The science of signage - TTU College of Architecture science of signage How empirical research can contribute to user-centered design ... Otl Aicher) \Communication of the uncommon

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The science of signageHow empirical research can contribute to user-centered design

The science of signageHow empirical research can contribute to user-centered design

Simon J. Büchner1, Christoph Hölscher1, Martin Brösamle1

and Tobias Meilinger2

1IIG, Center for Cognitive Science, Uni Freiburg2MPI for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen

EDRA 2006, Atlanta,GA

May 4, 2006 Simon J. Büchner – The science of signage 2

OverviewOverview

Analysis of the settingDevelopment of a signage systemEmpirical evaluationConclusion


Analysis of the settingAnalysis of the setting


Buildings KG I and III (Univ. Freiburg)Buildings KG I and III (Univ. Freiburg)

Uncommon room numbering system:

3120 = 3___ KG III (building)_1__ 1. floor__20 room no.


Old SignageOld Signage


Development of the signage systemDevelopment of the signage system


Design of the signage systemDesign of the signage system

Cooperation with Prof. Ulrich Falk an students from Freiburg Design School (Freie Hochschule für Grafik Design & Bildende Kunst Freiburg e.V.)Design process (Psychologists and Designers)

First contactCognitive aspects in the design of a signange system

On site meetingDesigners participated in a pilot study

Analysis of the current state by the designers and psychologists separatelyJoint development of the requirements for the signage systemIterative design process

Design – Evaluation – Re-Design

Assessment of a prototype on siteInstallation of a paper version of the signange system (full size scale)Experimental evaluation


Requirements of the signsRequirements of the signs

based on Passini, 1992Clearness (color coding)SimplicityLegibility (font size)Conventional (International Pictogram System, Otl Aicher)Communication of the uncommon room numbering systemand the misaligned floor between buildings


New SignageNew Signage


Floor Plans in DetailFloor Plans in Detail


Empirical evaluationEmpirical evaluation


Formative EvaluationFormative Evaluation

Wayfinding tasks (directed search) before and after theinstallation of the new signage systemFirst-time visitors vs regular visitors, with and without a map

New signs are used more frequently than old onesSigns are the main attractors, maps are used rarely and provide no advantage in performance (neither to first-time, nor to regular visitors) (c.f. e.g. Butler et al., 1993)

Stops at maps

0,000,200,400,600,801,001,20

reg. Visitors (old) first-time (new) first-time (old)

Use of signs

0,000,501,001,502,002,503,003,50



Formative EvaluationFormative Evaluation

Directions of arrows were sometimes ambiguous

First-time visitors with the new signs perform almost as well as regular visitors with the old signs

length of detours

0

10

20

30

40

50


m

no. of stops (not at maps/signs)

0

1

2

3

4


n


1021 – 1099

Globality of signsGlobality of signs

People expect to find their target on every sign which points into thecorresponding direction. (Hesitate to follow any sign not explicitlyrefering to their target.)


ConclusionConclusion

Successful collaboration between designers and psychologistsIterative design process turned out to be very fruitfulParticipation of the designers in wayfinding studiesallowed them to take the perspective of a commonvisitorEven well-planned design features turned out to bedifferently interpreted by the visitor than it was intendedSignage system will be permanently installed


Thank you!Thanks to my colleagues

Christoph HölscherTobias MeilingerMartin Brösamle

Prof. FalkCarolin Baranski, Alexander Blattner, Saskia Damerau,

Anja Kienzler, Meike Staatsmann, Stefanie Wolf

Simon J. BüchnerIIG, Center for Cognitive ScienceUniversity of Freiburg, Germany

[email protected]

The science of signage - TTU College of Architecture science of signage How empirical research can contribute to user-centered design ... Otl Aicher) \Communication of the uncommon

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