PATH+System+-+User+Analysis

Analysis
In order to understand the users of the PATH System, a short questionnaire was conducted to find informaiton about how the users understand the PATH System. This questionnaire consisted of the following questions: We asked these questions to people who were walking through the concourse. Some appeared to work in the area while others were simply travelling throuhg the system. We made sure to ask people at six major junctions in the concourse: BCE Place, Toronto-Dominion Centre, First Canadian Place, Richmond Adelaide Complex, City Hall and the Eaton Centre. These locations span from the downtown core up to the northern most point between Queens St. and Dundas St. In choosing six of the most popular locations we hoped to get a variety of answers from our users.
 * //How often do you use the underground concourse?//
 * //How much time do you spend in it?//
 * //Why do you use it?//
 * //How far do you travel in it?//
 * //Is it easy to navigate?//
 * //How do you navigate through it?//
 * //Can you find the PATH signs easily?//
 * //Do you know where you are in comparison to the street?//
 * //Did it take you a long time to learn the system?//
 * //What can be done to Improve it?//

Results
Provides places to shop on the way. ||
 * || **BCE Place** || **TD Centre** || **First Canadian Place** || **Richmond Adelaide** || **City Hall** || **Eaton's Centre** ||
 * **How often do you use the underground concourse?** || Rarely || All the time. Works in the concourse. || Often. Mostly for lunchtime, errands. Gets food and brings back to the office. || Sometimes || Rarely || Rarely ||
 * **How much time do you spend in it?** || Not Much (Around Union) || A Lot. Work day spent in the PATH. || Not much. || Not much || Not Much || Not Much ||
 * **Why do you use it?** || Uses the Food Court at BCE Place. It is a hub on the way to school. Use Union Station as waiting for trains. || Traveling to work. Does not use it on days off. || Walking to and from Union, and on work breaks. || To get around when the weather is not great. Also uses for shopping when in the downtown core. || Does not use as it does not connect to city hall area effectively || When traveling to Work. Enter at Queen Subway, then through the Eaton Centre.
 * **How far do you travel in it?** || Close to Union Station. || From Union to TD Centre || Union to FCP. || Usually to get to the Eaton Centre or south to the ACC/Skydome area for concerts and sports events. || Could go from Queen Street Station, through the Hudson Bay Company and the city hall parking lot. Although this is an option, it is easier to go outside. || Usually just the section located around the Eaton Centre. Does not enter business core often. ||
 * **Is it easy to navigate?** || No || No || After a while it is easier to navigate. || Some parts || No || No ||
 * **How do you navigate through it?** || Using the building signage. || Uses storefronts. Mostly the stores that are located at intersections. (Shoppers) || Store fronts. Accumulated knowledge through trial and error. || Try to use signs and personal sense of direction. This fails due to the non-linear grid system used. || Do not use the system || Would use a map provided. ||
 * **Can you find the PATH signs easily?** || No || No || Yes, in First Canadian Place at least. || No, store signs block them. || No || Kind Of ||
 * **Do you know where you are in comparison to the street?** || Kind Of. || Not really. || Yes. Skylights provide a view to teh street level, connecting to the surface. || Not Really. Has basic knowledge of major junctions (FCP, TD Centre, Eaton Centre) || Yes || Yes, around Eaton centre, but not the core. ||
 * **Did it take you a long time to learn the system?** || No || Yes, But spends each day in it, so was forced to learn it. || Yes || Yes. did so through trial and error. Learned by getting lost. || Don't Use || Still doesn't know it all. ||
 * **What can be done to Improve it?** || Consistant signage and more maps would be helpful. || More PATH maps. Unify the signage and make it more visible. || More visible signs. The PATH consists more of connections between buildings than actual paths. || Signage needs to be improved, and more noticeable. || Extend PATH up to and including city hall and surrounding area. || Doesn't need to be changed. (She never uses it.) ||

Summary
From the results of the questionnaire we discovered that most of the users have learned to navigate the system in different ways. The two common ways to learning were trial and error, and using storefronts as landmarks. Many of the people who work in and around the concourse learn using trial and error. By getting lost in the system they are forced to navigate through, remembering where they are. Over time the PATH becomes easier to navigate as they use it more often. Many of the users who rarely use the system relied on the idea of storefronts as landmarks. During our research we asked an Information Service Person how to get to a location, the directions she gave us were as follows: "Walk straight, and turn right at the Shoppers Drug Mart." We can see that for 'one-time' users of the PATH, these landmark associated directions were the easiest way to get around. It is obvious that the signage system could be improved and made more recognizable for users who are not familiar with the system. Aside from navigation, many of the users that we saw when conducting our questionnaire as well as our PACT Analysis were using the PATH as a shopping centre and place for food. In our final application we with to incorporate a directory of every service along the PATH providing informaiton,reviews,comparisons as well as directions to and from each location. The application will be based on user needs as well as be built on user input in the form of reviews and recommendations for finding services.

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