Beta Testing
Before I started spelling neighborhood names, I SpellWalked a couple routes as proofs of concept. Specifically, I sought to test the following:
- Could easily identifiable letters be spelled given the variability in the Apple Watch’s recorded GPS location?
- Would a casual observer who doesn’t know what the route is supposed to say be able to read it?
- Would the path connecting the letters distract too much from the letters themselves?
I chose the Richmond District of San Francisco as my canvas for these routes because of its large, relentless rectilinear grid spanning approximately three miles west-to-east. The Richmond’s grid also does not traverse a multitude of hills, in contrast to the gridded neighborhoods north of Market Street.
Truth be told, the SF neighborhood SpellWalking project only came about because I was trying to decide what to spell after these first two SpellWalks, and the only thing I could think of was “Nob Hill”.
I think these turned out alright. What do you think?
