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Co-Assessment of Urban Open Spaces:
the Functional, the Social, and the Perceptual
Urban Open Spaces
Urban open spaces play a crucial role in enhancing the quality of life in cities. To ensure these spaces are effectively designed and managed, a comprehensive assessment is necessary.
YouWalk-UOS is a mobile application that aims at facilitating the co-assessment of urban open spaces based on three dimensions: functional, social, and perceptual.
By engaging citizens and stakeholders in the assessment of these dimensions, we can develop valuable insights towards improving the overall quality of urban open spaces.
Functional Dimension
Functional Dimension
The functional dimension refers to the ways in which people use and interact with urban open spaces to meet their needs, wants, and values. The mobile application provides users with the ability to evaluate the functionality of a space based on various criteria, such as accessibility, amenities, recreation, entertainment, and cultural activities. Users can rate and provide feedback on the physical layout and design of the space including the arrangement of buildings, streets, and infrastructure. This dimension aims to ensure that urban open spaces meet the diverse needs of the community.
Social Dimension
Social Dimension
The social dimension emphasizes the role of urban open spaces in promoting social interaction and community engagement. The mobile application enables users to assess the social aspects of a space, including its inclusivity, safety, and opportunities for recreation, relaxation, and socialisation. Users can evaluate the quality of gathering spaces, community programs, cultural activities, and the overall sense of belonging. This dimension seeks to assess open spaces that foster social cohesion and provide platforms for community building.
Perceptual Dimension
Perceptual Dimension
The perceptual dimension is associated with the subjective experiences influenced by a variety of factors, including the physical characteristics of the space, social and cultural norms, and individual experiences and expectations of urban open spaces. The mobile application offers users the means to evaluate the aesthetic qualities, comfort, and ambiance of a space. Users can share their opinions on aspects like landscaping, visual appeal, noise levels, cleanliness, and the overall atmosphere. By incorporating the perceptual dimension, the application aims to assess urban open spaces that are visually appealing, enjoyable, and contribute to the well-being of users.
Application Manual - Illustrated
Application Manual - Illustrated
Download the application YouWalk-UOS from Google Play Store or Apple App Store, and "Install," the app on your device.
After installing the application, "Welcome" or "Onboarding" screen will appear, where you will be introduced to its purpose.
On the next screen, you will be prompted to either sign in through your existing Google or Facebook account or register for a new account to access the full functionalities of the application.
Next, you can explore the application's features such as starting a new assessment, viewing your previous assessments, create your profile, using the tabs at the bottom of the screen.
On the next screen, you will find an introduction to the application and guidance on conducting the assessment.
Next you will be presented with a selection of three options for selecting places to assess:
1. Library - spaces provided by the app,
2. Capture or upload photos of urban open space yourself,
3. Select a place using Google maps (Note: Please enter a precise location in Google maps to have accurate photos).
Option 1- Library:
On the following screen, is the first option, Library. On this screen, you will see images showcasing different urban open spaces. You can just browse through the images to get an idea of the available options.
Tap on an image of the place that you want to assess. This will take you to the assessment screen for that specific place.
On the assessment screen, you will find three options: functional dimension, social dimension, and perceptual dimension. You can start with the option of your choice.
On the next screen, you will find a detailed description of each dimension - functional, social, and perceptual - providing an outline of the criteria used to assess the urban open space in these respective dimensions.
On the assessment screen, you will find a set of questions related to the selected dimension for the chosen urban open space.
For each question, rate your assessment on the 6-point Likert scale, where 1 represents "highly inappropriate" and 6 represents "highly appropriate." Select the rating that best reflects your opinion or experience for each question.
After rating the 12 questions, you have the option to add an additional question of your choice, allowing you to further personalize your assessment on specific aspects of the urban open space that may not have been covered by the predefined questions.
Once you have completed the assessment, your ratings reflecting your evaluation of the urban open space are presented in a graphical format.
On the next screen, you can proceed to assess the other dimensions, either "Social" or "Perceptual," depending on which one you have started with, or haven't evaluated yet.
Proceed to rate the new set of questions specific to the chosen dimension.
Proceed to the next dimension, either "Social" or "Perceptual," to complete the assessment and provide a comprehensive evaluation of the urban open space from all three dimensions: Functional, Social, and Perceptual.
Proceed to rate the new set of questions specific to the chosen dimension.
After completing your responses to the questions, on the subsequent screen, you will have the ability to view your answers and their respective ratings for each dimension, allowing you to review and verify the assessment you have provided for the urban open space.
On the next screen, you can view the ratings for each of the 12 questions in each dimension (Functional, Social, and Perceptual), offering a detailed breakdown of your assessments of the urban open space.
On the following screen, you can view the cumulative score based on your assessments across all three dimensions (Functional, Social, and Perceptual), providing an overall measure of the quality and appropriateness of the urban open space based on your evaluations.
Option 2- Capture or Upload Images:
In this option, you have the opportunity to assess an urban open space by capturing photos of the space yourself or uploading images you have taken earlier, which will serve as visual references for your evaluation.
The next screen displays the places you have uploaded. The "Add" button allows you to include a new place to assess.
When adding a new place you would like to assess, please provide a name or title for the urban open space you are uploading or capturing images of. This name will serve as a reference for your assessment and help distinguish it from other places you have evaluated.
To upload images of the urban open space, tap the "Add" button.
Follow the prompts to select the images from your device's gallery or capture new photos using your device's camera.
Once you have chosen the relevant images, they will be uploaded to the app, and you can proceed to assess the urban open space using the criteria under each of dimensions.
Tap on the place representing the urban open space you want to assess, and proceed to the assessment based on three dimensions.
The next screen provides the description of three dimensions.
Complete the assessment for all three dimensions (Functional, Social, and Perceptual) by rating the provided set of questions using the 6-point Likert scale.
After completing the assessment of all three dimensions, you can view your answers and the results, including the cumulative score, providing an overall measure of the urban open space's quality and appropriateness based on your assessments.
Option 3 - Selecting a place using Google Maps:
On the third option, you can assess an urban open space by choosing a specific location on Google Maps.
Please enter a precise location on the map to have accurate visual references for your assessment.
Next, a list of suggested or nearby locations will appear, allowing you to choose the urban open space you wish to assess from the available options.
After selecting a name or location from the list, the images of the chosen urban open space will be shown.
Hold on to the chosen urban open space image to select it for assessment.
Proceed with the assessment of the three dimensions - Functional, Social, and Perceptual.
Using the provided set of questions for each dimension, rate the questions on the 6-point Likert scale, where 1 represents "highly inappropriate" and 6 represents "highly appropriate.”
Once you have completed the assessment for all three dimensions, you can view your answers.
The next screen shows the overall results, providing an insightful evaluation of the urban open space based on your assessments.
You will be able to view the cumulative score. This cumulative score represents an average measure of the urban open space's quality and appropriateness based on your evaluations across all three dimensions - Functional, Social, and Perceptual.
Start New assessment or Exit the application.
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