Principles from urban design that can be applied to experience design, based on Kevin Lynch's book on Good Urban Form. (My presentation from An Event Apart 2011-2012)

1. PROJECT
BY FROM
ALEXA ANDRZEJEWSKI (@LADYLEXY) FOODSPOTTING.COM
LEARNING FROM URBAN DESIGN:
10 NEW WAYS TO EVALUATE EXPERIENCES

2. NAVIGATING JAPAN WITHOUT AN IPHONE
WHERE AM I? HOW DO I GET BACK? WHAT KIND OF PLACE IS THIS?

3. I MASTERED THE TRAIN SYSTEM IN A DAY.
STRUCTURE

4. I FELT CONFIDENT & COMPETENT.
CERTAINTY

5. I COULD FIND WHAT I NEEDED
MEANING

6. THOUGH ALMOST OVERWHELMING...
ACCESS

7. EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD WAS MEMORABLE.
SENSE OF PLACE

8. It was an amazing
experience!
In fact, it was the inspiration
behind my startup,
Foodspotting.

9. What made this a good experience?
And how can these same qualities
apply to digital experiences?

10. We know
how to
evaluate
usability...

11. But how can
we evaluate
experiences?

12. Learning
from Cities
“It is a common feeling that most
urban places are less than
satisfactory... if we could articulate
about why we feel that way, we might
be prepared to make effective
changes.” -Kevin Lynch

13. A language for describing
experiences.

14. 10 DIMENSIONS FROM GOOD CITY FORM
FOR EXAMPLE, HOW TRANSPARENT IS A PLACE?
TRANSPARENCY

15. 1: Sense of
Meaning
Does it tell a story? How is
the form a reflection of
values? Can people read the
environment?

16. SENSE OF MEANING: URBAN EXAMPLES
VISUAL CUES... LOTS OF VISUAL CUES

17. SENSE OF MEANING: DIGITAL EXAMPLE
FOODSPOTTING’S HOMEPAGE

18. What story do you want to
tell and how can you use the
language of design to
communicate it?

19. 2: Sense of
Place
Does it leave an impression
on the senses? Is it
memorable?

20. SENSE OF PLACE: URBAN EXAMPLE
THREE DISTINCT NEIGHBORHOODS

21. SENSE OF PLACE: DIGITAL EXAMPLES
TUMBLR & SCOUTMOB

22. What moments do you want
users to remember and how
can you make them
memorable?

23. 3: Sense of
Structure
Can you wrap your mind
around the structure? Does
the design yield accurate
mental maps?

24. SENSE OF STRUCTURE: URBAN EXAMPLES
THE YAMANOTE LINE

25. SENSE OF STRUCTURE: DIGITAL EXAMPLE
PATH

26. If you look at a page or
screen in isolation, is it
evident where it fits into
the bigger picture?

27. 4: Sense of
Unfolding
Does it get better the more
you explore? Is the first time
experience tempered so as
not to be overwhelming?

28. SENSE OF UNFOLDING: URBAN EXAMPLES
SHIBUYA ON MANY SCALES

29. SENSE OF UNFOLDING: DIGITAL EXAMPLES
FOODILY

30. What is the #1 thing you
want people to do on their
first visit? Their second?
Their third?

31. 5: Sense of
Transparency
Can you see signs of life on
the inside from the outside?

32. SENSE OF TRANSPARENCY: URBAN EXAMPLES
FISH MARKETS & FOOD EXPERIENCES

33. SENSE OF TRANSPARENCY: DIGITAL EXAMPLE
PINTEREST

34. What activities do you
want users to engage in?
Are people able to learn by
example?

35. 6: Fit
Does the design of a place
anticipate and facilitate
people’s desired actions so
seamlessly that it makes you
feel competent and smart?

36. FIT: URBAN EXAMPLES
SMART STAIRCASES

37. FIT: DIGITAL EXAMPLE
HASHABLE

38. Observe user behavior and
ask users questions: Is there
any evidence of misfit?

39. 7: Adaptability
Can users modify or adapt
the structure to increase fit?

40. ADAPTABILITY: URBAN EXAMPLES
MAKESHIFT PARKS & MEETING SPOTS

41. ADAPTABILITY: DIGITAL EXAMPLE
FACEBOOK & TWITTER

42. Have you noticed any
surprising adaptations or
workarounds in how users
interact with your site or
app? What can you learn
from them?

43. 8: Access
How much and what range
of choices are presented to
a user at any given time? Is
it too many or too few?

44. ACCESS: URBAN EXAMPLES
SUBWAY STATIONS

45. ACCESS: DIGITAL EXAMPLE
FAB

46. When are users presented
with palettes of choices?
Are there any choices you
could take away?

47. 9:
Responsibility
Do the users of a place feel
a sense of ownership and
responsibility for the
experience?

48. RESPONSIBILITY: URBAN EXAMPLE
COMMUNITY GARDENS

49. RESPONSIBILITY: DIGITAL EXAMPLES
GOWALLA SPOT FIXER, FACEBOOK COMMENTS, QUORA REPUTATION

50. How can you increase users’
sense of responsibility?

51. 10: Certainty
Can people trust in the
systems of control? Does
the environment act in
predictable ways?

52. CERTAINTY: URBAN EXAMPLES
TRANSIT INFORMATION

53. CERTAINTY: DIGITAL EXAMPLE
MINT

54. What are the most anxiety-
inducing moments in your
site or app? What sights/
sounds/interactions could
reduce this anxiety?

55. Evaluating Experiences
Ten “Lenses” or ways of seeing your designs

56. 1. Sense of Meaning: Does the design tell a story?
2. Sense of Place: Is it memorable or are there memorable moments?
3. Sense of Structure: Can you tell how the pieces and parts fit together?
4. Sense of Unfolding: Are options revealed over time vs. thrown at users all at once?
5. Sense of Transparency: Can you observe and learn by observation?
6. Fit: Does it make people feel competent? Is there any evidence of misfit?
7. Adaptability: Can it be repurposed in novel ways?
8. Access: Are people confronted with the right number of choices at the right time?
9. Responsibility: Do people feel ownership of the experience?
10. Certainty: Can people trust in the system?

57. SENSE OF MEANING?
ARE WE TELLING THE RIGHT STORY?

58. SENSE OF UNFOLDING?
DOES THE EXPERIENCE GET BETTER AND BETTER AS YOU GO?

59. FIT?
ARE THERE ANY SIGNS OF POOR FIT WITHIN FOODSPOTTING?

60. ADAPTABILITY?
ARE OUR DESIGNS ADAPTABLE AND ARE WE LEARNING FROM ADAPTATIONS?
GUIDES

61. ACCESS?
ARE WE GIVING PEOPLE THE RIGHT NUMBER OF CHOICES?

62. 1. Sense of Meaning: Does the design tell a story?
2. Sense of Place: Is it memorable or are there memorable moments?
3. Sense of Structure: Can you tell how the pieces and parts fit together?
4. Sense of Unfolding: Are options revealed over time vs. thrown at users all at once?
5. Sense of Transparency: Can you observe and learn by observation?
6. Fit: Does it make people feel competent? Is there any evidence of misfit?
7. Adaptability: Can it be repurposed in novel ways?
8. Access: Are people confronted with the right number of choices at the right time?
9. Responsibility: Do people feel ownership of the experience?
10. Certainty: Can people trust in the system?

63. Now go forth and create
great experiences!
-ALEXA ANDRZEJEWSKI
@LADYLEXY
@FOODSPOTTING
WWW.ANEVENTAPART.COM/2011/SANFRANCISCO/SLIDES/