What is the Wayfinding theory of Information Design?
Everyday people travel from one point to another. This travelling can be as simple as getting from bed to the bathroom or as complex as navigating a vehicle thousands of miles from home to a vacation spot. So how do people get to their destinations without getting lost? They use Wayfinding to assist them on their travels. Wayfinding is the cognitive and behavioral skills related to purposely reaching a physical destination. It includes three major processes, the decision making, the decision execution, and the information processing required to make and execute the decisions. (Jacobsen, 88) Like all theories there are pros and cons.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Provides direction in a chaotic world of cities, spaces, complexes and buildings. (Gibson, 13)
- Uses simple logic (if here go there, turn right here).
- Wayfinding does not have to be just signs, can also be architectural and spacial features that guide users. (Jacobson, 90)
- Some people prefer linear/sequential order(Listed Directions) versus a spatial nature(overall picture of the setting) (Jacobson, 89)
- Not everyone needs the same amount of information thus challenging the designer to have just the right amount to satisfy the majority. (Jacobson, 91)
- It is often hard to get the graphic designer and architectural planner to work together. This can create flaws in the design. (Jacobson, 95)
This way for more
How Wayfinding can be used in the blog environment?
I believe wayfinding can be affective in the blog environment. The use of properly designed menus and hyperlinks that provide readers with decision points. These menus will easily direct the users to the information that they desire. Although it is not a physical destination as defined by traditional wayfinding, it is an web or digital destination.
References:
Jacobson, Robert. Information Design. Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 2000. Print.
Gibson, David. Wayfinding Handbook: Information Design for Public Places. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2009. Print
You have effectively communicated what the wayfinding theory is about and used travel as a great example. I agree with your example of properly designed menus and hyperlinks in the blog environment or any web experience - its frustrating when the links or menus do not bring you to the destination as indicated.
ReplyDeleteTim Van Camp
ReplyDeleteI like your thought process on Way-Finding. The signs were a nice touch it can be amazing how such a simple gesture can make all the difference. For my blog on way-finding I used the example of my website, and now I am thinking as an added perk I should have added my web link anyway the example was how simple things like an arrow can be so helpful yet most designers over look the simple stuff.
I think it falls back on the new generation coming up in this world everyone is so used to computers that we kind of like roaming around a site seeing what it has to offer. I think we tend to over look people who do not have a computer or want nothing to do with them at some point when they are staring at the screen if step by step direction is not laid out in front of them they are lost and overwhelmed.
For you blog entry to scroll down is something we all take for granted but for those of us who are not computer mided with the scrolling process the simple arrow pointing down provides a service many others including myself will often over look.