# City Ditty: An Inmersive Soundscape Sketchpad for Professionals of the Built Environment
## 1 Introduction
This allowed for very realistic soundscapes to be built and modified to immediately hear the changes requested by PBEs. While more effective than its predecessors, it was still operated by researchers, rather than from the ground up by PBEs. Furthermore, as an audio-only simulator, it fails to provide the visual context which is a key consideration for soundscapes [16]. Indeed, a need for multisensory soundscape tools has been identified as one of the top priorities and challenges for soundscape research as a field [17; 18; 19], as the interpretation of sound is inseparable from other environmental factors. As such, these considerations have led us towards a fourth iteration, as described herein. Following previous experiences with PBEs [6], the user-centered design process continues into this next iteration. However, this time we approach it through the lens of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) [20; 21]. This approach observes the ways that people interact with computers and helps identify and implement novel technologies in a manner that is amenable to their wants and needs. Such an approach is crucial, as this issue requires not only the integration of cross-disciplinary contexts (i.e., social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and technology, and public health), but also requires interaction with those from the public and private sector, requiring a transdisciplinary approach [22]. HCI and user-centered design provides a framework for this integration process. We place emphasis on PBEs and designing to _their_ needs, to introduce and facilitate soundscape planning in our own work. Following the HCI approach, the form of a new tool should be dictatedby its required functionalities. As such, we take a ground-up exploratory approach to discovering these, based on the following research questions (RQs):  
**RQ1:** What are the user requirements and functionalities of a tool for PBEs which would facilitate a soundscape approach to sound planning? **RQ2:** Do the identified functionalities facilitate sound planning by PBEs? Current HCI research on soundscapes does not address these needs. A recent review of 235 HCI soundscape articles had a gap in how PBEs need to engage with soundscape design in a manner that helps them adequately address the auditory experience [23]. Given that most PBEs do not currently engage in soundscape work, one cannot simply ask them what they need, as is a central tenet of user-centered design. Rather, we must lead the discussion and interact with PBEs at different intervals to present ideas and gather further feedback. Through this iterative approach, we aim to gather a better understanding of how PBEs would like to use a new sound-planning tool (RQ1) and have them evaluate such a tool and its functionalities (RQ2), rather than the soundscape designs themselves. The proposed tool focuses on (1) raising soundscape awareness, and (2) rapid design and manipulation, rather than soundscape evaluations, which remains beyond the scope of this study. We address these research questions in several phases. First, we discuss the requirements gathering for City Ditty which includes (1) a literature review, (2) the identification of relevant conceptual frameworks to help guide user adoption and aid the evaluation of City Ditty, and (3) a user needs assessment with PBEs. Second, functionalities are identified from the collected data and are implemented into the first version of a new immersive soundscape sketchpad. This is accompanied by the creation of a sound awareness session, which guides the users through the software. Third, a usability study is conducted to gather feedback on City Ditty and its functionalities. Finally, this early feedback is used to discuss and direct both theoretical and practical implications regarding how new tools can help design soundscapes to enhance human experience, the form they could take, and how to facilitate future adoption and help support a new generation of both soundscape-savvy PBEs and tools.