This note is the target audience design part of the Quiet City Project. For the Logic Model, see Theory of Change, and for organizational design, see Separation of Public and Private Benefits (in preparation).
Why Target Audience Design is Necessary
Projects that leave "who it's for" ambiguous change nothing. When you try to do it for everyone, you end up reaching no one.
The Quiet City Project is not a project to "make cities quiet." It's a project to enable people with sensory sensitivities to live normally in cities. By clarifying this starting point, all activities, outputs, and policy recommendations gain consistency.
Three-Layer Target Audience Design
Who is it for, and what will we change? We clearly define target audiences in three layers.
| Layer | Target | Population Size (Estimate) | Relationship to Project |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Core] | Individuals with ASD, developmental disabilities, sensory sensitivities | Several % of Japanese population | Primary beneficiaries. Also data providers |
| [Broad] | General citizens with misophonia tendencies | 12-20% of general population (Jager et al., 2020; Naylor et al., 2021) | Main layer for empathy, participation, and app usage |
| [Potential Support] | Everyone who "somehow dislikes noise" | Majority of urban residents | Foundation for public opinion formation and policy support |
Ripple Design from the Core Layer
People with sensory sensitivities are the most sensitive to urban sound environment issues. Just as accessible building design began for wheelchair users and ultimately benefited stroller users and elderly people, sound environment improvements starting from sensory-sensitive individuals will enhance the quality of life for the entire city.
This "curb-cut effect" is the core of the project's ripple strategy.
Core → Broad Ripple Effect
Data and experiences from the core layer awaken the recognition among the broad layer (15-20% of general citizens with misophonia tendencies) that "I was actually feeling stress too." This layer becomes app users, data providers, and social media amplifiers.
Broad → Potential Support Ripple Effect
Participation from the broad layer brings data scale to a level sufficient for policy discussion. The data provides language to the feeling of "noise is annoying" that the "majority of urban residents" potentially hold. This becomes the foundation for public opinion formation and policy support.
Design Decision Criteria
We reference this three-layer design for all project decision-making.
- Priority: Core layer interests come first. Don't sacrifice the core layer to appeal to the broad layer
- Communication: To core layer: "This project is for you," to broad layer: "You might also be affected"
- Product Design: First build features (like quiet route suggestions) that the core layer can use daily, then add features for the broad layer on top
Project Stakeholder Map
Target audiences (beneficiaries) alone are insufficient. To deliver project outcomes to society, we need to understand all involved stakeholders and design relationships with each.
| Stakeholder | Role | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| Individuals with sensory sensitivity/misophonia | Data providers, primary beneficiaries | Core target audience. Starting point of research |
| Bunkyo Ward (Environmental Policy, Welfare Depts.) | Noise complaint window, policy implementers | Primary destination for policy recommendations |
| Ministry of the Environment (Atmospheric and Living Environment Office) | Noise regulation standard setters | Recipient of structural analysis |
| National Police Agency/Prefectural Police | Traffic noise enforcement | Part of regulatory structure |
| Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (Regional Transport Bureaus) | Vehicle standards, maintenance orders | Involved in fragmented regulatory structure |
| University researchers (auditory science, urban engineering) | Academic collaboration, joint research, peer review | Ensuring data reliability |
| Disability support organizations/NPOs | Networks for affected individuals, policy advocacy partners | Reach to core layer |
| Media (news, social media) | Social communication, public opinion formation | Core layer → broad layer → potential support amplification |
| Real estate/urban development businesses | Economic valuation of "quietness" | Long-term incentive design |
Connecting Three-Layer Design and Stakeholder Map
The three-layer target audience design defines "who it's for." The stakeholder map defines "who to work with."
- Core layer reach requires collaboration with disability support organizations and NPOs
- Broad layer amplification relies on media and social media as primary channels
- Policy change requires direct data provision and recommendations to government (Bunkyo Ward, Ministry of the Environment)
- Sustainability depends on connecting with economic incentives in the real estate industry
This stakeholder map will be updated as research phases progress. In Phase 0 (fieldwork preparation), building relationships with government and advocacy organizations is the top priority.
References
Prevalence and Profile of Misophonia: A Large-Scale Population Study
Jager, I. et al.. PLOS ONE, 15(2), e0227118
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The Prevalence and Severity of Misophonia in a UK Student Population
Naylor, J. et al.. Psychiatric Quarterly, 92, 495-507
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The Curb-Cut Effect
Blackwell, A. G.. Stanford Social Innovation Review
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Architecture for Autism: Concepts and Built Environment
Mostafa, M.. Archnet-IJAR, 8(1), 143-158
Read source