Tag: digitalcalm

#slowness #slowliving #slowinteraction #digitalcalm #calmtechnology #navigation #urbanexperience

Sometimes, the most important insights about the concept of slowness come not from books or research, but quite by chance. While walking through Udine, I passed an old stone wall and noticed a black display board featuring a photograph of mountains rising above the clouds. There were jagged peaks, mist filling the entire valley, and a large inscription: “Another Best Day.” Below that, in Italian, it read: “The best day is the one you choose to live” [1].

I hadn’t planned to go there. No GPS had mapped a route “to the exhibition,” and it hadn’t been on my agenda for the day at all. And, honestly, that is precisely why the encounter stayed with me. The most interesting things in a city are often found not on the planned route, but just off to the side.

🏔️ About the Exhibition and the Photographer

This exhibition showcases the best images from Simone De Cillia’s archive and serves as a tribute to his memory. It traces a journey through the places he explored and photographed – capturing unique mountain landscapes and moments of genuine wonder. The exhibition ran from September 3 to September 20, 2026, at the Church of San Francesco in Udine, with the city’s support. Admission was free, and visitor donations are being directed to charity.

Simone photographed the region’s mountains, and his work appeared on different platforms, for example, on Planetmountain, an Italian mountain portal [2]. Unfortunately, I could not find further details about him in public sources, so I am sharing only what I know for certain. Yet, it seems to me that his photographs speak volumes about him – more than any biography could: they reveal the perspective of someone who spent a great deal of time in the mountains and knew how to wait for the perfect light.

⛪ A space that slows you down

In my last post, I wrote about how the city often pushes us to move fast – with its wide streets, long facades, and lack of places to pause. Here, it was the exact opposite. An old church, high walls, traces of frescoes on the arches, and light streaming in through narrow windows. Inside, there are dark panels featuring illuminated photographs – almost like windows into another world.

You can’t just rush through a place like this. The space itself is designed to make you stop. Look. Then look again. Even the sound of your footsteps grows quieter. It’s an interesting contrast: the ancient architecture and the photographs of mountains combine to create the same feeling – that time moves differently here.

🧭 What this means for navigation

I stood before this photograph for a long time, thinking: in the mountains, no one looks for the “fastest route” to a moment like this. You hike for a long time – sometimes it’s a struggle, sometimes you get up in the dark just to catch the sunrise. And the goal isn’t Point B; it’s this state of being. A moment when time seems to stand still.

The person in the photo isn’t in a rush. He isn’t checking his phone or counting the distance to the next turn. He is simply present, right where he is.

To me, this perfectly illustrates the point I’ve been trying to make throughout this series: a good route isn’t defined by how few minutes you spend on it. It’s defined by what stays with you afterward – a moment, a view, a feeling, a memory.

Modern maps don’t really “think” in these terms. They know where the cafés and traffic jams are, but they don’t know where you might want to stop and simply gaze at the world. But what if routes included not just turns, but also spots marked “worth lingering here”? A bench with a view, a quiet courtyard, the open door of an old church.

“Another Best Day” reminded me of a simple truth: slowness isn’t about laziness or wasted time. It’s a choice—a choice to truly live the day, rather than just get through it.

Sources 🛈

[1] Another Best Day. Le migliori immagini dall’archivio di Simone De Cillia. Exhibition information board, Chiesa di San Francesco, Udine, 03–20.09.2026. Personal photo.

[2] Simone De Cillia. Photo: Modeon del Buinz, Julian Alps. Planetmountain, 2021. Available at: https://www.planetmountain.com/en/photos/69362

[3] “Un momento eterno. Un momento in cui ti fondi con le montagne” (“An eternal moment. A moment when you merge with the mountains”). Exhibition wall text, “Another Best Day,” Chiesa di San Francesco, Udine, 2026. Personal photo.

#slowness #slowliving #slowinteraction #digitalcalm #calmtechnology #navigation #urbanexperience

For this analysis, I selected the master’s thesis Designing Successful Digital Map Interfaces: The Role of Usability, Gamification, and Personalization by Maximilian Pankholzer, submitted in 2025. The thesis focuses on digital maps and explores how usability, gamification, and personalization can enhance the user experience. Its practical outcome is “Vanlifezone,” a map interface designed specifically for van travelers.

The work comprises a theoretical section, an analysis of existing solutions, user research, and the development of a custom prototype. The author addresses issues such as outdated information, visual clutter on maps, and a lack of personalization, subsequently translating the research findings into concrete interface solutions. However, there is a significant procedural issue: the thesis was written at FH JOANNEUM, whereas the assignment required selecting a master’s thesis from a different university or university of applied sciences.

Quality of Design and Implementation

Overall, I rate the quality of the work positively, as the research and practical components are well integrated. The author first identifies user problems and then proposes specific solutions—such as status-aware pins, persistent filters, and clustering—ensuring the design does not appear disconnected from the research.

The main drawback is the lack of comprehensive prototype testing. Although the author developed a detailed usability testing plan, the actual testing was not carried out within the scope of the project. Consequently, the effectiveness of certain solutions remains speculative and requires further validation.

Level of Innovation

I would rate the level of innovation as moderate. Certain features—such as filters, clustering, saved places, and gamification—are already found in other digital products. However, the author combines them in an interesting way and adapts them specifically for the target audience of van travelers.

Therefore, I see the work’s originality not so much in the creation of entirely new interface solutions, but rather in how they are combined and applied to a specific context.

Independence

The work demonstrates a high level of independence. The author independently conducts a literature review, analyzes existing applications, gathers user data, and develops a proprietary prototype based on these findings.

It is particularly evident that the practical solutions are linked to the results of the preceding research stages; consequently, the project presents itself as a cohesive, independent design research process.

Organization and Structure

The structure of the work is logical and clear. The research progresses steadily from theory to an analysis of existing products, followed by user research and practical development. This makes it easy to understand how the author arrived at their design decisions.

At the same time, the theoretical section occasionally feels overly voluminous and descriptive. Some concepts could have been subjected to critical comparison rather than merely explained.

Quality of Communication

Overall, the work effectively communicates both the research findings and the practical project. The visual documentation of the prototype is particularly useful, as it helps clarify exactly how the proposed ideas have been implemented.

At times, the text becomes overly detailed and loses its primary focus; however, the overall style and structure make it relatively easy to follow the author’s line of reasoning.

Scope and Coverage

I consider the scope of the work appropriate for the chosen topic. The author narrows the research focus significantly, concentrating specifically on digital maps for van travelers. This allows for a detailed examination of a specific problem, rather than a broad, generalized study of navigation.

On the other hand, such a narrow target audience limits the applicability of the findings to other user groups and types of navigation applications.

Precision and Attention to Detail

Overall, the work has been executed with care. The author pays attention not only to general UX principles but also to the specifics of digital map design—such as visual hierarchy, icons, zoom levels, clustering, and the display of data currency.

I also appreciate the transparency regarding the use of AI tools. The project explicitly notes the use of tools like ChatGPT and other AI systems, which aligns with requirements for academic transparency.

Literature

The author draws on a wide range of sources from various fields: cartography, HCI, usability, gamification, and personalization. This establishes a solid theoretical foundation for the project.

However, the literature is sometimes used merely to explain specific concepts rather than to critically compare different scholarly perspectives. I believe that a deeper discussion engaging the various sources would have strengthened the theoretical section.

Evaluation of the Practical Project

The practical project demonstrates a strong connection between the research question and the theoretical framework. For instance, the issue of outdated information led to the creation of indicators showing data currency, while the problem of map clutter prompted the use of clustering and progressive disclosure.

The project documentation is sufficiently detailed to provide an understanding of the key decisions and the development process. In my view, the prototype itself meets the standards of a Master’s-level project, as it illustrates a seamless transition from research to a concrete UX/UI concept.

However, the absence of actual usability testing remains a significant drawback. Consequently, it is impossible to conclusively prove that the proposed solutions genuinely improve the user experience.

Final Assessment

Overall, I view the work positively. Its strengths lie in the strong link between research and design, a clear structure, a substantial practical outcome, and a thorough exploration of the specific problem at hand.

The main weaknesses are the lack of comprehensive user testing for the prototype and a theoretical section that is, at times, overly descriptive. Therefore, while I consider this a compelling practical Master’s project, the results could have been significantly stronger had there been a genuine evaluation phase.

Relevance to My Own Master’s Project

This project is particularly relevant to my own Master’s work, as I am also researching digital navigation and personalization. I appreciate the author’s approach of directly translating research findings into concrete interface solutions.

In my own project, I intend to employ a similar connection between research, design principles, and the prototype. However, I would place greater emphasis on the emotional and experiential aspects of navigation—focusing not merely on how quickly a user can find a specific location, but on how the map might encourage a slower exploration of the city, foster an awareness of the surroundings, and help build a more personal connection with the urban environment.

I would also devote more attention to usability testing, aiming not only to propose a novel type of navigational experience but also to validate how users actually perceive it.

Continuing my research on the topic of “Slowness”from last semester, I will be doing further work on this topic as part of the Design & Research II course with Birgit Bachler PhD.

For the final assignment, I will need to record a 2-minute video of the final prototype — in my case, I plan to use prototyping in Figma, which each of you will be able to test. The research will again focus more on contextual analysis, as well as user testing, bibliography, and heuristic evaluation.

Comparing default routes and experience-based routes 🛣️

For this post, I decided to conduct a small practical experiment and compare a standard navigation route with one that more closely resembles the concept behind my future app. I chose the same route: from my current location to Hauptplatz in Graz. It was important to me to look not only at the time and distance, but also at how the walking experience itself changes.

On Google Maps [1], the standard route looks very straightforward and functional. The app suggests the fastest option: 35 minutes, 2.6 km, mostly along Annenstraße. This is convenient if the goal is simply to get to your destination. But with this option, the walk feels more like a task: follow the line, don’t get distracted, and reach your destination.

Then I manually created a second route in Google Maps and added stops: BILLA PLUS, Volksgarten, and Gelateria Italiana by Luis, and only then—Hauptplatz. The time increased to 42 minutes, but the route itself became completely different. It’s no longer just a path from point A to point B, but a little walking itinerary: pop into a store, walk through the park, buy some ice cream, and only then head to the center.

I also ran the comparison on Mapy.cz [2]. The direct route is shown there as 43 minutes, 2.6 km, while the route with additional stops is about 50 minutes, 3 km. What I especially liked about Mapy.cz is that the urban environment itself is much easier to make out. You can see parks, green spaces, paths, the terrain, the river, and the neighborhood’s layout. The map looks more detailed and “outdoor-oriented.” Visually, it’s not as minimalist as Google Maps, but for my purposes, that’s actually a plus because it helps me not just walk, but understand the space around me.

This experiment helped me better understand the concept behind my app. I don’t just want to make routes longer. The idea is for users to be able to choose not only their destination but also the type of route: fast, leisurely, green, adventurous, social, or with short stops.

In the next prototype, I want to develop this logic further. For example, if a user selects a “slow route,” the app could automatically suggest a path through a park, a quiet street, a café, or a spot for a short stop. In other words, the map becomes not just a navigation tool, but also a tool for planning a walk.

This test showed me one simple thing: navigation doesn’t have to be just about the shortest route. Sometimes an extra 5–10 minutes can make a route much more enjoyable, personal, and memorable.

Sources 🛈

[1] Google Maps. Google LLC. Available at: https://www.google.com/maps

[2] Mapy.cz. Seznam.cz, a.s. Available at: https://mapy.cz

Continuing my research on the topic of “Slowness”from last semester, I will be doing further work on this topic as part of the Design & Research II course with Birgit Bachler PhD.

For the final assignment, I will need to record a 2-minute video of the final prototype — in my case, I plan to use prototyping in Figma, which each of you will be able to test. The research will again focus more on contextual analysis, as well as user testing, bibliography, and heuristic evaluation.

Social geography and who the city is for 🤼🏻

The next important question for my project is: who is “slow navigation” actually designed for? At first glance, it might seem that “slow routes” are suitable for everyone: tourists, locals, people who love to walk, or those who want to explore the city. But if we look deeper, the city isn’t the same for everyone. Different people move through it in different ways, and this falls under the umbrella of social geography.

Social geography helps us think of the city not only as a physical space but also as a social experience. The same route can be pleasant for one person and inconvenient or even unsafe for another. For example, a tourist might be looking for beautiful streets and cafes, a local resident might be looking for a peaceful route after work, someone walking a dog might be looking for green spaces, and a person with limited mobility might be looking for a flat route without steep inclines or stairs.

Social geography is a subfield of human geography that examines the relationship between society and space. While there is no universally accepted definition, it is generally understood as the study of societal dynamics from a spatial perspective, exploring how people interact with their environment across time and place. This area of study encompasses various topics, including the differences between locations and their residents, the transformations of places, and the ways individuals perceive and alter landscapes. [1]

The PDF [2] includes an important note that Situationism and similar theories often stemmed from a Western, male, and academic tradition and may not have taken into account the experiences of women, queer people, colonized populations, and people of color. It also states that it is important to consider structural barriers and the fact that not everyone can “wander” through the city with the same degree of freedom.

This is a very important point for my app. If I use the ideas of dérive and free exploration of the city, I can’t simply say, “Let people go wherever they want.” For some, this truly represents freedom, while for others, it means stress, risk, or physical limitations. Therefore, slow navigation must take into account not only mood and interests, but also safety, accessibility, physical exertion, lighting, proximity to public transportation, and the user’s personal boundaries.

Here, I also find the idea from data feminism useful. Authors Catherine D’Ignazio and Lauren Klein [3] suggest thinking about data through the lens of power, context, and inequality. For my project, this means that a map shouldn’t pretend to be neutral. If an app shows the “best route,” we need to ask: best for whom? For a young tourist? For an older person? For someone with anxiety? For someone who doesn’t speak the language? For a young woman walking alone at night?

That’s why, in the future prototype, I want to focus more on modes and settings – not just “fast/slow,” but more specifically: quiet, safe, green, accessible, dog-friendly, low-stairs, familiar, and exploratory. This makes the app not just a pretty alternative to Google Maps[4], but a more human-centered system that acknowledges the different ways of experiencing the city.

For me, the main takeaway from this phase is this: slow navigation shouldn’t romanticize walking. It should take into account that a city can be inspiring, but also challenging, noisy, inaccessible, or unsafe. If the app wants to create higher-quality routes, it must consider not only the beauty of the path but also the user’s social context.

Sources 🛈

[1] EBSCO Research Starters. Social Geography. EBSCO Information Services. Available at: https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/geography-and-cartography/social-geography

[2] Bachler, B. Intro to Information Design – Session 5: Commuting Cartographies. FH JOANNEUM, 2025.

[3] D’Ignazio, C., & Klein, L. Data Feminism. MIT Press, 2020. Available at: https://data-feminism.mitpress.mit.edu

[4] Google Maps. Google LLC. Available at: https://www.google.com/maps

Continuing my research on the topic of “Slowness”from last semester, I will be doing further work on this topic as part of the Design & Research II course with Birgit Bachler PhD.

For the final assignment, I will need to record a 2-minute video of the final prototype — in my case, I plan to use prototyping in Figma, which each of you will be able to test. The research will again focus more on contextual analysis, as well as user testing, bibliography, and heuristic evaluation.

Psychogeography and Dérive 🧠

One of the ideas that fits my project particularly well is psychogeography. Simply put, psychogeography explores how a city influences our emotions, moods, and behavior. It’s not just about streets and buildings, but about how we experience space as we move through it. In the PDF [1], this topic is introduced through Guy Debord and his work “The Naked City“[2]. It is described as a psychogeographic map that reveals not a conventional map of Paris, but the hidden psychological and emotional connections between urban fragments.

This is a very important shift for my project. Conventional navigation revolves around point A and point B. The user enters an address, the app calculates the route, and that’s it. But psychogeography offers a different way of looking at the city: not as a problem to be solved, but as an environment to be explored.

This is closer to my question: can navigation be not only efficient, but also more mindful, personal, and slow?

This is related to the concept of dérive, or drift [3]. In the presentation, dérive is explained as a method of exploring the city through unplanned, almost aimless wandering. A person does not follow a strictly predetermined route, but instead allows themselves to respond to the atmosphere of the place, random turns, their mood, and unexpected encounters. Debord described dérive as a practice distinct from an ordinary walk because it involves paying attention to the city’s psychogeographical effects and atmospheres.

I don’t want to literally turn the app into a chaotic, aimless wander. But I’m interested in adopting the very principle of dérive: a route can be not only functional but also open-ended. For example, the app could offer not just one “correct” path, but several options: a calm route, a curious route, a green route, or a social route. The user is still moving toward a destination, but the path becomes more flexible and dynamic.

It also helps me take a critical look at modern maps. Many apps try to eliminate uncertainty: turn right, walk 200 meters, and you’ll arrive in 6 minutes. On the one hand, this is convenient. On the other hand, people stop noticing the city around them. They look at the screen instead of their surroundings. In my project, I want to try to bring some of that attention back to the user.

For the prototype, this could take the form of a specific feature. For example, “Explore Mode” might occasionally suggest a slight detour from the route: walking through a park, taking a quieter street, choosing a route with interesting architecture, or making a short stop. It’s important that this isn’t forced, but feels like an invitation.

In this way, psychogeography and dérive help me formulate the foundation of the project: slow navigation isn’t just about “walking longer.” It’s a way to design a route so that a person not only reaches their destination, but also feels, notices, and remembers something along the way.

Sources 🛈

[1] Bachler, B. Intro to Information Design – Session 5: Commuting Cartographies. FH JOANNEUM, 2025.

[2] Debord, G. The Naked City. Psychogeographic Map of Paris, 1957. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Guy-Debord-The-Naked-City-A-Psychogeographical-Guide-to-Paris-1955_fig2_370004669

[3] Debord, G. Theory of the Dérive. Internationale Situationniste, no. 2, 1958. Available at: https://rohandrape.net/ut/rttcc-text/Debord2006e.pdf

Continuing my research on the topic of “Slowness”from last semester, I will be doing further work on this topic as part of the Design & Research II course with Birgit Bachler PhD.

For the final assignment, I will need to record a 2-minute video of the final prototype — in my case, I plan to use prototyping in Figma, which each of you will be able to test. The research will again focus more on contextual analysis, as well as user testing, bibliography, and heuristic evaluation.

Information design, maps and my app 🗺️

In this post, I want to connect my project to the topic of information design and to material from the “Commuting Cartographies” class. I found this PDF [1] very useful because it shows maps not just as a tool for finding your way, but as a way to understand, interpret, and even change our perception of the city. In the presentation, a map is defined as “a spatial representation of reality.” But another idea is particularly important for my project: maps don’t just show the world- they shape it.

This is directly related to my idea for a “slow navigation app.” Usually, a map is perceived as a neutral tool: it shows where we are, where to go, and which route is the fastest. But in reality, a map always chooses what to show and what to hide. For example, a standard 2D map shows streets, buildings, and names. A 3D map adds a sense of scale and space. A bird’s-eye view helps you get a better visual feel for the city. Psychogeographic maps, on the other hand, may not show roads at all, but rather emotions, smells, sounds, or personal impressions of a place. This is clearly illustrated in the PDF using examples of different map types: top-down view, bird’s-eye view, 2D map, and 3D/extruded map.

For my app, this means I don’t have to design the map exactly like Google Maps [3]. I can think of the map as a system of layers. For example, one layer could show the most peaceful route, another could show green spaces, a third could show places to stop, and a fourth could show the emotional or sensory characteristics of the route. This helps shift the focus from “getting there faster” to “experiencing the journey better.”

I also liked the CityMaps [4] example, where logos and place names are used instead of satellite images and building outlines. This shows that a map can be not only geographical but also social: people often navigate not by coordinates, but by cafes, stores, familiar landmarks, parks, or visual cues. This is important for my app because slow navigation should be closer to how people actually experience the city.

Another useful takeaway from the PDF is the importance of visual hierarchy. If everything on a map is equally important, it’s hard for a person to know where to look. In my interface, this means I need to carefully manage text, icons, colors, and layers of information. If I want to create a calm app, it shouldn’t overwhelm the user. On the contrary, it should gently guide their attention.

Thus, this material helped me realize that my project isn’t just a “map with pretty routes.” It’s an attempt to design a different kind of information system for the city. The map in my app should not only guide people but also help them notice, choose, stop, and build a more personal connection with the space.

Sources 🛈

[1] Bachler, B. Intro to Information Design – Session 5: Commuting Cartographies. FH JOANNEUM, 2025.

[2] Wood, D. Rethinking the Power of Maps. Guilford Press, 2010.

[3] Google Maps. Google LLC. Available at: https://www.google.com/maps

[4] Citymaps. Available at: https://citymaps.com