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CHAPTER THREE

DESIGNING THE APPROACH

This project mainly adopts the “User-Centered Design (UCD)” method. As outlined in the literature review, UCD
consists of four main steps.

In the first step, I aimed to understand the user’s experience with the current navigation system. To do this, I

invited a freshman volunteer at SETU Carlow to try finding the G106 classroom using existing signage or by asking
others. I followed him throughout the process as an observer, recording his actions and reactions. Based on these

observations, I created a user journey map and an empathy map to better understand his experience and pain

points.

The second step involved identifying the most urgent user needs. I analyzed data collected from interviews and

observations to pinpoint key navigation issues that students and visitors face on campus.

In the third step, I began designing potential solutions using tools such as personas, storyboards, user flows,
wireframes, and low-fidelity prototypes to address the identified problems.

Finally, in the fourth step, I conducted usability testing to evaluate the clarity and effectiveness of the design. I

invited some of the original interview participants to test the prototypes and provided follow-up interviews to see
whether their earlier concerns had been addressed.

Since UCD is an iterative process, I continuously revised and improved the design based on user feedback at each

stage. This helped ensure that the final outcome stays aligned with real user needs.

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