Cocofinding Website Reflection

This website gives exact description of this project and how we are suppose to deal with it. It talks about each specific part of the project and how we are suppose to do it so it will be a successful wayfinding. It gives very helpful information about orientation- maps that are legible, directional information- involves signage, destination information- which gives on point destination signs, and situation and object identification- graphics hat show local hazards. Reading this information helped our group identify what we wanted to do with our wayfinding for the bike paths and racks and provided us with some good fundamental strategies.

Ethnography Reflection

Ethnography is an approach to understanding people. Ethnographer’s know the right questions to ask and when to ask them. From this they can come up with compelling stories and incredible insights. Ethnography relates to this wayfinding project because ethnographers find a problem and in the end fixes it. For our project we are initially suppose to do the same thing so we are ethnographers ourselves. The steps in ethnography is something important to look at and know for our wayfindings because it will help solve our wayfinding problems in a successful manner. Tips such as making observations, making and having conversation, and capturing data in ethnography are important parts in the researching we must do for our wayfinding project. This will help report a better outcome and have a more correct insight.

Verplank Designing Interactions Summary

Bill Verplank was a man who could do what most can’t; he had the ability to draw while he spoke. His drawings are interacting designs with the words he was saying. In his interaction designs he comes up with three important questions to answer; how do you do, how do you feel, and how do you know? “How do you do” is really how are you affecting the world in the actions you are taking. For the person you are designing for, are you doing something for them? The next question asked, “How do you feel” is really asking how do you get feedback? Does the person you’re designing for feel a good feeling from your work or a bad feeling. The last question you must ask is “how do you know?” For this question you provide the users exactly the right amount of information to understand how to use your work. Maps or just giving something identification is a good way to help the users understand. With these three questions answered successfully, that’s how you’ve identified your product as a success.

Final Bike Map

Bike Rack Map

Wayfinding Project: Bike Paths AEIOU

AEIOU

Activity:

what is the destination?

-Jayhawk Blvd

Environment:

where is your space?

-Between the Oread and the Chi Omega Fountain

Individual:

who will be using the space?

-KU students, specifically the students who own bikes

Object:

what is in the space?

-pedestrians, cars, buses and bikers

Understanding:

will users be able to observe, read, learn and comprehend your way-finding system?

                        -make clear signs with legible reading, colors that comprehend with the surroundings

nodes: bikeracks

districts: union and wescoe

paths: streets, walkways, routes, paths to the bike racks 

edges: oread and fountain, intersection, street boundaries

landmarks: buildings, intersection

Bike Paths

Lawrence is known for their bike friendly community. The University of Kansas doesn't have any biking identification to help pedestrians or drivers (of all vehicles).  Since Jayhawk Boulevard is traffic heavy, we decided to adjust the wayfinding from the Chi Omega Fountain to The Oread. 

Problems: 

• No visual bike lanes
• No representation for location of bike racks (on maps or physical signage)
• Night safety

What we plan on doing:

• Clear signage for lanes, bike racks, and awareness
• Bright paint colors for noticeability 
• Fluorescent lights and reflective signage for night safety 
• Signage for campus buildings
• Adjust campus maps to show location of bike racks