User Research Case Study

Living With Construction: What New Yorkers Know, Want to Know and Think about Subsurfaces Construction Projects

Fall 2022

Written by:

Ariella Brown

Project Summary

The New York Department of Design and Construction (DDC) coordinates communication between public city departments to build and maintain civic spaces and subterranean infrastructure. They also work with community outreach to keep the public informed about infrastructure projects. The DDC came to the Center for Digital Experiences at Pratt Institute seeking insight into communicating information about the city’s ongoing subsurface construction projects to those who interact with it daily. Through ethnographic research methods, our team of researchers was able to identify findings and provide recommendations to help the DDC solve its communication issues.