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This article introduces the “YouWalk-YouReclaim” mobile application as a transformative tool aimed at co-assessing and enhancing campus environments in a post-pandemic context. It seeks to address the need for inclusive, dynamic and technology-driven spaces within university settings.

The study employs a comprehensive assessment framework through a case study at Northumbria University, Newcastle. It involves over 100 students from diverse fields who utilised the application to evaluate significant areas on campus, such as Student Central, Northumberland Road and the Northumbria Library. The methodology places emphasis on direct user engagement and the use of the application’s inbuilt-image library and visual documentation features.

The application effectively evaluated the functionality, spatial dynamics and user experiences across various campus spaces. Key findings include the importance of adaptability, personalised spaces and enhanced wayfinding to meet the evolving needs of the university community. The study also noted the potential of the app to facilitate multidimensional assessments and support user-centric improvements.

The findings suggest that institutions can leverage technology like the “YouWalk-YouReclaim” app to better understand and optimise their campus spaces, fostering more responsive, user-focused and sustainable environments. The study advocates continuous technological enhancements and user-centred assessments to cultivate efficient and enriching campus experiences.

This study is novel in its integration of digital technology with user-centred approaches to assess and enhance campus environments. By enabling real-time feedback and inclusive participation, “YouWalk-YouReclaim” exemplifies an innovative approach to campus space management.

This paper aims to extend the literature on social proof by looking at the effectiveness of social proof on behaviour change for environmental benefit.

The research is based on real case studies currently intended to encourage behaviour change among residents of a large UK city. An initial study assesses the motivation displayed within each case study. A second study then examines whether recipients recognise their own motivation in each case study.

Results indicate that participants did not recognise their own motivation in the case studies that were expected to be most similar to them, suggesting that recipients do not recognise “social proof” according to motivation. However, a relationship is observed between recipients’ gender and the gender of the case studies.

Demographics appear to be a better basis for social proof than motivation. This paper recommends several future avenues for further exploration, including using case studies that represent a wider range of characteristics (such as demographics). The current range of stimulus materials is limited, as these are real materials currently being used in a large UK city.

The results indicate that portraying motivation is not a good basis for using the social proof principle. Instead, social marketers ought to focus on representing similarity to the intended audience based on other characteristics such as gender.

The research contributes a new direction in this field, using Self-determination Theory to match social proof examples to recipients.