This document outlines the scope and methodology for a research study investigating factors that influence people's perceptions of street environments and their decisions to walk or spend time in public places. The study will use qualitative methods like focus groups and interviews to understand how the presence of buildings, spaces, colors, street furniture, trees and flowers, traffic, pollution, and safety issues shape perceptions. Data will be collected from participants in selected areas of Leeds, UK and their comments on pictures and videos of street activities and environments. The significance of the research is that it could help inform policies and practices around urban design, street improvements, and developing more pedestrian-friendly communities.

1. Aswin Siregar
Dr. Miles Tight (Supervisor)
Questions Scope of Research Data Collection Procedures Significance and Implications
1. What are factors influence people’s perception of current aesthetic of 1. Aesthetics is the study of beauty and taste. This is a very wide The idea behind qualitative approach is to purposefully select participant or The significance of this research are :
street environment? area of research. However, the presence of building, spaces, sites. Study sites have been selected purposefully which assumed will best 1. The importance of an understanding of city development and
2. How do people decide to use walking or sojourning on street or colour, street furniture (i.e. bench, fence, post, lamp, etc.), trees help researcher understand the problem and answer the research question. street design which provide community life improvement
public places? and flowers will be the main observation objects. The works will involve Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and interviews. 2. Provide more complete picture about road user perception to the
3. What is the link of street activity to perceptions of street 2. Street Environment : this will includes traffic flow, pollution, Participants will be invited to a discussion session in selected room or reader and interested parties
environment aesthetic? junctions, vegetations, shops, parking places, safety, and places and talk about their environment aesthetics. Some pictures and
Thus, the implications of this research are :
videos of street activity and street environment will be provided,
Research Background housing area. 1. Development of science and knowledge of designing street
I n the last decade issue of walking as part of sustainability policy has
grown strongly among the governments and the transportation
3. Street Activity : includes walking, shopping, meals, sojourning,
bicycling, sport and other activities
Participants will comments and explain their preferences and perceptions.
Their perception towards different circumstance are hoped to be
which reflex the highest function of human needs and sense.
2. Contribute to awareness and policy making of university
demonstrated by comparison of beauty and broken environment.
researchers. European Cooperation in Science and Technology has surrounding areas and city street improvement.
recently published the Pedestrian Quality Needs (PQN) Project Result. It
3. Offer a data and information availability to be used by local
concludes a comprehensive vision on ways to improve walking and
authorities and practitioner for further development and research
sojourning conditions. Nevertheless, PQN scientific approach is an ideal
but not yet practise. There are still question marks. The main issue will References
be how to proceed from knowledge to implementation? (COST, 2010).
Department for Transport, 2007, Manual for Street, available
NewlyUKTravelSurveyhasproventhedeclineofwalkingmodeinthelast15years.
athttp://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/sustainable/manforstreets
Average Number Of Trips By Selected Private Transport Modes Department for Transport, National Travel Survey 2009, available
Index: Great Britain, 1995 To 2009
at http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/nts/
Rob Methorst, Hector Monterde, Ralf Risser, Daniel Sauter, Miles
Tight and Jim Walker, 2010, Pedestrian Quality Needs (PQN) Final
Report, WALK21, Cheltenham, UK
Transport Committee, 2010, Walk This Way Making : walking
A660 Otley Road, Leeds
easier and safer in London, Greater London Authority
In addition to discussion and interview, researcher will also observe
John W Creswell, 2009, Research Design : Qualitative, Quantitative,
Methodology different types of urban area which portray a range of street environments
and also participate in informants journey or sojourning, meanwhile also
and Mixed Methods Approaches (Third Edition), SAGE
R esearch will be conducted in a qualitative approach. Silverman trying to gather their perception of street and aesthetics of environment.
Publications
(2010), Strauss (2001) and Creswell (2002) agreed that qualitative This methods is chosen to avoid researchers fixated on the particular
Source: DfT, 2010 concept or theory and information can be dug up from the participants or
approach is a qualitative research process, which tries to understand
human problem, based on complete holistic picture formed with informants.
It has become harder to persuade people to use walking as mode in their journey.
words, detailed views of informants, and its natural background. To allow this research to be carried out in a limited time but complex data
Proofing that walk will increase the quality of life as well as contribute to transport
This research is very suitable with qualitative approach. It is not just collection procedures some sites has been selected, they are University of
goalisarguably.
because of its ontology, epistemology and axiology assumption, but Leeds and It’s surrounding (LS2 and LS6), includes A660 routes
Research Objectives also influenced by researcher’s experience and knowledge which walk Woodhouse Lane – Headingly (Otley Road). The selection of site leads by
1. To identify factors influence people perception of current facts that Leeds city council has recently announced the result of Action Day
daily through Leeds City street, especially around Leeds University.
aesthetic of street environment Program which clearly indicated street environmental problems such as
Lancy (1993), Smith (1987) dan Tesch (1990) in Creswell (2002) stated
2. To understand people decision to use walking or sojourning on that qualitative research is a powerful tools to explore the graffiti and litter. There are six cases reported which they will start
street or public places characteristics, discover the patterns, understand contextual and acts, proceedings for around noise nuisance, rubbish and drainage issues. The
3. To analyse the link of street activity to people’s perceptions of and convey the freedom of mind. Based on these paradigm, a Key informant to this research will be students who voluntary join this
street environment aesthetic qualitative approach will be appropriate in this study. research and the Inner North West Area Committee of Leeds City.