Research

Research Questions

How might we improve the experience of students trying to discover different kinds of hiking trails near Harrisonburg?

1. Before you go on a hike, what are some things you want to know to prepare for your trip (Do you want an easy hike, a waterfall, a viewpoint for sunsets, etc.? Also, what level of hiking would you say you fall into? Novice, advanced, or expert?
2. When/ if you go hiking, is pet/handicap accessibility important to what trails you decide to go on? If neither, what other features would be helpful on a hiking app?
3. How much does price factor into your decision to take a hike in a certain area? What would make you more likely to hike in an area that has admission fees?
4. How much does the distance in which you have to travel to get to the trail factor into whether or not you go hiking there? What would make you more likely to travel further?
5. Would you want a hiking app to be able to track the trials you’ve taken, how far you’ve walked, heart rate/calories burnt, etc.? If not, what would you like  to track?
6. What other features would you like a hiking app to have? Do you have any ideas/suggestions specific to making your hikes more enjoyable?

Selecting Students to Interview

The purpose of this platform is to help students at JMU discover nearby hiking trails and track their hikes. This is geared toward students, because a common weekend activity among those who brought vehicles to campus is to explore Shenandoah National Park. I decided to make my survey very user-friendly by creating a google form and sharing it on my Instagram story, linking the form in my bio. I wrote in the description that this is for anyone who is interested in hiking, or wants to hike more than they do currently. Along with putting the form out to the general population of JMU (males and females from each class follow me on Instagram), I also contacted classmates of mine who I know are interested in hiking and might have suggestions on how to make my app more user-friendly. In selecting responses for my form, 12 responses for each question were used to form my design requirements from 6 males and 6 females, all of varying age/ levels of experience in hiking.