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User-centred Information Design for the Traveller

Uniquely this chapter provides an overview of information design across variety of media forms, but within a specific domain of use, that is, aids for the traveller. It proposes three broad categories: printed routing aids, fixed location signs and on-board or hand-held displays (showing moving maps with pointers; sound-augmented digital combinations of the first two categories).

In dealing with printed forms it starts with notable historic examples, including the Beck diagram of lines, but also covers more recent work such as Anderson’s well-regarded pictorial 'axonometric' poster map of New York and InsideOut city guides. With its user-centred focus this chapter draws attention to the importance of considering the contexts of use. It identifies some key innovations deployed by designers to afford visual access to extended real estate within compact and easily pocketable forms, including what the author refers to as ‘origami’, or clever folding schemes (e.g.,Falkplans) not normally addressed in map design texts.

The section on fixed location road signs not only presents the British motorway typeface ‘Transport’, but also the newer ‘Tern’ (Trans-European Road Network) LED pixel compatible typeface, introduced here for the first time in any design survey textbook. Pedestrian signs, designed by Mijksrnaar, for Schiphol airport and the Legible London sign system of the Applied Information Group are also covered.

The chapter finishes with on-board and hand-held digital displays, such as the ‘smartphone’. Here Richards posses the key question about the potential ubiquitousness of personal digital devices and how this will affect the design of guidebooks and physical way finding signs in the future. He concludes by asserting that whatever further technological developments there may be for guiding one’s journey all will certainly require the attentions of information designers for them to be really useful for the traveller.