Geisel Library
A redesign of Geisel library's floor plan to include resting and living spaces.
Overview
Timeframe: 8 weeks
Tools: Pen, Paper, Post-its, Camera
Role: UX Designer, UX Researcher
Background & Problem Space
We were encouraged to apply design thinking and the human centered design process to identify, and provide solutions for problems and breakdowns that are relevant to students at UC San Diego. Our team had decided to explore physical spaces, specifically resting spaces because we find the campus not very accommodating to commuters like us.
Needfinding
In order to confirm that this is a real need, we began contextual inquiries through contextual observations and interviews. Why contextual? Because to capture and understand the breakdowns our students experience, we need to emphasize which could be accomplished by immersing ourselves in those same environments and contexts. First we made unobtrusive observations in public points of interests on campus.
The images we captured above of public spaces at the university are evidence for the students' opportunistic uses of their surroundings. They are using spaces for purposes they were not intended for. Opportunistic use is ok when the tool/environment actually affords the actions that need to be performed, but not in this case. If you don't sleep sitting up or in public every night, why would that be fine in other times and places?
When appropriate we also conducted contextual interviews to better understand the thinking behind such opportunistic use of the space. We needed to utilize the affinity diagram to group the complains into categories of needs.
We were able to identify three main categories of needs that we need to address: privacy & safety, accessibility, and physical space availability. When attempting to take a nap or rest on campus, most students felt unsafe for themselves or their belongings. Many also pointed out the fact that there are simply not enough spaces created for the purpose of relaxation and rest while others noticed the lack of accessibility and comfort in the spaces that currently exist.
Target Audience & User Research
Our target audience is easily defined as UC San Diego students, especially commuters. We then utilized surveys to gauge their demographics and key characteristics.
Most students reported getting less than 7 hours of sleep every night, and having significant commute times. This explains why they need to rest and nap during the day and also why not having to go home saves time.
70% of students also also liked the idea of napping near a study space while 55% of students also preferred dining options near by. This explains why currently, the library and our food court are the most popular spaces for students to rest and nap.
To figure out the specific functionalities and amenities that are necessary, students preferred couches, napping pods/chairs, bean bags and beds equally. Safety and privacy remain the main concerns, same as what we found during needfinding.
Secondary Research
We were now familiar with the needs and breakdowns but what are the causes? We turned to faculty at UC San Diego for interviews and data. We found from faculties at the Library and the Zone (a student well-being center), that the lack of space is the biggest problem. Students are constantly turned away because the spaces are often packed. Meanwhile in Geisel, there are resting spaces only available to faculty and not students.
Sketches & Concepts
After weighing the pros and cons of different possible locations that can be redesigned, we settled on Geisel library. It is a study space and has the most amount of unused space compared to the other parts of campus. But what part of Geisel should we focus on?
Most floors were too noisy for students to rest, the quiet floors however, were too small to be worthy of a redesign. The 6th floor however, had many empty book shelves that could be taken out or relocated to empty spaces on other floors. It also was the largest in area.
We decided to separate the floor into 2 equal parts, one that will remain a study space while the other half will be furnished with couches, sleeping pods/chairs, and lockers.
Feedback & Iteration
We approached students with the sketch as well as a rough prototype to receive feedback on our idea and to generate qualitative data such as suggestions to better the space we have in mind.
Some of the most common suggestions were ideas about interior design and furnishing. While others raised good questions about how will the space be kept clean and safe from inappropriate acts and abuse. So we conducted another round of research focusing on quantitative data from a second survey.
We were very happy with the results. Almost half of the students suggested that a sign-in & sign-out card reader would be the best. We considered having a front-desk attendant but that would cost more. Also many spaces on campus are already utilizing our student IDs for sign-ins. This way we can keep non-students out of the space and also bill or warn those that might have damaged or misused the space. Votes on interior design favored dim lighting, carpet instead of floor, and most importantly separators and walls made of frosted glass. Our interpretation was that people are less likely to disobey any rules if the space is somewhat open. But at the same time they will have enough privacy.
Final Prototype
With the new information we've learned, we prototyped a solution that is truly data driven.
