Study task 1: Group idea generation and filming

BRIEF:

In groups of 4 you are to record how members of the public move through and interact with public space. You must record your experiences through video, drawing, photography and writing. 

In order to gain direct experience with the effects supergraphics and wayfinding have on our passage through public space, you are asked to create a diversion, new connection and making someone pause or stop.

The sign must be made using only abstract graphic language and no text. The findings should be presented as a video (2 minutes long) on Friday 25^th November along with other ways of documenting ideas.

Sketchbook should include:
-Video stills
-Drawing
-Photographs
-Research into supergraphics and wayfinding
-Ideas and intentions
-Evaluation

IDEAS:

In response to study task 1, my group began to discuss the ways in which a sign could be placed in a public space. We began to discuss how the location of this sign could impact the amount of people that would notice it and actually take direction from it. When thinking about basing the project on Briggate or in the Trinity centre, we began to consider the fact that people may already know the direction in which they can/can't go in so out of default would not actually notice our sign.

We thought about using tape, paint, clothing, umbrellas and a few other materials to spark ideas on the best way to create our own temporary wayfinder.
The locations we have decided on will be the entrance, a staircase and the elevator of the LCA building.

We decided to create our signage in the form of masks. The sketches show the locations in which we will stand and the symbols we will have painted onto the masks. 

We will be using an SLR to record the results of the interventions.  


FILMING:

We spent the first part of the morning making the masks out of paper plates, coloured tape and elastic bands. This allowed us to begin filming when the morning break began so that we could have enough people to see the intervention.

We chose different locations to stand with the masks on and we filmed from different angles the reactions of the people witnessing the signs. Standing at the door which leads to the terrace area in LCA with the 'cross' mask wasn't as successful as we had hoped. The majority of the people were very surprised and began to question it. The reactions were interesting, but the sign did not stop anyone from walking through the door. This may have been because they are so used to using the door that they didn't think it would actually be shut, or that the sign wasn't forceful enough to make people follow it.

The most successful intervention was found when standing at the entrance barriers in a line, directing people to the end barrier. This provoked the most reactions and the majority of the people did understand the sign system and went to the end barrier.

Standing at the top and bottom of the stairs to make sure people walked on the right side of the staircase worked well considering a lot of people went to walk on the usual side of left.


This study task showed me that by making people think, they may not follow the instruction that you intended because they are more likely to continue to do what they consider to be the norm. It is important to keep the sign system simple, using symbols that are commonly recognised.