Bunratty Folk Park Navigational Aid System

The Bunratty Folk Park, located in Shannon, County Clare, in western Ireland. The Folk Park consists of many mid-west 19th century building, being shifted and relocated over to the Bunratty Castle, surrounding the fort in a 26-land area. The intended purpose of this park was to provide authentic medieval-historic vibes for visitors who come to the park. Strolling the "charming" old town as if you were moved back in time (Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, n.d.).

Sharon Brosnan, a Design student in Ireland, wanted to design a Mobile Interface AR, that provides assistance for visitors in the Folk Park (Brosnan, 2010).

Sharon followed the "Interaction Design Process" that follows the idea of developing prototypes and concepts, compare them and heavily emphasize on iterating.

Brosnan wanted to know more about her clients, so she observed and studied the motives and the actions throughout the day of the visitors who come to the park. What she noticed was that many visitors owned a mobile phone; wanted more information on displays and buildings; many wanted to view the park at their own pace; and information should be concise and easy to understand. Personally, this observational step related back to the ideal process of the "Double-Diamond", in the Discovery phase (Brosnan, 2010).

Brosnan developed the concepts of having a Mobile Interface, that shows AR interactions, further aiding visitors throughout their journey in the Folk Park. The AR experience consists of moving the camera to displays and buildings and information will be virtually layered next to the display to provide information for the visitor.

Here is a video revealing her concept AR Mapping guide for the Folk Park, in regards to the solutions that the visitors need for better experience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BqbEXUyDfo

The case study Mark has provided for us in Week 3, in regards to the Folk Park in Bunratty, has been an interesting case to learn about. I now know more about the importance of Prototyping, and how that the skill is an important skill in the Mixed Reality world. Through prototyping, one can convey their ideas more concisely and effectively.

I also learnt about the importance of knowing your clients, "always keep the user at heart" as what was said in Mark's lecture that week. The uses of Low-Fi and Hi-Fi prototyping techniques, which are both proven to have their strengths and weaknesses.

Notes during Mark's lecture:

Interaction Design Process:

- Identify needs/requirements

- Design

- Build an Interactive version

- Evaluation

- Back to Designing if needed

- If not, continue to final product

Mobile Augmented Reality for Navigation:

Bunratty Theme Park (Ireland):

This case study was evaluated around the idea of Augmented Reality as an assistive technology to help people navigate around the Bunratty Theme park.

- Allows visitors to point a camera at an exhibit, the device recognizes it by its location and layers digital information on to the display

- 3D virtual objects can be positioned with real ones on display

- Leads to dynamic combination of live camera view and information

- She noticed that many visitors had mobile smartphones; which had GPS.

HUMAN CENTERED DESIGN (Approach):

Phase One: Identify Needs/ establish requirements:

- Goal of the Navigational aid; easy to use and understandable

o Useful to visitors

o Creating interaction between the visitors and the aid through UI

o Engage visitors (exciting and interesting)

- Understand the visitor of a navigational aid in Bunratty Folk Park

- Identify visitors’ motives and goals through the Folk Park

o She did research on past similar technologies and other assistive techs that theme parks used

o Also investigated Electronic Tours in Museum Settings

o Interaction Designs in Outdoor Museum settings

o Observed visitors over time in the park; provide insight on situations.

§ Findings:

· Most visitors do not use the map

· Most visitors have mobile phones

· Visitors want more information

· View the Folk Park at their own pace

· Information should be straight to the point

· Large social interactions within groups

Talking with people in the theme park can really help understand the needs and situation, which is the first phase in the Interaction Design process model analysis. She defined the visitors needs.

Before she went into designing her tech (phase two), she planned and used personas – imaginary people – to help convey her technology. Then she made scenarios of how the persona uses the tech in the Bunratty Theme park setting. Then she drew up a storyboard to summaries it all up. These are low fidelity prototyping, because it is quick and easy, but it still conveys their intentions and idea. She used sketching.

Phase Two: Designing the navigational aid product:

Iterative Design Process:

Making a range of many prototypes to gain feedbacks and identify the pros and cons from other designers, users and clients. Susan used mainly low fidelity prototypes because it is easy to understand, quick and easy conceptual design for building ideas.

Susan used mostly low fidelity prototyping methods;

- Sketches

o Good for idea generation

o Cheap

o Concepts seem feasible

o Not great for feedback

o Photoshop is not fast enough for making changes

- Paper Prototyping

- Post-It Prototypes

- PowerPoint Prototyping

o Used for User Testing

o Interactive

o Functionalities work when following story of Scenario 1

o Quick

o Easy arrangement of slides

o Does not show you a real AR view

One High fidelity Prototype method;

- ‘Wikitude’ software

o Used for User Testing

o Mapping

o Popular AR reality browser for mobile

o Point of interest abilities

o Multiplatform

o Shows the points of interest of Bunratty Folk Park

§ Markers can be selected in and an information pop-up appears

Final Concept: Susan created her final prototype – her AR Navigational aid through the mobile interface.

Key issues:

- Fix issues found in previous sessions

- Design with guidelines in mind

- Appealing to the Mental Model

o Icon Design

- Aesthetic Design

o Color/Font

o Buttons

o Looks

Phase Three: Build an interactive version:

Susan used the method of video to convey her final concept. She made a demo video.

- Susan identified the needs of her client through interacting with the visitors at the park, establishing their needs and problems, and the requirements – the conveniences of better navigational experiences throughout the park

- Susan then designed mock-up prototypes to convey how she can make her navigational aid interface.

o Sketch designs, storyboards, etc.

- Susan then used Wikitude as a high-fidelity prototype to create a better insight on her interactive app. She then moved into making a demo video to further convey her interactive version. With each interactive version, she would evaluate and go back to phase two; redesigning her interactive interface until she came up with her final concept.

- Evaluation stage; Susan had to redesign her interface many times from using Power Point, Wikitude and Post-It Prototypes to find flaws and further redevelop her interface, She’d go back to the phase two; redesign – every time until she came up with her final concept.

Conclusion:

Prototyping is one of the most important skills you can have as a Mixed Reality interface designer

There are many tools available:

- Sketching, Paper Prototyping, Video, etc.

Always keep the user at the heart of the process

- User centered design

- User testing/feedback

#MixedRealities #DES241

Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk/attractions/bunratty-castle-and-folk-park-236174f9

Brosnan, S. (2010, October 19). Final Presentation: Mobile Augmented Reality for Spatial Navigation. Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/sharB/final-presentation-mobile-augmented-reality-for-spatial-navigation