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Wayfinding

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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.


User’s vision central in signposting
“Centrum” is all users need.
All users expect that there is a side and
an exit at the direction indicated.

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Rules for naming:
• public transport lines
• public transport companies
• exits


Again: what rules for naming?


Again: what rules for naming?

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Ticket vending machines→

What is the mental model
of this sign designer?


What is the mental model
of this sign designer?




What is the mental model
of this sign designer?

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How to structure targets
on a signpost.
• This way?




• Or this way?>

To top of this list pictures.

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Naming targets

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How to name a station?
• The Hague Central or ...?


• Main Station
(German: Hauptbahnhof)?

To top of this list pictures.

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Using arrows

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In how many ways can
these arrows
be interpreted?







To top of this list pictures.

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Ticket vending machines

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Public transport ticket vending
machine German DIN


Public transport ticket
vending machine German DIN




Public transport ticket
vending machine German DIN

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Pre-world war II mechanical
train ticket vending machine, UK.

To top of this list pictures.

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Dynamic indicators

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What is best:

- time of departure


- time to departure


One indicator,
both solutions applied.

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International train name
The name of the international train
on this information board is more important
than the destination of the passenger.
It has morevisual 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.




International train destination
The name of the train is
the destination of the passenger.
Source: Netherlands Railways,
approx. 1985.




To top of this list pictures.

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Double functions

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Elements 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.



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.



What is this?
This is art. Under the umbrellas
and on the chair bus passengers
can wait for their bus. The busstop
pole is at the left. Source: Den Bosch,
the Netherlands, approx. 1985

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What is the difference between:
• a calendar on paper
• and a calendar on screen?

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What is the difference between:
• This map (of the world).


• And this map of the world?
(Source: Piet Grijs)

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Why are most travel planners,
no planners at all?

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Muster station for emergency.
This way?


Or this way?


Or this way?

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How to make this sign
• ten times more effective?
• ten times cheaper?


To top of this list pictures.

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Other designs

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Company logo or piece of art?

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Yachtsman with life vest.


How many different ways
can this life vest logo
be understood?
We found more than ten."

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The artistic design
of this underground station
reduces the number
of passengers confusing stations.
Source: Underground station
Stockholm 1985.

To top of this list pictures.

Walking along an Amsterdam canal
you see a straight canal.
However, the Amsterdam
canals form concentric rings.
If you don’t notice
concentricity you will get lost.




Smart design:
Making the non-circular
physical structure
of a furniture shop
comprehensible by
presenting the chaos as a ring.
(Source: Ikea)




Ringness, not indicated,
either in words or graphically




The ring road entrance icon,
anti clockwise from the
Holslag Verhoef ring road
navigation
icons set ©.




The old situation: confusing


A new situation:
less confusion, it is clear:
- you are approaching
  the entrance of a ring road
- keep left for anti clockwise
- keep right for clockwise

Source: the ring road entrance icons
are from the Holslag Verhoef
ring road navigation icons set ©.




This might be understood
as: To the periphery
It means:
This is the periphery




Donut for decoration?
Donut to indicate ring?




Downtown Circulator
in Pawtucket, best term selected.