IH02-AsmitaKarandikar
From IEOR 170 Spring 2007
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[edit] Problem Description
The UC Berkeley campus is inaccessible for people who are not familiar with it. It is difficult for visitors to locate buildings, as well as specific locations inside of buildings. This makes it difficult for visitors to find their way around while walking through campus. There can sometimes be a lack of reliable sources to direct these visitors, as campus maps and signs are scarce, and sometimes, the students that visitors ask for help are not knowledgeable of how to get to a destination. There is a lack of reliable information to direct visitors to their destinations once they are on campus and this may be improved with a technical solution.
[edit] Target User Group
This project will be primarily targeted to people who are not familiar with the campus – specifically, visitors and tourists. These are people who will have the most difficulty finding their desired destinations, and will want and need reliable information on how to get to their destinations.
[edit] Problem Context and Forces
The University of California, Berkeley is a world-renowned research institution and place of higher learning. For this reason, many people come to Berkeley to visit the campus. It is important for accessibility that these guests are able to find their way around campus easily. This will improve the university’s public image because it will make the university appear more inviting to these visitors.
Various aspects make it difficult for visitors to determine where they should go on campus. There are very few signs directing people towards specific buildings, so unless the visitor saw a map or knew where to go, there would be no way to locate the destination. However, campus maps are sparse, and those that are present appear very uninviting because they appear old and are painted black, which is not generally considered to be an inviting color. Since these maps are so infrequent, if a visitor were to look at a map and start walking in the correct direction, he may forget the exact directions to his destination a short time later unless he came across another map (or another source of information) along the way. Another environmental issue is that the campus is very large, and so it can appear daunting to visitors. Also, the fact that there are usually many campus activities occurring can make the campus appear busy and thus confusing to new visitor. In addition, once inside a building, it can be difficult to locate a specific room due to confusing room numbering systems. All of these factors make it difficult for visitors to locate their desired destination, thus making it more important to have a reliable way to get correct directions. This necessity is increased greatly during poor weather conditions, when people will want to reach their destination in the shortest amount of time.
Visitors of all ages, education levels, and backgrounds can be affected by this problem, so it is important to have a solution that will be accessible for all of them. Most people value their time, and would prefer not to waste precious minutes while being lost on campus. Because of this, they will be motivated to use a system that will give them accurate directions.
There are several related and complementary solutions available. First, visitors may find the maps located around campus to be useful. Second, they might have smaller, printed maps that they can carry with them. Visitors can also browse the UC Berkeley website to find information about visiting the campus. (This information can be found at http://www.berkeley.edu/visitors/.) There are already pictures of different buildings online that visitors can view, located at http://www.berkeley.edu/map/. Although it would not be beneficial for finding a specific room, visitors who take a tour guide-led tour can gain familiarity with the campus.
[edit] Solution Sketch
My project proposal is to create a “call center” located on campus so that those needing assistance, especially visitors to campus, may call the directions hotline in order to receive directions between any two locations on campus. A special phone number will be set up for those needing assistance. People may call this number from any location. The call will be answered by one of several workers who will have access to maps of the entire campus, updated with any closed paths and alternate routes as a result of impediments such as construction work. Call center workers will also have layout plans of the interior of all floors of all buildings on campus. In addition, they will have access to a computerized database containing digital pictures of all major routes through campus, and interior hallways, entrances, and exteriors of buildings. Using this information, the worker will be able to direct people to any location. (The photographs will help the worker give better visual descriptions of landmarks that the user will pass, therefore making it easier for the worker to explain, and the user to follow, the directions.) Because the information database is computerized, it will be relatively easy to update the system. (See the picture for an example of a computer system similar to one that the call center worker will use, as well as a close-up picture of the computer screen.)
The call center number can be placed on the UC Berkeley website. Also, various signs can be posted throughout campus, especially in Visitor Information, and on Campus Access Information billboards. (See the sketch below for an example of a sign that can be placed around campus.) This will show the community that the university cares about its visitors, thus enhancing the university’s public image.
While compiling the database will require a significant amount of time, members of the UC Berkeley community can be encouraged to contribute. Building administrators have the incentive to supply floor plans of their building and pictures of their building from different angles accompanied by short verbal descriptions because it is in their interest for people to be able to correctly locate their building and find the appropriate room (if applicable.) Professors will be interested in supplying photos and specific instructions on how to locate their offices and/or labs if visitors are trying to reach them. People can be encouraged to submit photographs of routes along campus – they will be recognized because their art will potentially be used in the database, and photographs (along with photographer recognition) can be posted on the Berkeley website. The university can also offer incentives to students by doing something such as a monthly drawing for a small prize among students who submitted a photograph within the last month.
University officials can get feedback by providing a feedback survey in the Visitor Center and online. This will allow officials to determine whether this new project is beneficial.
In conclusion, I feel that this directions hotline project will be beneficial to visitors of UC Berkeley and will also improve the public image of the university.
