Reading Week 2 (Current research overview)

I have been looking at a broad range of research over this semester, which has been both interesting and insightful. I have further explored information design, focusing specifically on wayfinding. I have looked at wayfinding found in different types of buildings, such as hospitals, zoos, museums and even car parks. I have reflected on what makes a wayfinding system legible and how they work successfully to explain how you can get from one destination to a other.

I have also looked at wayfinding that is used outside, such as on trails (for bikers, hikers and children) and various outdoor information boards. I plan to focus my project around wayfinding for an outdoor trail, so found this very insightful. Typical trail markers tend to be wooden poles, marked with tips of bright colours, and information boards displaying easy-to-read maps.

As well as adult wayfinding, I have also looked at children's wayfinding and have discovered that children need something that holds their attention. Bright colour and characters are a common method used, I have noticed, as well as introducing interactive elements, such as the stamp machine that is present in the London Transport museum.

I think I will now focus my research down to discover more about children's wayfinding systems and what needs to be done to make them successful.