Intercultural Design: Project 2 (Field Study)

 Low Yu Kai | 0381377

Bachelor of Design in Creative Media

Intercultural Design

Mr. Asrizal

Task 2: Field Study 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Instructions 

2. Process Work 

3. Feedback

4. Reflection

1. Instructions 

2. Process work

        Based on the previous task, our research objective is to explore the potential problems that visually impaired individuals may encounter when walking and using public transportation in Kuala Lumpur. We aim to understand the difficulties they may face in their daily travel, and through studying these issues, we hope to better understand their real experiences and consider designing solutions that can make public transportation more convenient and safer for the visually impaired community.

Fig 2.1 Coverpage

        

        We then conducted a field study, selecting the most bustling business district in KL, the KLCC, and the underground passages and traffic. Our target group included not only locals but also foreign tourists, so we chose a location with the highest daily foot traffic to collect more valuable information.

Fig 2.2 Photo Collection near KLCC

        

        After the field study, we gathered the photos we collected and some of the issues we found in them. This information will be used for our speech. By showing these real cases, we can explain and understand better the problems that visually impaired people may face in this environment. This information will also help us support our idea and propose better design ideas in the future.

3. Feedback

        Our field study in Kuala Lumpur aimed to observe the existing signage systems and accessibility facilities. During the study, we collected a large number of photos and notes. This information helped us better understand how the existing system operates in the actual public transportation environment.

This research helps us understand some practical problems that visually impaired users may face when using public transportation. The information we collected will support our analysis and help us propose more refined design solutions in the next phase of the project. Our research findings will contribute to improving accessible environments and creating more inclusive spaces.

In this process, we primarily focused on various details related to accessible design. For example, we examined tactile paving, Braille signage, and the color contrast of different signs within the station. These elements are crucial because they help visually impaired individuals navigate more easily.

4. Reflection

        Through this field observation at the KL Sentral station, I gained a deeper understanding of how visually impaired individuals experience public transportation in real life. By observing, I found that the design needs to consider many different groups and think about the impacts the design will have.

Our team is also very important for completing the field study more smoothly, especially in KL, where the population density is very high. Overall, this experience gave me a profound understanding of the importance of restrictive design. In the next stage of the project, I will be able to use the information we collected to develop personalized design solutions for visually impaired individuals that better support the use of public hope spaces.

During this research process, my observation and data collection skills also improved. I learned how to take useful photos, record important information, and organize data collected during the fieldwork. I believe these skills are crucial for conducting design research.