Reflections on the Transit Mapping Symposium

Where do I even begin? The Transit Mapping Symposium had some of the most wonderful people I’ve ever met. Regardless of what (or whether) I learned from the conference, I have new icons (no pun intended) to fangirl over.

What ended up being most prominently spotlighted throughout the speeches were universal Wayfinding tenets. Even across different speakers of different backgrounds, topics, areas of expertise, and focuses, the same ideas recurred. I’ve tried to organize and compile these ideas, which I will now take you through, highlighting some of my favorite ideas and insights along the way.

Culture: Local or Universal?

Inevitably, a central theme around maps was the tensions between adhering to what is local versus what is universal. Perhaps my favorite speech that foregrounds the local was Yogesh Dandekar’s. Throughout his speech, he stressed the unique quirks that made India’s population of billions unconventional and, upon first inspection, difficult to design for. Not only are there a lot of people, which has led to complex transportation networks, there exists overwhelming diversity within the country, including 16+ languages and seven or eight official scripts alone! Just a simple sign alone could be made intimidatingly unapproachable with more than five scripts crammed on there. Beyond that, there are cultural and historical influences–apparently, around 79% of the spread of information is person dependent. Locals trusted in word of mouth. Wayfinding solutions in such an environment must take into account such established belief systems, overlay existing transportation systems, and design in concert and tandem with these nuances.

While riding the metro in Dubai, Alima brought up a question to Andrew Mead: How does a designer go about choosing what elements to design from scratch and what to keep as is conventional, if a little boring? His answer was as catchy as it is wise: “Evolution, not revolution.” Mr. Mead explained that designers should move away from the urge and pressure to produce something that will “change the world”. Just as car brands refine their car models without changing their essence, designers should approach design in much the same way, looking to bring something new and fresh while retaining their original object’s charm. That is how Mr. Mead approaches design in wayfinding. This touches on the element of transversality. There already exists a universal language of symbols, colors, and spatial cues that transcend cultural and linguistic barriers that act as a foundational toolkit upon which designers can build, ensuring accessibility and usability for diverse user groups. Within this established framework is the space where wayfinding designers work to improve and enhance the user experience based on different circumstances. 

Ultimately, wayfinding strives for a delicate balance between universal and cultural considerations. I think Yo Kaminagai explains this best: there are certain verified rules that mapmakers must follow. We have become a mobile people, and it is essential that universal codes be legible across borders for accessible navigation. Yet, when designing for each setting, the design should be flavored by local culture. Regions may hold long traditions that are deep rooted and an intrinsic part of the urban fabric and collective mind. Not only would it be ill-advised to ignore it, it’s a valuable mine of gold to exploit. By weaving local culture with universal standards, resulting wayfinding systems would be optimally legible and accessible for all, catering to the diverse needs of individuals while celebrating the unique essence of each locale.

A man who’s familiar with two cultures the way Yo Kaminagai is definitely knows what he’s talking about!

Maps Reflect the World: Or Vice Versa?

It seems pretty straightforward that maps are meant to reflect the world. They are the graphical representation of some setting in the physical sphere. In the symposium, we focused specifically on depicting complex transportation systems. This act brings up two questions: to what degree do designers adhere to real life, and how can the real world reflect the wayfinding systems we create? 

It’s natural for designers to disagree with each other. One point at which we saw tension during the conference was when Professor Goffredo questioned Ilya Birman on his depiction of geography. Birman had chosen to alter the geography of his maps slightly in an effort to make the transit lines more geometric and the map more “pretty”. He claims that despite the distortion, the city is still highly recognizable, even neighborhood to neighborhood. Professor Goffredo, however, points out that there lies an issue if the map is presented as geographically accurate the way it is, as a user who trusts that the map truthfully reflects real world geography would find themselves fooled and confused. This small debate highlights the information flow between designer and user. The graphic language of maps “should be appropriate to the information requirements and the characteristics or geography of the setting depicted” (Gibson 100). As such, the real world accuracy of each map differs according to its purpose, and straying from pure precision is acceptable, and sometimes even necessary. We see this in cases such as the use of pictograms to represent landmarks rather than pictures, or metro lines drawn as a straight line without depicting geography at all. However, the validity of such a choice lies in whether the user can conceive of the change. In most cases it is obvious, but it is with minute modifications that the consequences can be drastic.

Furthermore, the real world can end up reflecting the map. One point that really stood out to me was from Yo Kaminagai’s speech, when he mentioned how the big-name, hot-spot destinations of Japan actually came about in no small part because of the transportation network. They are nodes where masses change from train to train or other modes of transport, becoming lively centers of exchange. In cases like Shinjuki and Shibuya, various companies are forced to come together, in juxtaposition or integration, and have built iconic, prominent hubs of activity that have evolved to become cultural cornerstones. Another way wayfinding leaks into the physical environment is the integration of maps’ graphic language with that of physical wayfinding elements. Yo Kaminagai discusses how the colors blue and white, referring to the directions towards the city and towards transport respectively, have become urban anchorages that permeate daily life.

Japan, the sound design country!

One thing about Japan that blew my mind was the sound design. While living in Japan, I had never noticed that there were different jingles for different stations! It is such a subtle, subconscious wayfinding tactic that it becomes a part of the culture itself. It also adds another dimension to wayfinding that I had not thought to consider before: not just sight, the obvious, or touch, with accessibility, but other senses too. In this way, signage and the city space has become part of the map itself, and vice versa.

Experience in Dubai

Dubai ended up being one of the most enjoyable parts of the whole symposium, not even because of the feeling of going on a field trip, but because we got to approach and interact with so many speakers on a more informal level. We were not only able to experience first-hand a transit system, but hear about it from the man behind its design. Considering their accomplishments, it was an absolute privilege to discuss their life’s work with them on such a personal level. 

I want to first touch on some student tidbits. We were so immersed in the wayfinding mindset that, everywhere we looked, we noticed flaws. At the MENA Transport Congress & Exhibition, we noticed that the navigation systems there were ironically very confusing and unintuitive. Instead of entering the exhibition space through the doorway right by registration, we had to walk to another inconspicuous entrance right by it. As a speaker pointed out jokingly during the panel later on, it was a battle to locate the sectioned-off enclave where the panel took place, especially in such a spacious showcase room. To top it off, as we were leaving Za’abeel Hall, we witnessed an issue with affordance and bad design in the flesh: a poor man, innocently rushing to the bathroom in urgency, pulled in vain at the bathroom handle. 

                       

An exemplary demonstration of what we witnessed.

Turns out, the door swung in. Bearing the handle simply lends itself to being pulled on, which conveys the wrong message to the user, and there is not even a remedial sign emblazoned with “PUSH ME”. Not only did we feel slightly accomplished at noticing such blatant mistakes, I could see the irony of such design flaws at an international conference dedicated to transport. They can not only inconvenience the user, but detract from the overall experience of what should be a prestigious gathering.

To close off this entry, I’d like to show my appreciation for the Dubai Metro. I hadn’t fully known of its existence, and I did not know what to expect until I stepped foot on it myself. Nothing prepared me for the absolute deluge of bodies packing each car to the brim. Where I had always thought of the UAE as a car-centric country, the metro revealed a pent up (and still growing) need for developed, reliable public transportation. As an aspiring civil engineer, it was fascinating to learn of the way the tracks are elevated slightly at stations to aid with acceleration and deceleration. Moreover, I could experience the role of art in wayfinding as Andrew Mead has explained in his speech. He explains that wayfinding isn’t necessarily about the physical map, but about creating a “mental map”, which environmental art installations can do by creating lasting impressions.

These chandeliers were one of the most expensive art installations–and there were four of them!

By theming each station to an element of nature (fire, water, earth, and air), it creates a sense of delight when the user identifies the theme as well as cohesion and intentionality. 

It took a lot of convincing to install these pictures as tinted to match the Earth theme!

Pushing to include historical photographs of the Emirates also tied in cultural pride, extending the essence of the metro beyond its practical function to being an integrated centerpiece of Dubai. I am a big fan and advocate of public transportation, and this only further proved the power and might of an interconnected system. 

Yo Kaminagai is my new role model! This is taken on his very own phone. 🙂

With an abundance of new insights, it’s not hard to be overwhelmed. This conference demonstrated the power of Wayfinding, but also its complexities, intricacies, and the danger and responsibility behind being a designer. I am inspired by the dedication and meticulous care every designer brings to their craft, and the abundance of passion in what is a relatively niche field. It encourages me to take my knowledge in design to whichever discipline I find myself in and strive to deliver the best user experiences possible.