NAVIGATORS
TYPES
Navigator types refer to distinct classifications of individuals based on their primary modes of mobility within the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) campus. These navigators have been developed through research conducted on the mobility patterns/trends of UT students.
The Pedestrian
The Bicyclist
The Scooter Rider
The Skateboarder
The Bus Rider
The Car Rider
The Rideshare Rider
THE PEDESTRIAN
Walking is the primary mode of movement on campus. Most students live in West Campus (which they refer to as “Wampus”) and walk to the main campus for classes, meetings, or other social events.
They share sidewalks, roads, and bike lanes with each other, motorists, cyclists, people on scooters, skateboards, and onewheels. Still, walking is central to many daily student (and faculty/staff) routines.
Accessibility, Security, Comfort
Over time, students develop their understanding of the campus and build mental models of key routes.
Students want to feel safe while walking on their routes, so safety is important when choosing them.
They also need to feel confident about their own ability to navigate a route and even look forward to developing routines while walking, such as seeing familiar people, places, and things that add to their sense of comfort.
THEY EXPECT
to be able to walk to class or another destination without thinking too much about it (most are distracted by their phones.)
THEY ENCOUNTER
various physical and social obstacles that cause them to change their route, hurry up, or sometimes choose another mobility mode.
THEY NEED
to problem-solve their commutes before, during, and after they’ve arrived at their destination. They also need to feel safe within a community of other pedestrians while getting around and be able to manage the elements.
THE BICYCLIST
Cycling is a common way to get around the campus environment and UT community. Students use bikes for their commutes if they live a little further away from campus, and also belong to biking student groups for recreation.
They are forced to share bike lanes with everyone, making biking a dangerous (but efficient) mode of transit. Some students own their bikes, while others rent them through various bike share services on and off campus.
Accessibility, Security, Identity, Community
Bicyclists are vulnerable navigators on campus, but they also break written and unwritten rules of the road by failing to obey right-of-ways, stopping at signs and lights, and often putting pedestrians and themselves at risk.
Visibility is a persistent safety issue for cyclists. And, many other mobility modes assume bike lanes can be used for walking and riding in too.
Many students connect with the bicyclist identity and feel part of a larger cycling community because they bike for fun, not just as their main way of getting around.
THEY EXPECT
the unexpected, and some friction with other road users as they try to get to where they are going.
THEY ENCOUNTER
poor infrastructure and confusion when interacting with other navigators requiring them to be hyper-aware of their surroundings and sometimes break road rules themselves.
THEY NEED
to be seen by other navigators and choose routes they can learn and build confidence on for various commutes.
THE SCOOTER RIDER
The scooter is a relatively new introduction to the transit system at UT. Scooter riders use their scooters to transport themselves from Wampus to campus for social events, classes, and meetings. Many also use their scooters to move around within Wampus and to nearby destinations outside the UT perimeter. There is no specific pathway for scooters, they share sidewalks, roads, alleyways, and anywhere they can fit to move around.
While some students own scooters, most people rent them for a certain amount of time to cover short distances. There is no designated place to leave the scooters once they are done being used. Upon arriving at their destination (or whenever they feel like they're done riding), scooter riders typically don’t have a parking spot.
Accessibility, Security
Scooter Riders carry stigma.
The current environment isn’t made to support Scooter Riders, putting them in a weird in-between stage where they aren’t respected as road users and often encounter & create unsafe situations.
THEY EXPECT
to struggle with other navigators for the right to exist on the roads.
THEY ENCOUNTER
anger directed towards them as scooter riders and road mishaps due to a lack of proper infrastructure and an overall stigma towards scootering.
THEY NEED
to be accepted by the general public and to have rules and affordances put into place so they can better coexist with other navigators.
THE BUS RIDER
Many students utilize buses to get around between campus and Wampus, as well as outside of UT boundaries.
For students without a car, riding the bus isn’t a choice but a requirement, even though it can be unpredictable, confusing to navigate, and feel unsafe at times.
Accessibility, Security, Comfort
Many students lack a basic understanding of using the bus and its etiquette. Students often struggle with understanding how to navigate the system, and when they do figure it out, the journey can be uncomfortable and unreliable.
Other Bus Riders can sometimes make students feel unsafe during their journeys, which impacts their routes and how they go about riding the bus. Still, over time, students build confidence and knowledge about this important transit mode.
THEY EXPECT
riding the bus to be unreliable and uncomfortable throughout the journey; a seamless ride is a rarity.
THEY ENCOUNTER
confusion with accessing the bus, delays, and discomfort which often forces them to change up the routes they take to their destination.
THEY NEED
to trust the bus system to be easy to understand, safe, and predictable to ensure they can get to where they need to go on time and in one piece.
NAVIGATOR TYPES POSTER
The Navigators Chart details our user's Needs, Decisions, Opportunities, Expectations, Micro/Macro Obstacles, and finally, presumed needs when it comes to the Light Rail.
The chart contains generalities about each Navigator type within the context of the aforementioned categories (as seen in black text), but also specificities (the red) that are culled from our research. More specifically, what students are actually dealing with on campus and west campus.
Click the image to download as a pdf.
