Comparative Evaluations of Walkability Analyzes Using Different Interfaces

Abstract

Wayfinding is one of the important spatial actions developed by humans. Wayfinding methods have evolved throughout history and according to the tools people use. In addition to the route between the starting point and the destination point being information acquired through frequent use, different interfaces such as printed maps and digital navigation applications also affect wayfinding. In addition to physical elements, perceptual elements also affect wayfinding.
The study examines the wayfinding patterns acquired by those who know the region between two points in an area determined in Hamidiye Neighborhood of Çekmeköy District of Çekmeköy District in Istanbul Province, and the wayfinding patterns developed by those who do not know the region by using printed maps or mobile maps with moving methods. As a result of the study, the most frequently used routes, the most frequently used turns and the elements that remain in their minds are evaluated, and the resulting routes were compared with the findings produced in line with the land use of the area, average slope of the roads and walkability analyses.
The study reveals that digital navigation systems and printed maps have an impact on the wayfinding process, but it is also of the opinion that physical factors such as location information and slope as well as perceptual factors such as the effects of buildings and streets on people are important in route preferences.
In the study, walking together and mobile interview methods were used to examine the travels of 30 people in 3 different groups, 10 people using printed maps, 10 people using mobile map applications with digital navigation, and 10 people who know the region very well, from Cem House to Hamidiye Neighborhood Mukhtar’s Office in Hamidiye Neighborhood of Çekmeköy District of Istanbul.
Mobile map applications have the advantage of screen scrolling, while printed maps have the advantage of seeing the whole area. In addition, there is also an audio directions application in mobile maps. The size of the printed map was produced to be twice the size of the phone screen so that the signs could be seen because the printed map sees the whole area. On the printed maps, the starting point and destination are clearly shown. While searching for an answer to the question “Is a public and readable city possible?” in printed maps, concepts such as node, edge, road, landmark, which were introduced by Kevin Lynch in his work “Image of City” focusing on the perception left by different urban textures on people, were used and park, family health center, primary school, mosque structures and street names were included.
In the end, the maps obtained by superposing the route preferences of individuals were evaluated together with the slope analysis of the area and the walkability scores determined with the help of Walk Score 17.
The study brings an innovative evaluation method to the perceptual factors in the processes of wayfinding and route creation by including participants who know the region in studies that have so far examined the wayfinding patterns and generally compared printed maps and mobile maps. With the method presented here, it is thought that the outputs of Lynch analysis can be transferred to data systems in the context of walkability criteria.
When physical components are excluded for those who know the region, perceptual factors were found to be slightly effective. The inability to remember the route of departure on return, which was also observed in previous studies among mobile map users, was also observed in this study.
It is thought that with the presented method, the outputs of Lynch analysis can be transferred to data systems in the context of walkability criteria. The study found that walkability scores and mobile map directions created using similar data sets were inconsistent; revealed that it is consistent with the routes of those who know the region. This shows that there is a need for studies on integrating mobile map directions options with walkability scores and slope analyses.
Considering that wayfinding styles and navigation behaviors vary from person to person and that data science is gradually developing, it seems that there is a need to study the perceptual factors that affect walkability and wayfinding styles in order to enable mobile map applications to provide personalized directions. It is also considered that the layouts produced during the study will serve to harmonize the mobile directions applications to be created for pedestrians with walkability and slope data in today’s world where smart city applications are developing. It is also thought that the study provides an opportunity to deepen the research on the perceptual factors affecting wayfinding patterns.