SURVEILLANCE IN A GATED SOCIETY
Probing into the perception of surveillance among residents of the gated community
About the Project
The given context for the design problem was the Gated housing, it was found out that safety, security, monitoring is among the many factors which are causing the existence of such services. Sometimes, surveillance and monitoring can be quiet intrusive and may invade our privacy(which we are unaware most of the time). This design exercise is mainly to explore the people's understanding of surveillance and how aware are they of its consequence.
Timeline:
4 weeks
My role:
UX Research, Concept development and game design, visualization
Tools used:
Tableau, Photoshop, Illustrator
Solution
Game & Information Visualization
To understand the participant’s perception and knowledge of surveillance, we created a probe artefact in the form of a game to collect information(i.e. the perception and knowledge of surveillance of housing residents). With the collective information, we synthesized it into a visualization to understand the pattern and make the users reflect upon their knowledge
THE CHALLENGE
Finding ways to collect information on the resident's knowledge and perception towards
surveillance in a way to provoke them into thinking about it.
Design Process
Insights
Understanding Surveillance
Understanding its implications on stakeholders
Understanding stakeholder's perception
Information Visualization
Literature Review
Field Trip
Identifying opportunities for research
Concept of Game
Designing the game(1st iteration)
Playing the game with the residents
Critical Feedback
Second Iteration
Game Testing-II
Gathering information
Journey Mapping
Research
UNDERSTANDING SURVEILLANCE
Surveillance for security is the method of observing or monitoring certain people or places to prevent the chances of any criminal activities. It is a system that involves continuous observation of a place, person, group, or ongoing activity in order to gather information.
To have a better knowledge of the surveillance and how it is being conducted and through which mediums, 2 housing communities were observed, and 10 residents were interviewed.
Housing Communities
2
10
Residents
Method of controlling at a distance
Access to data collection
Monitoring
SURVEILLANCE
Tracking & Identification
PRECONSTRUCTIVE
Conducting close observation of an individual or group
PASSIVE
RECONSTRUCTIVE
PUBLIC
PRIVATE
ACTIVE
DEFINITION
KINDS
Surveillance in a Gated Community
The surveillance is one of the main factors of the existence of such gated communities. The surveillance has many forms and each form exists in every nook and corner of the society. The surveillance also changes from space to space.
Following spaces have been identified where the "surveillance" usually takes place:-
-
PUBLIC SPACE
Parking Space, Public Green Area, Outside the
compound, Driveway, Pathway, Security Cabin
-
SEMI-PUBLIC
Swimming Pool, Clubhouse, House Lobby,
Private Lawns for residents.
-
PRIVATE
Inside the House premises
METHODS OF SURVEILLANCE
CCTV Camera
Mobile phones
Biometrics
Security Guard
Visitor Registry
Stakeholders Involved
Security Guard
Delivery boy
Resident
CHOSEN
Maintenance worker
Visitors
Tenants
Helpers
Known Unknowns
Does it cause restrictions in activities
How is surveillance taking place?
How aware are the stakeholders of the surveillance
Can surveillance be misused?
How is it affecting the daily lives of stakeholders
Are there any separate politics of surveillance in the gated community
Methods Deployed- Research through Design
To have a better understanding of the stakeholders’ perception of surveillance, we decided to explore two ways to conduct our research. : One, building a probe artefact in the form of a game to collect information from our stakeholders. Two, Assimilating the information gathered and showing them in the form of visualization to identify patterns and find answers to our initially asked questions.
Boardgame
Visualization
The game Design methodology was deployed to collect information from our stakeholders. The game designed, would help to understand and observe the awareness of surveillance amongst different stakeholders. It also would help in identifying the different reasons that would require different surveillance methods within a gated community.
Game Design
WHY GAME?
The game was designed as a probe to collect information, as it would be fun for the participants to play, get involved and cultivate discussions related to surveillance, which otherwise would not happen in case of surveys and direct interviews
GAME DESIGN
The game went through two iterations based on user testing and class feedback.
GAME ITERATION-I
The game proposed was a board game with:-
-
Fictional site plan of a gated society, showing the areas commonly present and used by its residents.
-
Visual stickers and written sticky notes depicting the Surveillance methods and their reasons respectively.
As a part of the game, the players were asked to stick the surveillance methods and their reasons (in the form of the stickers) in the relevant areas.
Limitations faced:
-
Failed to cover specific areas in Gated housing.
-
The participants were unable to contextualize surveillance methods according to specific reasons for surveillance.
-
The gap in the overall understanding of the end result.
-
The game did not challenge the participants to think about scenarios where surveillance is required.
Based on the feedback, the following changes were made to make the game more rational and interactive for the players:
-
The updated game had two players to play with, to make the game interesting and competitive.
-
The game now had a path (with color-coded action points and movement points) across the society covering different areas inside it.
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Set of action and movement cards were introduced in the game.
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The players had to follow the path to come across certain scenarios and were asked to identify the surveillance methods used in that particular scenario.
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Interactive sessions were held during the game to gather information about their chosen surveillance methods through informal discussion and conversation.
GAME ITERATION-II
BOARD GAME BEFORE ITERATION
GAME BOARD BEFORE & AFTER ITERATION
Game Activity Design
HOW TO PLAY?
It is a two-player game and the board is a fictional site plan of a gated society, which can be walked around through the colorful action points
1
Roll a dice and walk from the security cabin to the left
Starting point
2
Choose the color coded scenario card, based on the respective colored point you have landed
3
Think, imagine the scenario, and choose the relevant surveillance methods
4
Stick the chosen surveillance stickers on the action card and proceed the game
Movement card to be used when one lands in movement point which is present at every alternate colored action dot.
Game Testing
Housing Communities
2
20
Residents
The game was tested twice, both with two gated communities. Altogether 20 residents played the game and gave their insights
The information collected through the game was then used to create visualizations with different parameters via Tableau and through the journey visualization of the resident.
Information Visualization
The pattern generated through the visualization showed us that the security guard was the most used method of surveillance and was the first point of contact when the people were in trouble or had some issue in a gated society.
The game can be played with other stakeholders (apart from residents) involved in the gated community. This will help in understanding and observing the difference in the perception of surveillance amongst them.
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Exploring and customizing the research-through-design methods to cater to all the stakeholders.
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Visualizing information collected using the above methods, in the form of an interactive storyline.
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While considering surveillance, it is also necessary to probe further into the need for surveilling different user groups and the implications behind them.
Future Scope