MY ROLE
UX Researcher
TEAM
2 UX Researchers
2 UI Designers
TOOLS
Figma
Miro
Zoom
PROJECT OVERVIEW : Smarter Campus Navigation
RIT Hyperwalk enhances the RIT Campus Map UI/UX for intuitive navigation, integrating real-time data and user-centred design.
IMPACT
Reduced time-to-location with streamlined path previews.
Improved winter accessibility.
Validated design assumptions through iterative feedback.
Optimized for clarity and task efficiency.
PROBLEM : Winter Navigation Struggles
RIT’s campus navigation becomes especially difficult during winter, especially due to unclear maps and limited guidance on accessible indoor routes, which can cause frustration and inefficiency.
Through user interviews, surveys, and contextual inquiries, we uncovered four key pain points affecting campus navigation.
Outdated Navigation Tools
RIT’s current maps lack real-time updates and fail to guide users effectively, especially indoors.
Poor Indoor Wayfinding
Users struggle to navigate between buildings due to unclear or missing indoor pathways.
Limited Accessibility Support
The existing tools don’t meet the needs of users with mobility or cognitive challenges.
Weather-Dependent Mobility
Severe weather conditions significantly hinder outdoor movement across campus.
And so the design question arises
How might we make navigating the RIT campus easier and more accessible during winter through clearer maps and smarter indoor guidance?
SOLUTION HIGHLIGHTS : Feature-Driven Fixes
Weather and Popular Searches
AR Indoor Navigation
Login and Profile
How did user research guide us in crafting a solution that truly addresses these pain points?
RESEARCH PROCESS : Insights from Users
User Interviews
Surveys
Contextual Inquiry
Data Analysis
Here are some direct user quotes regarding their experiences with RIT campus navigation
"It’s especially frustrating in the winter — I never know if a path is blocked or slippery."
Graduate Student
Frequent Campus Visitor
"The map doesn’t help indoors at all — I just keep guessing which hallway goes where."
Parent visiting for the first time
Infrequent user
DATA ANALYSIS : Quant + Qual Insights
Post interviews, surveys, and contextual inquiries, both qualitative and quantitative data were analyzed to uncover key user challenges and inform design decisions.
Qualitative Data Quantitative Data
User feedback from interviews and surveys revealed frustration with existing campus maps and a strong need for better indoor routing.
User Behavioral observations showed hesitation and confusion during live navigation attempts, especially near building entrances and in bad weather.
Recurring themes across users included difficulty with orientation, lack of accessible route information, and reliance on guesswork for indoor navigation.
80% user dissatisfaction with the current RIT maps app, citing it as frustrating or unhelpful.
30% reported accessibility issues — particularly related to winter conditions, ramps, and indoor signage.
Navigation failure rate: Multiple users were unable to reach their destination on the first attempt using the provided tools.
Route detour frequency: Users frequently took longer, inefficient routes due to unclear indoor pathways.
The data analysis revealed three main issues to address
1.
Lack of real-time and indoor navigation support
2.
Limited accessibility information for diverse user needs
3.
Weather-related barriers impacting safe campus mobility
DESIGN SOLUTION : Simplifying Wayfinding
Based on the research findings and ideation, I designed the following solutions, focusing on three key aspects.
1. Simplifying Campus Navigation
How: Organised map with filters and a search bar to reduce visual overload.
Why: 80% found the old map cluttered and hard to use.
Before: Shows a dense, icon-heavy map right away with no clear user focus.
After: Displays a prominent weather icon, and when tapped, opens a weather forecast card with hourly updates.
2. Improving Accessibility and Indoor Navigation
How: Added AR guidance, voice support, and route types like wheelchair and stairs.
Why: 30% faced indoor confusion and accessibility challenges.
Before: Indoor transitions are unclear — no visual guidance through buildings.
After: Uses AR to guide users with live overlays, boosting clarity and confidence.
3. Supporting Intent-Based and Weather-Aware Search
How: Introduced smart search, live weather, and event-based navigation.
Why: 60% wanted real-time updates and relevant destination discovery.
Before: No popular search options, forcing users to manually find common destinations.
After: Uses AR to guide users with live overlays, boosting clarity and confidence.
OUTCOMES : Improved Access & UX
The improved navigation experience was evaluated through user testing, revealing clearer wayfinding, improved accessibility, and reduced navigation stress — especially in winter.
Confusing Routes
Indoor AR Navigation
Inaccessible Paths
Inclusive Route Options
Overwhelming Maps
Weather-aware UI
TAKEAWAYS
Working on this project deepened my skills in accessibility-focused design and location-based UX. I learned how to translate real user pain points into intuitive, scalable navigation systems for diverse environments.
