Wayfinding Experience of the Massachusetts Court System

Massachusetts courthouses provide law services for the public, where visitors usually feel stress. Based on previous study, good wayfinding design could improve the user experience in the court system. The goal of the project was to understand the user experience of the current wayfinding design system.
The study was executed through a series of observations, individual interviews, and shadowing to study user behaviors and perspectives toward the wayfinding system in the courthouses. With data from nine courthouses, our research identified potential pain points and proposed corresponding recommendations.

Project Time: 4 months
My Role: UX researcher (Team of 6)
Methods used: Observation, Individual interview, Table shadowing

Challenges

Courthouses are part of a public system that serves a wide range of people such as those who are unfamiliar with the legal system, those with varying levels of English fluency and literacy, and those with different cognitive and physical abilities. Many visitors come into the courts with some level of stress, and studies have shown that stress inhibits people’s navigational skills.
A wayfinding system is especially critical in guiding users through the courthouse.This study focused on the user experience for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) litigants and those with cognitive and physical disabilities, improving the user experience for others by extension.
In this context, Massachusetts courthouses sponsored the field research class and asked us to review the current wayfinding system and visitors’ experience. 

Goals

  • Gain an understanding of user experience in the current wayfinding system.

  • Identify opportunities for improving wayfinding experience.

  • Explore potential solutions for the current pain points.

My role

My role during this project was as a UX researcher on a team of six. I was involved in each stage of the process, which included:​

Literature Research
Observations (5 out of 9)
Interviews ( 1 out of 5)
Shadowing ( 1 out of 3)
Data analysis
Presentation

Process

We executed qualitative field research on the wayfinding experience in Massachusetts courthouses. The process included:

Main Findings

Below are the foremost findings regarding wayfinding during the Massachusetts courthouses visit.

Results

According to the findings, we proposed several recommendations to improve the wayfinding system of courthouses. The project produced a detailed report and a slide deck presented to the representatives from the Massachusetts Court System on December 22, 2021, with a total of 30 employees participating in it. From the sponsor's feedback, this report triggered a lot of discussion among court staffs.

There was discussion about the new multiplex courthouses just built two years ago, and a focus on some of the photos that you included. Most people assumed (incorrectly as it turned out), that it was designed well and everything was great. — Sponsor

Takeaways

Through implementing various field research methods, such as user interviews and observations, I developed my communication and critical thinking skills. This experience helped me to better understand the needs and expectations of users when studying public services and products. By actively engaging with users and stakeholders, I learned how to identify pain points and areas for improvement, as well as how to effectively communicate and collaborate with diverse groups of people.

If I had more time to continue working on this project, I would be interested in delving deeper into the experiences of visitors with physical disabilities when navigating the current wayfinding system. By conducting more targeted research, such as conducting accessibility audits and focus groups with users with disabilities, I believe we could gain a more comprehensive understanding of their needs and challenges, which could lead to more inclusive and effective design solutions.

Additionally, I would also be interested in holding workshops for courthouse employees to learn more about their perspectives and ideas on the wayfinding system. By involving stakeholders in the design process, we could ensure that the final solution meets the needs of both users and staff, as well as foster a sense of ownership and buy-in among employees.

In summary, this project taught me the importance of effective communication, critical thinking, and stakeholder engagement when designing public services and products. By continuously seeking out user feedback and involving stakeholders in the design process, we can ensure that the final solutions meet the needs of both users and staffs.