Consumer needs exploration Virtual Reality forSpringplank and the Municipality of Eindhoven

Working with the municipality of Eindhoven to investigate the layout requirements for the new basic facility for homeless people

Springplank is responsible for social assistance in Eindhoven and other locations, and, as they say themselves, they are the social springboard for helping homeless people reintegrate into society as effectively as possible. They are committed to helping these candidates with a tailor-made program. The new location on Fuutlaan in the municipality of Eindhoven will shorten the lines of communication between candidates and employees, as both will be based at this location. To maximize support, candidates and employees are involved in the design and layout of the new base facility. This involvement was created by Consumer needs exploration a Consumer needs exploration .

One location for everything

To gain more insight into the wishes and needs of the candidates and employees, the new layout was presented to them through qualitative research in the form of in-depth interviews, using mood boards and Virtual Reality. Virtual Reality offers the opportunity to make the location visible to respondents, given that the spaces have not yet been built. Respondents were able to take a virtual tour of the common areas, bedrooms, offices, garden, and other spaces. By combining this with the mood boards, we made the experience as realistic as possible for the respondents.

Both employees and candidates have indicated that they are generally pleased with the new basic provision. Employees will be working in the same building as the candidates. This makes it more personal and accessible for both parties. Employees have also indicated that they will gain a better understanding of each other because they will actually see more of each other's work. The authentic character of the mansion on Fuutlaan is one of the positive points that emerged from the in-depth interviews. The fusion of authentic and modern creates a luxurious look that promotes calm and clarity. The Fuutlaan location is close to the city, making it easy to reach.

"You could immediately see that it energized the candidates and that they had a 'wow' moment. We're doing this together, and we're now actually creating the design ourselves."
Paul Lips – Project Manager, Municipality of Eindhoven

A cozy home

Another interesting insight concerns the overall atmosphere. Candidates and employees have indicated that the overall atmosphere should radiate a homely feeling. It is important that the spaces are easy to maintain and safe, and that the practical aspects of the building are taken into account. 

"To get a better idea of the mood images, we used mood boards. This allowed respondents to indicate which mood images appealed to them and which did not."
Viviana Linders – Research Expert at Markteffect

Coming together is one of the core concepts of the new location. Not only between candidates and employees, but also among candidates themselves. An important space that was mentioned in the in-depth interviews is the activity room, particularly the art studio. The daytime activities ensure that candidates can expend their energy.

For Springplank and the municipality of Eindhoven, the results provide interesting insights into the wishes and needs regarding the new basic facility and will be taken into account in the further development of the building.

Curious about what Markteffect can do Markteffect you?

Feel free to contact us to discuss the possibilities. We are happy to help you!