We went to our locations of interest to better understand both the physical area and the needs of the users there.

We visited three main bus stops, Forbes + Craig, Fifth + Atwood, and Forbes + Bayard. All three of these bus stop are in Oakland and are high traffic stops, both vehicular and pedestrian. We were able to see people interacting with each other, but most importantly how they interacted with the bus system. This was most helpful in generating ideas on how users use the physical space. The riders occasionally interact with each other, however we notice that most complained extensively about the bus system.

The parking lots observed were at the Pittsburgh Mills Mall, and the Waterfront. We learned about the ways drivers navigate parking lots and most importantly how they look for free parking spaces. These locations felt more impersonal because the actors in the case are in cars, rather than free moving bodies. We noticed that drivers circle the lot over and over again to find spots, hoping that another car will leave. The search is unguided and is based more or less on chance.

We observed Ormsby Park beside the Birmingham Bridge, and the Sennott Square park on Forbes Avenue. We learned about how people interact with each other and the environment. We learned that people come to the park either alone, or in groups, but don't tend to interact with each other.