Upham Hall Improvement Project
The objective of this project was to identify challenges in the wayfinding experience for individuals navigating the Upham Hall building on Miami's Oxford campus. My group’s task involved pinpointing the root causes of these issues and devising a comprehensive solution to enhance the overall experience for a diverse range of building occupants.My specific role in this project was to act as the UX Designer on the project and create the app and prototype. I was also in charge of developing user personas.
The Solution
Our solution and final prototype was created to enhance students' navigation through Upham by integrating a map through a Canvas plugin. We thought with the familiarity of Canvas, it would be an easy transition for the students to use and the school to implement. Users can specify their Upham entrance upon clicking the map icon, select the desired classroom, and our app will provide them with step-by-step instructions via video, guiding them to the chosen classroom.
With our added feature, students can now pick the classroom they are currently in and get directed to the nearest restroom as well.
This specific flow of the app serves as a guide for students searching for their ANTH 224 class. By clicking the map icon under that class, the user will be taken through a flow to find their class. During testing, we designated classes 262 and 326 as the two classrooms for users’ destinations. Additionally, in introducing our restroom feature, we utilized the starting point of room 262 to showcase the men's bathroom and the starting point of room 238 to demonstrate the process users would follow to find the women's restroom.
link to physical prototype: https://www.figma.com/file/FwKyLFi9FdabNjFnfLDfMh/Untitled?type=design&node-id=0%3A1&mode=design&t=Nz7JjpOTYmI5RreG-1
The Process
Pre Research
What is wayfinding? Wayfinding involves the process of navigating through a space to reach a destination, with various aids like visual signs, videos, or maps contributing to the overall experience. Within the scope of this project, our focus is on assessing and addressing the wayfinding challenges specific to Upham, an academic building situated on the campus of Miami University.
Who are the key actors? Upham Hall at Miami University houses several academic departments, including Anthropology, Environmental Studies, Gerontology, History, Humanities, Jewish Studies, Pre-Law, Sociology, and Statistics. However, Upham Hall serves more than just the students majoring in these subjects. Many non-majors also attend classes in Upham to fulfill Miami's thematic sequence and general graduation requirements. So while Upham is certainly home to the core departments stated, its classrooms see a wide cross-section of the Miami undergraduate population using it to round out their educational experience. In this study, we are focusing on all of these students.
What is happening? Upham stands as a historical building representing the essence of Miami. Filled with a rich history, the prospect of change brings about apprehension in many due to the building’s iconic status. However, the building faces pressing accessibility issues that can no longer be overlooked, as neglecting them poses a risk to Miami's reputation.
What are the potential problem spaces? There are only two staircases situated on opposite sides of the building on each floor. Locating these stairwells is a challenging task, and once found, navigating to the opposite ends of the building becomes cumbersome. This not only complicates timely attendance to classes but also hinders efficient navigation around the buildings. Navigation to restrooms is also a very pressing problem in this building due to lack of signage.
How might we cater to the unique navigation challenges of both freshman students, who are unfamiliar with the building, and senior students who have limited classes there, as well as reduce the disruptions caused by late-arriving students, ultimately improving the overall learning environment within Upham Hall?
Main Stakeholders
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Freshmen
POV Statement: First-year students attending classes in Upham need improved wayfinding resources, because they don’t have the same level of familiarity with academic buildings as upperclassmen.
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Upperclassmen
POV Statement: Upperclassmen with only one class in Upham Hall need improved wayfinding tools to enhance their navigation experience because it could significantly reduce their time and stress associated with finding their way to class within Upham.
User Personas
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Jess Plyer
22 year old female, lives in Oxford, ETBD Major
Background: Jess is a senior at Miami University. She has always had a Type A personality and has had her life planned out since the third grade. Her favorite app is her google calendar, putting everything she does socially or academically in it. She is the president of the digital marketing club and her sorority. She is always finding ways to make things better and out herself ahead in school and life.
Goals:
get through her classes to graduate
secure a full time job
make the most of senior year
Scenario: It’s Jess’s last semester and she wants to take a break with classes so she can focus on her career. She decided to take a class that takes place in Upham Hall, which she has never been in before. She found it very outdated and confusing and as a senior it was very confused about why she got lost wit this much experience at Miami under her belt.
Motivations:
career
competitiveness
money
family
Frustrations:
laziness
disorganization
things taking too long
Skills:
Technology, Wayfinding, Punctuality, Communication, Temper
Quote: “You won’t get what you want by being lazy.”
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Jake Thompson
19 year old male, lives in Oxford, Anthropology Major
Background: Jake has just started his first year at Miami University and is eager to get his academic career started as early as possible. Jake is looking to get involved in clubs and get as much out of college as possible. He is a go-getter and doesn’t want to leave any opportunity unchecked.
Goals:
graduate with a 3.8 or higher
wants to graduate with a bachelors in anthropology
looking to add a minor within the anthropology department
Scenario: Since Jake is an anthropology major, he decided to get ahead of things and visit Upham Hall early on so he can become aquainted with the building. As soon as Jake stepped foot in Upham, he was distrught bi the lack of directions inside. He can’t find where the stairs are, he doesn’t know where his classrooms are, and he noticed that the second and third floors were practically desolate.
Motivations:
social life
academic experience
post-education career
Frustrations:
non-driven people
unorganized locations
laziness
Skills:
Technology, Outgoing, Analytical, Wayfinding, Organized
Quote: “The secret to success is to do the common thing uncommonly well.”
Ethnographic Video
Our team produced an ethnographic video to offer our audience a firsthand perspective on the user experience. The video aims to vividly illustrate the identified pain points and highlight the heroic journey distilled from our user interviews and extensive research.
The First Prototype
This prototype was developed to enhance students' navigation through Upham by integrating a map through a Canvas plugin. This feature enables students to reach their classes on time in an accessible way. Users can specify their Upham entrance, select the desired classroom, and our app will provide them with step-by-step instructions via video, guiding them to the chosen classroom.
User Testing
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Demographic
We conducted user testing with a diverse age group of subjects to gather feedback on our prototype. We interviewed college freshmen, sophomores, and seniors. Testing these different grade levels allows for a range of perspectives, which is valuable for obtaining comprehensive feedback.
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Process
We used two sets of test questions and two different classroom locations, in hopes to gain a wider perspective on the usability of our prototype and decide possible improvements. This approach allowed us to assess the effectiveness and usability of our prototype across different user segments. A successful test involves a subject confidently navigating the prototype, providing feedback on the navigation process, and expressing their feelings while using it.
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Conclusions
We found in our feedback that a lot of users enjoyed the accessibility of the captions and the visual and audio assistance of the video. A couple of users mentioned wanting to see a way to find restrooms as well.
Conclusion
I feel we did a great job as a team catering to the unique navigation challenges of both freshman students and senior students who have limited classes in Upham, as well as reduce the disruptions caused by late-arriving students, ultimately improving the overall learning environment within Upham Hall. This project taught me the importance of inclusivity in user testing, emphasizing the need to accommodate various age groups and perspectives. By recognizing and addressing diverse user perceptions, we can create a more universally accessible and user-friendly product.