Searching People-Observation

[For this project, I am working with Tamara Olson.]

Here are our video observations (below the video is an indepth explanation of our study) If you'd rather watch the fairly hi-resolution Flash file that I've uploaded instead of the embedded YouTube clip, it's available here.

Scenario - In a city with geography as confusing as New York City, it often proves difficult to coordinate meeting others. Our objective is to study the resources (maps, phone conversations, reference points, etc.) people use to meet and find one another, and through a staged situation, study the present difficulties. Based on our findings, we will look for needs that current resources are not fulfilling and design a solution to fix the problems.

Study - We enlisted the help of two volunteers, Jared and Yao. Initially, we instructed Jared to call Yao and have her meet him at the Chipotle in Wall Street. He was allowed to use whatever online resource he had to describe the location of the restaurant and give Yao directions. Once Yao arrived in Wall Street, she was instructed to call Jared and redirect him to another restaurant in Wall Street. Again, she was given a map (he was not) and she had to describe to him the directions and reference points to find the location.

Observations
5:30 p.m. - Jared chose to use Google Maps to instruct Yao how she should get to Chipotle. Given her present location at Astor Place, he advised her to take the R or the W to Rector Street station. Jared used a notepad to write down directions for himself, and then departed for Union Square station, where he took the 4 express train to Wall Street. In the 8th Street station, Yao accidentally boarded the N train. Though it shares the same boarding point as the R and W trains, it does not stop in Wall Street; rather, it is an express train to Brooklyn.
6:27 p.m. - Unaware of Yao's plight, Jared found himself alone in Chipotle, wondering where his dining companion had gone. Several phone calls sent him straight to her voicemail. The frustration was building, and Jared went ahead and ordered chips and guacamole for himself.
7:00 p.m. - Finally, a phone call came. Yao informed Jared what had happened, and told him she was now at the Rector Street station. However, she no longer wanted to eat at Chipotle; instead, she gave him directions to Bobby Van's Steakhouse. Yao attempted to give Jared directions based on the map she had, but was confused from which direction he was approaching. As a result, Jared walked in a complete circle before calling Yao and realizing the mistake.
7:20 p.m. - Nearly two hours after Jared and Yao set out for Chipotle, they reunite in front of Bobby Van's Steakhouse. Clearly, there is room for improvement in the methods of finding one another and arranging a meeting place.

10 Things That Bug Us
1. It is difficult to direct someone else by looking at a map, figuring out that person's location, and then deducing (from their vantage point) which directions s/he should take.
2. Many trains run on the same track-trains that do not share the same schedule, route, and stops. The maps are confusing. It is difficult to figure which trains (e.g. the R and W) stop at certain locations and which don't (e.g. the N).
3. Many streets are easy to navigate in New York that follow a logical, numerical grid. Others (especially in Wall Street and the Village) have names that don't give clues to whereabouts, are small, and incredibly confusing.
4. The natural tendency is to look for reference points when navigating in a city like New York. However, Google Maps does not always stay up-to-date with company and store information. Consequently, if a user uses a certain establishment as a reference point and that business has since left, it becomes incredibly confusing.
5. Google Maps is undoubtedly a helpful tool-especially if the user has access to it with a device like an iPhone. However, it can still be difficult to find your own location on a Google Map, or which direction you are pointing. As a result, it would almost be easier to use Google Maps combined with a compass.
6. Having no cell phone service in the subways makes it difficult to call someone and ask for directions or which subway to take.
7. One common tendency (observed with Yao) is when she would exit the subway, she would not try to immediately figure her whereabouts. Instead she would just walk while calling Jared for help. This resulted sometimes in going the wrong direction for several blocks, and then needing to double back.
8. Jared and Yao do not have the same cell phone provider, so every call is added to their minutes. Constantly needing to call one another to check each other's whereabouts becomes costly-especially if this is done on a daily basis.
9. When Yao was giving Jared directions, he did not have a pencil and paper with him. Because Yao was the only one with a map, the directions were long and complicated, making it nearly impossible for Jared to remember all the details and street names and turns. Because they were talking on their phones, Jared could not even jot down notes in his cell phone.
10. Sometimes it is easier to just hop in a cab, tell the cab driver the street names, and let him figure out the directions. This is a very costly solution, but realistically often the best one. Again though, the costs add up if this is the daily solution.
11. Looking at a map, one can rarely estimate the amount of time it will take to get from one point to another in New York. For example, Jared never would have guessed based on looking at a map that the commute from 14th street and 1st Avenue to the Chipotle on Wall Street would have taken an hour. It also would have helped him figure out how much time it would take for Yao to arrive at Chipotle.

Our Solution: Technology that allows a user to use GPS on his cellular telephone to find both his own whereabouts and the whereabouts of others.

10 Opportunities for a Design Improvement
1. Rather than relying on another person for directions, the GPS would provide the user with self-sufficient navigation. This solves the problem of how difficult it is to direct others just by using a map. It also solves the problem of no cell phone service in subways, users no longer need to call each other, which also solves the issue of cell phone costs.
2. The GPS could use built-in knowledge of a city's transportation system to advise users the best train option to arrive at a specific location. (For example, the device would alert Yao NOT to take the N if she is trying to get to Wall Street.)
3. If the user IS going in the wrong direction, the GPS will recognize this. To solve the problem, the GPS can alert the user in some way that he has strayed from the optimal path.
4. Users no longer need to write down directions, spend money on printer ink, or buy new maps every time they visit new cities.
5. GPS can give an accurate estimate of the duration of time from one point in New York to another. An advanced system could time how long individual users are taking to get from place to place. This would keep the system updated, and also log how long different travels take depending on the time of day (e.g., going from the Village to Wall Street undoubtedly takes a longer period of time during rush hour, etc.).
6. If users prefer reading written directions as opposed to looking at a map, the device could incorporate a feature to write out the directions. Users could then save their "favorite journeys" to their phones, eliminating the use (and waste) of pen and paper.
7. GPS can also advise the shortest route via trains, which is not always the solution that might be found just looking at a map.
8. If GPS is offered at a flat monthly rate, users do not need to worry about unanticipated expenses like cab fares, cell phone bills, etc.
9. For the directionally challenged, GPS could provide a simple compass which can prove useful if a user simply needs to know whether he is going north� or south.�
10. Suppose a user has a craving for Chinese food. With Google Maps, he must type in his current location, then look for restaurants near this location. If GPS is involved, he can simply say: "Look for Chinese restaurants near where I am standing!� " This eliminates an annoying task and makes it super easy to find establishments near the user.