Identification of public place attributes using mean-end chain research model

Abstract

In this study, criteria to recognize successful public places’ attributes have been studied from different theoretical perspectives. In great public places, the social and economic exchanges take place, friends run into each other, and cultures mix. When such places work well, they serve as a stage for our public lives. In this study, we investigated the influence of users’ value on public place design. We studied motivational factors as determinants of stated preferences for public space attributes. Moreover, the relationship between these factors has been studied from the means-end theory perspective. This research sets out to examine findings reported in the literature that PPS mentioned as four attributes of successful public spaces. PPS have worked over 2,500 communities in 40 countries and all 50 US states. A semi-structured interviewing technique called laddering is used to measure means-end chains and to analyze laddering as a technique of qualitative research and emphasizing the procedures for data collection, analysis and interpretation. “Laddering refers to an in-depth interviewing technique used to develop an understanding of how users translate the attributes of place into meaningful associations with respect to self, following means-end theory” (Reynolds & Gutman, 1988, p. 12). The critical literature review shows that laddering is useful in studies on human behavior, especially those related to the Means-End Chain (MEC) model. Our results are based on a stratified sample of eleven students with different nationality in UTM. The students took apart in an one-hour interview and they were asked about their preferences over public places’ attributes for various types of public places. The results of evaluating MEC model on public space design confirm the PPS four key qualities for successful public places. The results show that person-environment congruence can support users’ values and their expectations in successful public place design