Design Safari

Our latest design studies assignment involved observing people. So we had to go to a public place and observe people going about their everyday business. In our cause we went to the Overgate shopping centre. So we grabbed a coffee and sat in a place we thought was a good spot for people watching. We'd just started to observe people when a girl in her mid twenties approached us and asked if we wouldn't mind answering some questions about what we would do if we won the lottery. Turns out she works for the local paper. Was kinda funny seeing as we were supposed to be observing people and we end up getting interviewed.

So whilst people watching we noticed at that particular time of day (around 11am) The majority of people were middle aged couples or young mothers with pushchairs.One in particular had a furry boot on one foot and a regular shoe on the other which we thought was a bit odd! Anyway most people didn't seem to be really shopping instead they seemed to be using the mall as a thoroughfare to where ever it was they had to get too. Kinda makes you wonder where exactly all these people are actually going. One thing we did notice though the people who were carrying shopping bags were mostly carrying a Debenhams or Primark bag. We figured that the reason for this was that Debenhams had a 25% off sale and well Primark is pretty cheap so people in the Overgate obviously like a bargin.

We also went to the Wellgate shopping centre to see if there was any difference in the type of people we observed at the Nethergate and there was. The Wellgate has a totally different atmosphere. First of all it's not as modern, most of the shops are bargin shops and the place has a 'stuck in the 80's' feel about it which kinda , without being to harsh, reflects on the type of people we observed there.

This assignment was quite interesting although to be honest when I'm out in a public place I tend to do a bit of people watching anyway. It can be quite entertaining at times.