Starting the process with understanding the needs of the user and the area we were working with I chose to survey a wide group of people that have been to Suncorp Stadium in the last few years. I then held user interviews with a portion of these patrons to further understand their experience. The questions asked helped to identify what was missing at the stadium and what kind of entertainment or experience the patrons would enjoy and find useful.

It was highlighted in the survey that users would like to have entertainment where they do not need their phones and 40% of survey participants did not want the entertainment to be interactive.
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Interviews identified that chaos in the forecourt of the stadium can cause some anxiety and overwhelm as a lot is going on with the stalls and mass crowds. This highlighted way-finding as an area of concern for some new users as they could experience an increase in visual overload.
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It was found that 80% of patrons surveyed would not interact with virtual reality to watch events. 

Way-finding was an issue raised in the interviews as patrons attending an event are there to witness what they paid for and sporting games draw a crowd who are enthusiastic and passionate for their teams. Lining up for drinks was another concern raised and this would be beneficial to have displayed somewhere people can see.

After reviewing the responses I identified trends and patterns throughout the feedback and researched how other stadiums have tackled these issues.

Utilising the concept of 'living walls' in the aspect of human connection and the change in moods is a method that some stadiums incorporate to lift the spirits of large crowds. The smile mural inside the Mercedes-Benz Stadium highlights the need for diverse art in these large crowded environments. Using live artwork to relate to audiences on a deeper level invites the individual to have a moment of reflection.

“When you see someone smiling, you’re inclined to smile. I’m creating an opportunity for everyone to have that moment of reflection,” says mural artist Matthew Evans.

Way-finding is a dynamic and essential asset to any stadium and was highlighted as a possible problem for Suncorp Stadium. I researched other solutions to this and came across a digital sign that Populous integrated  at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It has been found that having digital signs which display key information can help ease anxiety in patrons as they can navigate to their destination freely while keeping foot traffic flowing.

Through the benchmarking research I came across a statement from John Ferendinos at Cox Architecture which raises the issue of cognitive overload for unfamiliar users of a stadium. As this is already something that has been found through my research I aimed to include safe spaces for users in the solution.

Solving the right problem

Empathy Mapping & Personas
Using these methods I uncovered the inner thoughts of patrons and where the concept would sit in their experience. Uncovering the concerns and expectations that users have when going to a stadium for an event guided the final design and what elements it needed. This approach provided a insight which allowed me to align the design concept seamlessly with their expectations and desires.

Customer Journey Map
After iterating a few concepts I went back and used a customer journey map to understand where the concept would sit in the the users experience. This emphasised the significance of way-finding, as it emerged as a critical concern for those navigating through visual overload. By recognising and addressing these aspects, the design process became a means of crafting a more considerate, welcoming, and accommodating environment for all patrons, regardless of their level of familiarity with the stadium or their social anxiety levels.

Integrating with the community

Brainstorming
After gathering research and identifying key areas I was able to lay it all out and and navigate to an ideal concept. At this point of the project it was necessary to think outside the box and dive into divergent thinking.

Narrowing the information and problem statement allowed me to highlight which concept I was moving ahead with. The end goal is to produce a concept and present the idea to Populous, so this needed to be practical while also beneficial for the area.

After reviewing the research I was drawn to the idea of an interactive wall. Either a projection mapping or a few points around Suncorp Stadium as it was highlighted that there might be a need for safe spaces.

Understanding what capabilities this wall needed proved to be interesting as I wanted it to do, everything. Limiting the entertainment to quizzes and highlight reels for game days allowed the practicality of a way-finding mechanism grow. It was then found that setting a timer on the entertainment and have it switch 20 minutes before a game a realistic solution.

Location

The locations of The Beacon is a key part of the installation so this needs to be situated in areas that are visible to foot traffic but not in the centre of all the hustle. I have chosen three sites for the interactive wall, all situated is separate areas of Suncorp Stadium.

Low-Fidelity Prototyping

It was decided that there needs to be at least 4 different screens of The Beacon. Each houses key information and provides unique entertainment.

- What's on
- Way-Finding
- Highlights
- Entertainment
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High-Fidelity Prototype

Mock-ups of The Beacon have been used to present the final concept. This was viewed by the people at Populous at a presentation with selected QUT students.

Testing

The task set by Populous was to create a concept that enhances the 24/7 experience of Suncorp Stadium and present this to the stakeholder. Ideally if this project was to move forward I would validate my finding through user testing and feedback.

The UI of The Beacon would be tested through observation and interviews. I would set up a prototype of the design and analyse the movements of patrons at the stadium on both game days and non-game days.

Reflection

Presenting at Populous allowed me to gain valuable feedback from industry professionals. The key takeaway from the session was how this idea could be extended throughout the city to bring together surrounding neighbourhoods and aid connection with other significant sites in Brisbane.
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I would like to transform this into an app that works in conjunction with the physical livings walls to guide users around the city.