We decided to create an area at the park where people can borrow equipment. Our motivation for why we decided to pursue this project was to increase accessibility for everyone, but especially for lower income families. The ideology behind the project is that it will act like a library, where a person will borrow something during their time at the park and will give it back at the end of the day.

What is the issue?

We are trying to make outdoor equipment more accessible for people in low income families. We believe that accessibility is an issue that many people have. Not everyone has the money to rent out or fully buy equipment. There are people who want to experience and try new sports but they aren’t able to because they don’t have the equipment for it. We believe our idea will allow kids in Cambridge and other areas to have the chance to go out and have fun without worry about having these necessities.

Summary

Overall: How might we improve access to outdoor gear? In doing so, how would we increase interest in outdoor activities?

Research Methods

• Interviewing people
• Survey

Main Purpose of our Project 

• To encourage people to enjoy the outdoors
• Creating an inviting space 
• Increase accessibility for lower income families
• Helping people save money when trying out new hobbies

We tried to solve the problem on many different ways. 

• First what we tried to do was come up with the idea of creating a space where people can borrow equipments while they are at the park.
• The second idea we came up with was how do we keep track of the tools that we lend to the customers. Then we decided to create website/app to keep track what we borrowed them and also to make it easy to connect and keep them updated.

Initial Prototypes

Testing

How did we test our prototype?

• We went to a park close by and set out some chalk. The goal was to see if people would would use the chalk and put it back where they found it. 
• Another testing we did was making an app 

How did you get feedback?

We got feedback by going to the park and checking and by asking questions to the people at the park.

Feedback from the first prototype

• People would like to see things in this park for young children like small toys, balls, bubbles and chalk. 
• This app is helpful but what about the people without phones

Final Prototype

When I had my friends test our second prototype, only minor changes needed to be made, such as outlining the dropdown menus, and adding images to increase visual aesthetics.

Main Features & How We Incorporated Feedback

• Hotline on bottom of page
• Dropdown menu
• By underlining the dropdown menu in usage, we show the user that they’re using the feature
• Pictures
• We tried using bright and clear images to add to the aesthetics

What would you do differently next time?

Something we would like to do differently next time is think of a way to make it entirely hands off especially in the colder months. It could have been like a vending machine style with less equipment that someone could come to periodically to check in and fix it.

What do you like about the project?

We like the idea that if this were to exist, teenagers could work here over the summer and make money. We think it’s a great way to get them outside and doing something while they are also being rewarded for it.

What do you wish you could do with the project?

We wish we could have actually completed this project. Not only is it something that would have increased accessibility for more people, it would have been a great way for people to have to spend less money and products being used to their max capacity.

In an effort to make a more inclusive and social community, our group decided on enhancing public parks by having better recreational  equipment or scheduled community events to attract community members therefore creating a stronger bond among the community.

What is the issue?

Main Issue: How to get young adults to go outside/ parks

• How to make location accessible for everyone/ accommodate to people’s needs
  
• How to expand the land
• What can we contribute to this park to make it more appealing to our audience

Summary

• In our initial research phase, we sent out a survey to community members to gain a better understanding of what type of things they look for in a park as well as the most suitable park environments. Through this stage we were able to gain important information such as correlation between age groups and activities or activities and most desirable weather which would later help us come up with more solid ideas for activities and events.  
• We also researched parks around the world to see what worked well in other parks and to see what works and what doesn’t.
• Once we had that information we were able to work on 3D models of designs for the park

Survey

Likes

• Taking pictures
• Having places to hangout 
• Cellphones, tv, etc.
• Personal time (aka: no parents included)

Dislikes

• Being bored/ not having anyone to talk to
• Being glued to a screen all day
• Crowded areas 

Testing

What the audience liked

•  L’s Video
  • Having a Stage for Major performances,
  • Being able to incorporate little areas for games and prizes
• G’s Diorama
  • There’s a lot more benches!
  • Viewers like the idea of different sections for different activities at the park!

How we can improve

• L’s Video
  • Try incorporating an exact replica of the park that you would want to use and add onto that replica.
  • DON’T START A PARK FROM SCRATCH (it’s time consuming and money)
• G’s Diorama
  • There are questions about parking.
  • The audience wants more trash cans and possibly a community garden.
  • Not having bikers bike through the park to avoid collisions. 

Potential Changes

• No riding Bikes
• Food Truck/Small Business Area
• More Accessible Benches
• More green spaces to lounge in
• Sink for the little kids park with supervision

If we were to do this project again we would spend more time planning out the park’s location because we feel like we could have talked about it a little more.

Something we liked about the project was the general experience of looking for problems in the community and finding solutions to those problems.

What we wish we could do with this project is actually bring this project to the community.

What is the issue?

• The highest injury rate for biking accidents occur in ages 16-20 from a study in 2011
• Biking accidents have gone down by 5000 in the last year to only 45,000.
• However, the number of fatal accidents has increased by 12% at the same time

Photo Research

Boston MA is one of the safest cities for bicyclists, but why is it that bikers are still involved accidents. Most of those fatal accidents may have been prevented if the bikers were meeting the safety requirements.

Interviews

• Why we did interviews (why surveys weren’t enough)
• When i talked to some bikers on the street they agreed that it can be dangerous but one person explained  how its only dangerous if you don’t follow the rules of the road

• Glow dark paint for bike lanes 
• Make drivers more aware of hitting cars 
• Qr code -> website for casual biking locations with info on bike safety 
  • How bikers are hit by cars  
  • More info on routes and paths for specific destinations 
• Quickly to add bike visible stickers on clothes 
• Airbag on bike 
• Car protective layer 
• Car bubble machine to protect bikers
• Blinkers on side mirrors to alert drivers of bike 
• Bike alert button of dangerous roads/paths