Research Summary
Executive Overview
The Leisure Walking Framework represents a shift from quantitative, efficiency-based routing to a model that prizes the subjective, human experience of place. While traditional GIS focuses on getting a user from A to B, this framework operationalizes the experiential journey—how expectations are formed, how the narrative of a walk unfolds in real-time, and how reflection shapes future activity.
Developed through a rigourous Mixed Methods Grounded Theory (MM-GTM) approach, the framework synthesizes data from large-scale behavioural surveys, expert professional interviews, and in-situ think-aloud studies. It provides a structured ontology (Tasks, Activities, Influences, Properties) that allows system designers to create tools that “understand” walking not just as physical movement, but as a complex interplay of motivation, environment, and personal narrative.
Research Context and Motivation
Frameworks for walking have historically fragmented into distinct silos:
- Health Frameworks: Focus on physical activity interventions and behavioural change (e.g., Beaton et al., 2008).
- Walkability Indexes: Measure urban form, density, and connectivity, often ignoring personal preference (e.g., Dovey, 2020).
- Technical Routing: Prioritize shortest paths or safety, often treating “leisure” as simply a non-commute activity.
The Gap: None of these approaches fully capture the personal and subjective nature of leisure walking—the “fuzzy” reasons why we choose a longer, scenic route over a short, busy one, or how a “successful” walk is defined by the narrative it creates rather than the calories burned. This framework was motivated by the need to evidence these subjective factors so they could be integrated into computational systems.
Framework Architecture
The framework is designed as an iterative procedural loop comprising three distinct tasks. It uses a four-level hierarchy to organize the complexity of the walking experience:
- Tasks (High-level phases)
- Activities (Actions taken during a task)
- Influences (Factors affecting actions)
- Properties (Specific, granular attributes)
The Three Operational Tasks
1. Planning a Leisure Walk (The Expectation)
This phase goes beyond simple route selection. It involves Mental Instigation (the urge to walk), Targeting (identifying places of interest), and Building a Narrative.
- Key Insight: Planning is heavily reliant on Local Knowledge vs. Online Knowledge.
- Narrative Theme: The user forms an Expectation of the walk, which serves as the benchmark for the experience.
2. Doing a Leisure Walk (The Narrative)
The active phase where the plan meets reality. This involves Physical Engagement, High-Level Wayfinding, and Updating the Narrative in real-time based on serendipitous discoveries or unexpected obstacles.
- Key Insight: Walking involves Mental Dissociation—periods where the walker disengages from the task to think, listen to music, or reflect.
- Narrative Theme: The Narrative is the log of what actually happens, often diverging from the Expectation.
3. Reflecting on a Leisure Walk (The Experience)
The closure phase where the walker reviews the event. This determines if the walk was “good” and integrates the experience into their Local Knowledge for future planning.
- Key Insight: Reflection transforms a specific instance (a walk) into generalized knowledge (expertise).
- Narrative Theme: The Experience is the final synthesis—the comparison of Expectation vs. Narrative.
Methodological Approach
The framework was constructed using Mixed Methods Grounded Theory (MM-GTM), following the “coding” approach of Braun & Clarke (2006) and the framework design principles of Hignett (2015).
- Leisure Walking Behaviour Survey: Provided broad quantitative data on motivations and planning habits.
- Think-Aloud Study: Captured in-situ, real-time decision making and emotional responses during walks.
- Professional Interviews: Offered expert perspectives on infrastructure, policy, and high-level routing strategies.
These distinct datasets were coded and synthesized during collaborative data sessions to resolve them into the unified Tasks/Activities model.
Implications for System Design
The Leisure Walking Framework serves as a blueprint for next-generation routing technologies (like WalkGrid and PlaceCrafter). It suggests that future tools must:
- Support Expectation Setting: Allow users to define the “vibe” or narrative of a walk, not just the destination.
- Enable In-Walk Adaptation: Routing systems should support serendipity and “Updating the Narrative” mid-walk.
- Capture Reflection: Tools should allow users to feed their experiences back into the system, turning Narrative into Local Knowledge for the community.
