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Discords in signposting, article
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Leonard Verhoef
European Sign Magazine, no 5, 1988, pag. 24-38
Last editorial changes: December 2009
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| Abstract |
Signposts must have a smoothing effect. What exactly makes navigation restless?
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1. Technology |
Taking into account the requirements of the user more in archtectorial planning, reduces restlessness of navigation and the need for signposting proportional. Some ergonomics engineers have the opinion that signposting represents a failure of architecture (Canter, 1984).
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It is quite obvious, that architecture may well have either a positive or a negative effect on signposting. Important architectural requirements for signposting are visibility of the structure and the availability of orientation points.
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1.1 Presentation of technical structures
A discrepancy between the structure of the architecture and that of the user can cause restlessness. |
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Mirror walls are, in effect, the ultimate in restlessness, showing what really is not there at all. See figure 1 and 2.
Restlessness can be caused by having all parts o fa building complex look identical. The user no longer is able to notice differences and he can not tell whether he has been at a point before. See figure 3.
Failing to show what the purpose of a given architectural feature is another option. See Figure 4.
One can emphasize in the signposting features that are relevant for technicians only. See, for example figure 5 - 7.
Nevertheless, not only technicians involved in buildings who force their mental model onto the users.
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1.2 Providing points of orientation
Orientation points should be visible from as many positions within the system as possible. See Figure 6. Mentally good orientation points are those that obviously are quite different from others and eyecatching as well. For example, a square and a hall are very different from a street and a passage. Works of art also can be eye-catching, recognizable and memorable orientation points. See figure 3.
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2. Marketing
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The influence of advertising on the effectiveness of signposting information was studied by Boersema and Zwaga (1985). From this survey it appeared that the conspicuousness of signposting can be reduced by advertising by a large amount. In the old days and even more today, presenting the marketing name of the travel product is more important than presenting relevant travel information such as: delays, other destinations and differences between destinations of front an rear of the train. See figure 7.
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Marketers and signposters both try to attract the visual attention of the user. Generally speaking the marketer has the advantage, as he has more budget available for this purpose. Figures 7 and 8 show examples of conflicting marketing and passenger interests.
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3 Inconsistency |
The signposting trade is a difficult one. Particularly in the case of large and complex buildings such as shopping centres and hospitals. In the foregoing some examples of good signposting were given. However, there are some mistakes as well. Frequently occurring mistakes are:
- incorrect use of an information display
- inconsistency
- in correct use of colour
- excessive realism.
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Consistency
repetition is more restful than change; less has to be recalled. When the user knows that the signposting is blue, he can find signposts easier than when he does not know what colour to look for. Inconsistency can occur when several systems are integrated. Bus, underground, train stations, airport terminals and shopping centres are integrated more and more.
In the Netherlands public transport was well on the way in consistency. All road information for motorists and travel information for train travelers was presented in white characters on a dark blue background. Almost all busses were painted in "public transport yellow". Unfortunately, after privatisation public transport colours depend on the house style of that moment the commercial company that is running the service at that moment. The way public transport information is presented depends on commercial aims more than on passenger efficiency aims.
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4 Use of colour
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It does happen that a designer selects a colour scheme in such a way, that light symbols appear on a light background. This proved insufficient contrast, making the text illegible. Of course, when red and green are used they should not have the same luminance. In that case red-green colour blinds can see the difference.
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In addition to physiological requirements there are psychological requirements. Colours do not have an ordinal structure. Seeing a blue room gives no indication of where the green room is. Knowing one is in the north wing of a building many users know where to find the south wing. When you know you are on floor five, you are also aware of the position of floor 6. It is common practice of designers to allocate specific meanings to colours. Users might not be aware of this specific interpretation. See figure 9.
Unless we are prepared to personally tell each passenger at the entrance to the building that colour is being used and what the meaning of the colours is. For example, Wright (1988) has studied what the effect is of the difference between the background colour on a board which gives information per floor. The floor at which the users happened to be at the time, had a different colour. After having used the boards several times, when asked, did not notice the use of colour nor were they able to explain the meaning of the colour.
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5 Double functions
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Creativity and artistic considerations might suggest form for signs having more functions. Functional fixedness is a cognitive bias that limits the user to interpret a sign only one way. In most cases that is the is traditional meaning.
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The figures 8 - 10 present some of these riddles.
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5 Realism |
Realists are information designers who picture a given situation as it is. Examples are:
- floor plans
- arranging products sold per floor
- arranging targets per direction.
A realistic presentation of information is an odd way to present information as one helps an user who cannot find his way in the real situation. Arranging products per floor he has no option but to start at the top of the directory, hoping that the product is sold in the attic and not in the basement. Hence, Wright (1988) claims, correctly, that signposting at elevators must not be graded by floor, but by the target of the user. This can be an alphabetic arrangement, by type of facility (shops, offices, clothing, retailers, groceries), enables the user to skip many targets. Realism not only can lead to longer search time but also to more serious problems (see figure 11).
A presentation based on reality appears to be very attractive. Its design does not take much time and, in the case of criticism being offered, the reply is simple. "But that is how it is!".
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6 Discords in design
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This psychological evaluation of common design practice might confuse designers.
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If so, that their problem. There is no need at all for users getting lost in complex systems.
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Figure 1. The effect of a mirror
The mirror has no effect yet.
See figure 2.
Source: New York, approx. 1995.
Figure 2. The effect of mirros
The mirror has a drammatic effect.
The mirror shows at the left of the pedestrian an empty street.
The pedestrian might conclude that he can cross savely.
However he is looking at a mirror showing the street at the right.
Behind the mirror there might be traffic on the street het is going to cross.
Source: New York, approx. 1995.
Figure 3.
The artistic design of this underground station reduces the number of passengers confusing similar designed underground stations.
Source: Underground station Stockholm 1985.
Figure 4. Architecture does not show function
This looks like a shopping mall. It is a station. To increase awareness of entering a station the tiles on the floor form patterns of rails and sleepers.
Source: Utrecht Central station, approx. 1995.
Figure 5. Technology versus user's target for signposting
The pictogram shows transport technologies (bus, rail, underground, water).
The pictograms do not show targets (e.g. city centre, suburbs, international, intercontinental). It is not clear whether the boat sign refers to boats heading for America or for the other side of the lake at that side of the station. In that station there are passengers for both targets.
Source: Amsterdam central station 2008.
Figure 6. Architects’s vision is central in signposting
For architects expressions such as exit and side are very important e.g. “This sign should be mounted in the hall at the exit centrum side (Dutch: ”Uitgang Centrumzijde”). For the user only the objective is of importance: “Centre”. That is 66% less text.
Figure 7. User’s vision is central in signposting
“Centrum” is all the user need. All users expect that there is a side and an exit at the direction indicated.
Source: Cologne Central Station, approx. 1985.
Figure 8. Arrows having two functions, one function might be missed.
In this Pinokio amusement park Pinokio’s nose is used as arrow. Because the esthetic function the direction indicating function of the nose might be missed.
Figure 9. Characters having two functions, one function might be missed.
The name of the restaurant is “tijd” (Dutch for time). The characters “i” and “j̶ form the hands of a clock. A creative design. Users might not notice the clock, nor the name of the restaurant.
Figure 10. What is this?
This is art. Under the umbrellas and on the chair bus passengers can wait for their bus. The busstop sign is at the left.
Source: Den Bosch, the Netherlands, approx. 1985
Figure 11. Realisme in icons causing serious problems
Elevator entrance at the top floor. The elevator only goes down, so only the down arrow is shown. This might cause serious problems for passengers urgently searching a toilet but finding themselves in an elevator. These problems can be prevented by adding an up arrow.
Figure 12.
Horse shoe shaped shopping mall Jalan Putra in Kuala Lumpur.
From every corner the centre is visible. From every position the orientation is clear.
Figure 13. International train name
The name of the international train on this information board is more important than the destination of the passenger. It has more visual power:
- the information is presented at the start of the reading route,
- the text is in large characters,
- the colour is different: red.
Source: Netherlands Railways, approx. 1995.
Figure 14. International train destination
The name of the train is the destination of the passenger.
Source: Netherlands Railways, approx. 1985.
Figure 15. International trains
The name of the international train on this information board also consumes much visual power:
It has a white background and this, even on this low resolution picture is visible.
Source: Netherlands Railways, Amsterdam Central station, approx. 2005
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