Identifying Core User Requirements for Urban Square Seats: An Integrated UJM, Fuzzy Kano Model, and SEM Approach

Abstract

The current design of seats in urban squares struggles to meet the diverse social, rest, and aesthetic needs of users, highlighting the systematic lack of humanized design in public facilities. This paper took Chengdu Tianfu Square and Mianyang Fucheng Wanda Plaza as the research objects. Through the User Journey Map (UJM), 23 user requirements were sorted out. The Fuzzy Kano Model was used to screen and classify the attributes of the requirement set, obtaining eight must-be requirements, seven one-dimensional requirements, and six attractive requirements. On this basis, the Structural Equation Model (SEM) was introduced to identify 11 core user requirements. The seat design scheme of Chengdu Tianfu Square was output based on 11 core requirements. The scheme was verified by using the Likert five-level scale and the System Usability Scale (SUS) score of 72.38, indicating good usability and higher satisfaction compared to existing benchmarks. This study verified that the UJM-Fuzzy KANO Model-SEM integrated model can effectively help the designers of urban square seats identify the core requirements in the fuzzy and complex user requirements. The approach can quickly clarify the design direction and improve the user satisfaction of urban square seats.