Exploratory walk
Download (ocx)An exploratory walk is a participatory diagnostic tool that can be used to identify the different uses and boundaries of a public space. A small number of participants spend time walking around the space, making observations and highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the space from their point of view. This tool can be particularly interesting to use with groups that are not usually given priority in the design of public spaces: people with disabilities, women, children, etc. It helps to identify barriers to accessing space that might otherwise go unnoticed, which should ideally lead to the creation of more inclusive public spaces. It can also be strategic to organise exploratory walks with participants who are particularly familiar with public spaces: people who live locally, who work on the edge of or within the public space, or who are directly involved in its management. This group's in-depth experience of the site can enable it to quickly identify its uses, its limits and its exposure to risks. A guide with stops to be made and questions can be drawn up to facilitate data collection during this walk.
Tips and tricks
This tool can be used to produce a "constraints and uses map" or an "environmental exposure diagnosis"(put hypertext link for constraints map).