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Tools Designers Use

Designers use different tools to understand the people (stakeholders) who will use a space and what they
need. These tools help create better, user-friendly designs. Let’s understand each one:
1. Observation: Watch how people naturally behave in a space. Ask questions like:

Where do they sit? Do they wait under a tree or avoid certain areas? This helps you notice problems or
good features without asking questions.

2. Empathy Interviews: Talk directly to the users to understand their feelings, challenges, and needs. Ask
simple questions like: What do you like about this space? What problems do you face here? This builds
empathy and helps you see things from their point of view.

3. Personas: Create characters that represent real users. For example: Shyam, the street vendor who needs
space to sell snacks without blocking paths, or Ayesha, a student who needs a quiet place to study. These
help you design for real situations, not just make guesses.
4. Journey Maps: Follow a user’s steps through the space from beginning to end.

Example: Where do they enter? What problems do they face along the way? This helps you find pain
points and improve the overall experience.

5. Sketching and Prototyping: Before building anything, draw your ideas or make a small model. This helps
you show your solution and get feedback early. It’s okay to make mistakes here—it’s part of learning.

6. Feedback and Testing: Let real users try out your design and share their opinions.
Ask the users - Did they find the design useful? What would they like to change? Their feedback helps you
improve your design before finalizing it.
By using these tools, you don’t just assume what users want—you actually find out. This leads to smarter and
more caring design.
Real-life examples:
Designing Public Water Transport Spaces – The Kochi Water Metro

Kochi, Kerala, has launched India’s first Water Metro to connect various islands and city parts using ferry-like
boats. As part of this project, public jetties were designed and built across the city.

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