Ways of walking – Developing a pedestrian typology for personalised mobile information systems

Abstract

In recent years, technological progress and an increasing amount of ubiquitously available information set the stage for the development of mobile navigation tools for pedestrians. However, the vast quantity of accessible navigational and environmental information aggravates effective information extraction and necessitates tailoring wayfinding instructions and additional location based information to individual needs. In order to facilitate the provision of customised information and to avoid redundant information, we currently determine a pedestrian typology using a multi-method approach considering motion behaviour as well as underlying preferences and individual attitudes. We developed a methodological set-up including qualitative-interpretative and quantitative-statistical data, which will lead to the determination of a typology of lifestyle-based pedestrian mobility styles. In this contribution we present results from the first of two consecutive empirical phases based on datasets of over 100 trajectories observed by shadowing methods and 130 interviews; furthermore we highlight differences in the outcomes resulting from data collected by different empirical methods and in different investigation areas (indoor and outdoor).