Lost in Space: A Case Study on Optimizing Student Spaces at the University of Virginia

Reservable student space is an essential resource for student organizations at universities. The ability to provide equitable access to spaces is a key role of the administration. The focus of this paper is a case study exploring mechanisms to improve both spaces and how students access them at the University of Virginia, taking a human-centered design approach to 1) analyzing the current system, 2) identifying, evaluating, and evolving recommendations to improve system performance, and 3) assessing impact of recommendations. Based on prior studies, usage data, surveys, interviews, and focus groups, we identified two driving questions: 1) Does the university have the needed spaces? 2) Are these spaces accessible by student groups? In response, the team developed a dual focus: Space Design and Utilization (SDU) to address the idea of “right spaces” and Reservation System Design (RSD) to address issues related to ease of access. SDU revealed issues with overly-strict policies and space design, a disparity in the spread of spaces across campus, and a shortage of spaces equipped to diverse student activity. To address these issues, we recommend the university audit its policies, focus future construction on creating hubs of space near student housing, and emphasize the ideal of multi-use space during new construction and renovations. RSD revealed a lack of procedural transparency leads to feelings of inequity between student groups, incorrect assumptions regarding users lead to dysfunctional interactions, and the system was not making optimal use of the limited spatial resources. To address issues, we recommend the university increase transparency through clear and consistent communication, refrain from making unjustified assumptions of users, and allocate spaces to proper events while allowing flexibility within spaces.