Project: Final Project: Intervention Field Study
Class: IST 600 Information Design - iSchool, Syracuse University
This project was done in conjunction with research for a graduate class at the School of Information Studies (iSchool), Syracuse University. The class focused on information in systems and how human users interact with both the physical and digital facets. This project was to identify, document and intervene in an existing system. I created a new static wayfinding sign system for the iSchool's building. The project was very successful and the iSchool has made it permanent addition to the building.
The static wayfinding sign system in Hinds Hall meets all the criteria of a system, as described by Meadows. The elements are interconnected and serve a purpose. Humans use the signs to find their way around the building; the signs' messages and appearance are dictated by the architecture and interior design.
More than an information system, this sign system can further be described as a “Wayfinding” system. Passini (2000) describes wayfinding as people’s ability to absorb, digest, understand and use information to find a specific place. Sless (1994) further classifies wayfinding as a specific practice of Information Design that focuses not so much on form but the content of the message maximizing the user’s ability to proficiently find the desired location.
The response to the intervention was instantaneous and tremendous. I was getting encouraging feedback from people before I could completely install all the signs. An experiment was performed involving human users to determine the complete response and to thoroughly evaluate the intervention.
Overall, the results were positive. Out of the survey group, only two had trouble clearly understanding the graphics and symbols used to direct them to their desired destination. The rest had no problems quickly determining where they were on the plan, creating a plan to find their distention and implementing it.
PROJECT REFERENCES
Meadows, D. 2008. Thinking in Systems: A Primer, pp. 11-25. Chelsea Green Publishing.
Passini, R. 2000. Information Design Sign Posting Information Design, pp. 88-89. First MIT Press paperback edition.
Sless, D. 1994. What is information design? In Designing Information for People, pp. 1-16. Canberra: Communication Research Press.
Visocky O’Grady, J. & Visocky O’Grady, K. 2008. The Information Design Handbook, pp. 64-65, 72-73, 97-125. HOW Books, an impriont of F+W Media, Inc.
Ware, C. 2008. Visual Thinking for Design What Can We Easily See, pp. 23-33. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers
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Feel free to contact me to see the entire project deck