Human-Centred Design - Abstract

A study space is a quiet area where a person or group can sit down to work on individual tasks.
Study areas are vital for university students to further their learning, work on assignments or
collaborate with their peers. (Figure 1). With Western Sydney Universities' (WSU) new
Parramatta Engineering Innovation Hub (PEIH), a focus on innovative technology has been
used to improve the in-class learning for new engineering and design students (WSU, 2021).
However, due to this target of implementing high-end technology, the designers have neglected
certain physical aspects.

The PEIH's shortage of private study areas is a primarily overlooked building section. Due to
this lack of a well-designed space, the building tends to experience minimal usage from
students outside of classes, hence showing that the building's facilities are being heavily
under-utilised. In addition, without a well-designed study space, students may struggle to remain
productive due to possible distractions or a lack of necessary resources (Wignall. A, 2022). As a
result, it is vital that students have access to the essential facilities to promote success.

In order to produce a clear analysis of this underused study space, research methods of
first-hand observation, personal experience and surveys were conducted to provide further
insights into student perceptions (Figure 2).

Numerous observations and first-hand experiences of the space were conducted to analyse
the physical, visual and auditory elements of the PEIH and its coinciding influence on student
usage. Observing the environment revealed limited individual studying on the lower floors,
which is believed to occur due to the shortage of quality study space, sound pollution from
congestion before and after classes, distracting automated doors, and open classroom layouts
(Figure 3). Personal experience of these allocated study spaces revealed inconsistency with
desk space ergonomics. For example, while some desks provided adequate space, charging
ports and comfortable seating, others lacked this level of convenience. Some study areas
contained no charging facilities, small or low desks, and some lacked a table entirely. From this,
it is evident that these factors hinder students' ability to focus and remain productive due to
distraction and discomfort. Overall, the variance in facilities and quality spaces for individual
study indicates that students may not use the space due to their productivity being affected
depending on the available desk space.

Ten students were surveyed to determine why the university study areas lack usage (Figure 4).
Results from this survey affirm the under-usage of this facility, with 70% of students questioned
not using the space outside of class hours. The issue with the space is further confirmed, as
many participants believed the space was 'poorly implemented'. The study revealed that the
three main factors affecting students' use of the space were noise, discomfort, and preference
for other spaces. Overall, this data shows that most students feel that study areas at the PEIH
can be improved through more ergonomic desks and by reducing the physical and auditory
impacts of the surrounding environment on these dedicated spaces.

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Annex

Importance of Study Spaces (Figure 1)

A good study space should comprise all the necessary resources and tools for efficient and
practical work. The minimum requirements for a study area are to be located in a quiet place
with minimal noise or distraction and include comfortable seating, a well-sized desk and
generally should have access to fast Wi-Fi. Furthermore, for learning precincts such as schools
and universities, it is also helpful to provide students with collaborative study areas as well, in
order for them to work together on group projects or assist each other with tasks. Overall, a
university study space can aid students by providing a quiet place to focus on their work and a
productive atmosphere to motivate them further to complete tasks (iSchoolConnect, 2022).
Additionally, the options for larger desk space can improve comfort and allows students to utilise
all their tools and resources to boost productivity.

Unfortunately, not all students are fortunate enough to have proper dedicated personal spaces
at home, which can lead to them being significantly disadvantaged compared to other students.
Factors that could negatively influence individuals' home study areas may include insufficient
room, too much noise from family or surroundings, too many distractions, no spare desks or lack
of resources such as fast Wi-Fi (Getahun. H, 2021). As a result, it is vital to provide university
students with the proper resources and facilities to ensure that everyone has an equal chance of
success.

Benefits of different types of study methods (Figure 2)

Observations (Figure 2.1)
Observations of a location are helpful for quickly and efficiently analysing an area of focus to
assist in forming a hypothesis that determines who is using the space, what it looks like and the
factors that influence the usage of the place (Choudhury. A, 2015).

First-hand experiences (Figure 2.2)

The first-hand experience data collection method is a very effective tool for understanding how
a specific group may think or feel during a particular scenario and can also provide insight from
the tester's point of view on what could be required to address any issues (Maione. I, 2022).

Surveys (Figure 2.3)

Surveys are a valuable utility that can benefit people in gaining quick and easy access to
reliable data on a particular census group by acquiring their perspective on specific topics
(Jones. T, 2013).

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 Observation - Photographic Evidence (Figure 3)

(Congestion of Study Area & Improper usage) (Non-ergonomic study spaces & Lack of use)

(Minimal usage of study area and Improper use) (Non-ergonomic study spaces & Lack of use)

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Survey results (Figure 4)

Alexander Ghidella - 22026048

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