The issues we identified with the existing court process follow
a similar vein. Our class identified a multitude of
ostensibly unrelated problems that actually fall under the single larger problem of
navigation. People do not understand how to make their way through court. From
the beginning of an eviction through the end of the hearing, there is a lack of
the transparency and clarity necessary for understanding housing court. The legibility
of the notice to quit falls under this category and so does the signage within
the physical court space.
I am a part of the group of students investigating
wayfinding for our intervention into the court. Our aim is to alleviate at
least some of the confusion incurred when trying to navigate through housing
court. Wayfinding is superficially straightforward, but (we are discovering) is
quite complex. What constitutes as useful wayfinding devices can change on an individual
basis. We considered who the users of the courthouse are and quickly realized
how careful and intentional a wayfinding intervention will have to be.
The majority of people using this space are in a
particularly vulnerable state because of what being in court means—participating
in a hearing, interacting with an authority, anticipating the consequences, etc.
Our intervention cannot magnify those feelings in anyway and should in fact ease
them.
We cannot assume that all users will be of the same ability
and thus need to consider how we can accommodate all of the users. What does
useful wayfinding look like for someone who’s sight is impaired? How will they
get the information from any signage we install? How will they find the signs?
What if the user does not speak English? What if they cannot read at all? How
do we meet the needs of every person that encounters this process?
We have begun exploring these questions and do not
necessarily have the solutions just yet. It is considerations like these that will guide us as we move forward with our design. Our wayfinding
devices should be legible to anyone that steps foot in the courthouse. Ideally,
our intervention will exceed the walls of the courthouse and provide direction
even before someone steps foot into the courthouse.
It is fascinating to me how quickly this problem became so
intricate. The question of good wayfinding is a big one and one that many
others have recently begun tackling as well. The role of wayfinding is evolving
as our understanding of the diverse range of needs that exist grows. Well
designed and well thought-out wayfinding could have a huge impact on someone’s
interaction with a space and I am hopeful that out group will make a positive
impact on this process.