Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Group 6 1st Week Review

Group 6
Oz Larry Ruby Nicky Tin
7/12

After professor Richard explained the Way finding Project and we discussion

     1.discussion:
We started discussing where to find the target in


    2.Find a destination:
we choose the "how to help the first time to NTUST people to find the restaurant No.3
    3.Start to reach the destination by our self:
We discussed many of the scenarios and the assumption that they will encounter problems

 And we began to assume that we are the first to ntust people, began after the test
However, we found that we were wrong Assume that we are testers, does not work


7/13
So we got a really testers


After the test we did some analysis
And made ​​some changes to the second test


7/14
This time we try to make some changes on the map to help
 testers can more easily find restaurants.

Tasting



We compared the time difference
Found before and after the change, there are significant differences

We also found that some changes are not needed

Research / Group 4

A BeginningFind topic

The topic we set is going to find somewhere in the campus. Our destination is “Design Square”, which is at the 3rd floor in the T2 building.


B Looking for the questions and find out the sticking point

Our teammate, Arthur, who has been to NTUST for twice. But he doesn’t know where is “Design Square”. He tried to find it by original signs without any suggestion or hints.

After A-E-I-O-U model planning, we found each situation at each node(place, point) which will make people confused, then we provide some solutions and trying to implement.


C Solution-1

1/ put the sign on the edge of road.

2/ put a clearer sign instead of original ones to point the stairs(next to the toilet one).

Result:

1/ The signs are too flat to notice them.

2/ People can’t know the direction by these sign.


D Solution-2

1/ Make the signs in the three dimensional.

2/ Use the shape of arrowhead instead of circle.



The implement result is….

The passer-bys blank the map on the floor.

He only concentrates on his food and ignore the signs...

And, he doesn’t notice the sign of stairs….. ^ ^”

What else??

This guy can’t find the sign of stairs, too. = =”

Result:

1/ They can’t find the sign of each building’s name, especially T2.

2/ Actually, the signs on the edge are too low to see.

CONCLUTION

So far, that’s what we done in these few days. Actually, we made another option for users, there is a QR-code label on the map at the front gate since beginning , you can see the map on mobile device or tablet PC. It is useful, but not much. Now, our next step is trying to design a more comprehensive system by cell phone or tablet PC……………..





……….coming soon.


Monday, July 18, 2011

Group 2-1st Week Review

(7/11)
After Professor Richard explained the Wayfinding project, we realized the wayfinding method and we started to have our team work.

1. Determine our situation
We used brainstorming method to find situations in NTUST campus and finally determined “finding classroom” as our project.
Because we have difficulty in finding classrooms in NTUST campus when we were freshmen, we wondered what causes this situation and we think it is also a problem for visitors.

2. Begin our research




We chose one of our teammate, Noreen to be our testee for she doesn’t study in NTUST and is not familiar with NTUST campus. Our test is that we bring her to the gate and ask her to find the E2-318 classroom and after she find the E2-318 classroom, we ask her to go to T2-307 classroom.

3. Find the problem




Because we didn’t have enough time, the testee only found E2-318, but we discovered some problems during this test and we applied the A-E-I-O-U Framework in this situation as well as answering questions below.



5 principle wayfinding questions:
Q1: What is my destination?
Ans: E2-318 classroom

Q2: How do I find where i am in the environment?
Ans: By reading the map, seeing the road signs and the door number

Q3: How do I find the route to my destination?
Ans: By reading the map located in besides the gate and following the door number.

Q4: How do I recognize my destination when I arrive there?
Ans: The classroom number on the door

Q5: How do I find me way back to my starting point ?
Ans: Return to the same way.

The problems we found
1. The signs are not clear in NTUST campus and the code name is confusing.
2. Buildings are not in proper order.


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(7/12)
In the morning, we continued our test (going to T2-307 classroom from E2-318 classroom) and also made clearer A-E-I-O-U Framework for the first day test.






Also, we identified the elements of the environment form:





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(7/13&7/14)
At first, we made clearer A-E-I-O-U Framework for the second day test (going to T2-307 classroom from E2-318 classroom). Next, we organized some key points of the second day test and started to come up with ideas by brainstorming to solve the problems of going from the E2-318 classroom to T2-307 classroom.

Key points
• The edges between T2 and E2 is unclear.
• The sign is not clear and enough.
• People do not know their location.
• People will be in bad mood and waste time.

A-E-I-O-U models


Brainstorming





Sign design

• We will place clear sign in the intersection.
• Use the different colors in the skirting board to designate the districts.



The meaning of the sign

• Round: the round shape will be denote starting point
• Triangle :point the direction of the building
• Name of the building
• Indicate the different classrooms
• The sign will correlate sequence



We defined the skeletal elements of T2 and E2 form:


Test




Problems:
1. Can’t understand the meaning of the color on the map.
2. May ignore the sign set on the floor in front of the elevator.
3. Can’t understand the meaning of code (E2,T2)
4. Focus on the door number but ignore the color bar on the floor.
5. Environment will effect testees’ judgement. (Design Square is too messy to be figured out)

Conclusion
1. The color bar could be placed higher and be added some information.
2. It is better to set the map beside elevators and stairs.


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(7/15)
We improved our map design and figured out three other solutions and test these solutions on weekends and next Monday.



Sunday, July 17, 2011

Group 1 Week Review




7/11/2011 WAYFINDING PROJECT DAY1                                          
Gruop1 Alex Amy Robin Katy Mosty


After professor Richard explained the Wayfinding Project and its method, we started to…
1.      Find a destination:
We chose “Xiao Fu Commissary” in NTU as our destination.
Because it is a place we haven’t visited for a period of time and doesn’t familiar with, and also we wanted to had lunch there!
2.      Start to reach the destination by ourself:
We took notes of what we observed in the whole journey.
3.      Record and take pictures of the problems we found in Xiao Fu Commissary.
We arrived Xiao Fu Commissary!


Problem1/ hard to distinguish the ladies room from the gentlemen room.

Problem2/ too many ads looks messy.



Problem3/ the toilet sign is too small and unclear.

Problem4/ redundant garbage bag and ugly green trash cans.
Problem5/ inappropriate placement of washbasin.

4.      We answer the 5 principle wayfinding questions:
    What is our destination?
    “Xiao Fu Commissary” in NTU
    How do we find where we are in the environment?
By recognizing the buildings or objects which are significant in the environment.
    How do we find the route to our destination?
By recognizing the buildings or objects which are significant in the environment, or look at the signs or maps.
    How do we recognize our destination when we arrive there?
There is a signboard in front of Xiao Fu Commissary that shows it is exactly the Xiao Fu Commissary. Also, we had a little impression on the outlook of Xiao Fu Commissary, so we could recognize it easily.
    How do we find our way back to our starting point?
By recognizing the buildings or objects we saw and remembered when we came to our destination, and then followed those memories to go back to our starting point.
5.      According to the record we made and the problems we found out and analyzed, we made a simple poster and represented the process we made to our professor and classmates.


What we have learned:
This is the first day of the workshop, and we are trying to find our way, and think. Through working and discussing with group members, we learned how to express ourselves in a better way. Though it was the first day and everything seems unsettled, we would try hard in the next few days to make it clear and definite. We think that working as a group and discovering new things together every day is such a happy way to learn, and we hope we could surge more good ideas in the next few days!


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7/12/2011 WAYFINDING PROJECT DAY2
 Gruop1 Alex Amy Robin Katy Mosty
After the presentenstion last afternoon, Professor Richard suggested us to find a testee  who had never been to NTU before, this could be another experience for us.
1.      Testee:
We chose one of our teammate --Katy
She had never been to Xiao Fu Commissary, and this time we can analyze the
problems that she met
2.      Begin our trip:
Started from NTUST and went into NTU

Facing problems/signs maps intesections/taking notes

Finally we arrived at Xiao Fu Commissary 

Discussing with Richard/Presentation poster
We analyzed every situation by using onion process
3.  Situation and problems:

Signs: Too much information make people confused.

Maps: Combination with signs, and the range of the map, are important.

Feelings: People get annoyed when they cant understand signs or find their ways.


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7/13.14/2011 WAYFINDING PROJECT DAY3.4
Gruop1 Alex Amy Robin Katy Mosty
















Today’s goal is to define the problem more certainly and clearly, and figure out some simple solutions to the problem. It was the hardest day for us in this week, because it was time to think more wholly and exactly.
At first, we listed out the problems we found about the hardware facilities:
    Signs:
1.          Unclear
2.          Complicated direction 
3.          Insufficient
4.          Bad Position
    Unsuitable range of maps
    No combination of Signs and maps
    The Intersection is a hard decision time
But then, we found that the emotion part of human is also very important, and we started to focus on the feeling part and listed out what people may feel when they are finding their destination or way:
1.          Hot weather leads to annoyed and impatient feelings.
2.          Bikes passing by leads to feeling disturbed.
3.          Lack of sense of security when they are unfamiliar with the environment or can’t figure out which way to go.
After analyzed the problems above, we defined intersection problem and the insecurity feeling as our biggest problem, and we analyzed this problem more specifically:







After analyzing, we started to think about the solutions of how to “decrease the negative feeling when people stand at the crossroads, and guide them to the direct routes”. Finally, we think maybe using colors, shapes, graphs and interactive signs will be a good way:



    






To be more detailed in color:



    











To be more detailed in interactive signs:















Now the preliminary concept of solutions has come out, the next step is to design a certain and concrete facility, put it in the environment, and test if it can really solve some problems. After that, find out the shortcoming of our design, see what problem did we solve, what didn’t. And then, adjust our design step by step, keep redesigning again and again. Just like Professor Richard said, it’s all about the process of redesign.


After the presentation, we got some questions:
1.     How about lighting at night? Will it look strange?
2.     What’s your next step?
3.     Will the first-coming visitor find out the relation between colors and districts?
Some questions we had never think about. We will accept the suggestion and try to improve our concept. The concepts are stillabstract. Our next step is to make it realistic and to test if it can work.


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7/15/2011 WAYFINDING PROJECT DAY5                                         
Gruop1 Alex Amy Robin Katy Mosty


Today, we discussed about the details. At first, we were just mired in difficulties because we thought the question too difficult. After times, we tried to make the question simple, avoiding too many problems.
Our final plan is using colors that NTU already use to separate different districts. Then, set a sign filling with color at every intersection. The sign will tell which district you are and tell you how to go to different district.
Then, we started making paper prototype to test if it can work. We learnt the signs must be large enough so that the testee can see and find out the relation. We will test it at weekend.














20110714 / Group 3 / Presentation

July 11th,We've setting our actuality location for wayfinding project as the "Library".After running the process of "finding a book and borrow a book" in our first A-E-I-O-U pre-test,We found that is lots of problem when a person who is trying to finding a book by the number of book,and even the sign in the library can also be a confusing object in the Library route system.

First Pre-test situation

As this pre-test result we've using it to the A-E-I-O-U model,and discovered there are many unnecessary problems happen in the process of borrowing a book.Such as the number of book is not really suitable for a person to remember or identify easily.and there is also a problem when we finding the book , the signs in the library provide insufficient information for the user , So we might have to waste lots of time to get the right location of book in the bookcase or even the right floors in the building.

And figure out the five questions of 5 principle of wayfinding in our school library:

Q1.What's my destination?
Ans: the locations of books

Q2:How do I find where i am in the environment?
Ans:By the floor sign on the wall.

Q3:How do I find the route to my destination?
Ans:By the turning of number on the cabinet.

Q4:How do I recognize my destination when I arrive there?
Ans:the name or the number of books.

Q5:How do I find me way back to my starting point ?
Ans:Return to the same way.

Second Pre-test situation
July 12th , We've trying to have a second pre-test for the mission of borrowing a book.First,we search a book about ECO design,it's a English design books.By the camera,We saved the all process of actions into a video files.after returned to classroom,we divided the whole process into a lots of situation in A-E-I-O-U model.
The divided actions of video


And finally we've reorganizes the situations became an process situations of A-E-I-O-U


after the poster came out,We point out the problem or the key of situation by the scratch paper,and divided the whole process into three parts:
1.Searching (Number)
Contain the activities of which books we want,and the number of book.
2.Finding (Book)
Contain the activities of finding the books in the library.
3.Borrowing
Contain the activities of borrow the books by the employee of library and auto-borrowing machine.


Solutions
July 13th,we came out the solutions from each problem.We trying to combine the concept of IOT(internet of things)to our library wayfinding project.The service can be the management of backstage contain the situations of books,and the user can easily knows the info of book by the interface.
After reading the books we can make some comments to every book you've read.and your comment also can be the suggestions of books for another readers.This service make it easier to find the right book you want by knowing some information or suggestions.
















Sharing the comments of book can also connect with every reader have seen the same books.Users can create a list of books in the frontstage of device,and make the goal of books you want to read.
Process of service,the RFID connect the physical book with the backstage deta,user can scan the RFID to get to know the information or comment of books,and it also can located the location of books by the image of floor map.

The sketch of product.it can be portable in the library for user who needs.
The UI setting for user,interface design contains the location of book and the information of books.Scaning the book , We can know the information of books and even make the borrow process done.

by Group3 / Andy,Bird,Justine,Ken,Yi