can be reused is one of the barriers to effective navigation. Layout supports this process by facilitating object identification, and display rooms will serve to eliminate the gap between shopper’s imagination and reality.
3 — Comprehensive Signage System
One of the issues we identified in the current Construction Junction space is that the space is saturated with signages that customers never bother to read. Signages should lightly guide the user by providing clear, succinct and unambiguous visual cues.
To address this issue, the proposed comprehensive signage system relies on a color code system that corresponds to newly named aisle categories. The new category names are more contextual and are designed to induce thoughts of activities and projects that resonate with Construction Junction shoppers.
Final Cuts
