Article published In: Information Design Journal
Vol. 29:2 (2024) ► pp.108–165
When multiple route map designs are used by the same bus company
Cause, usability testing, and implications
Published online: 12 November 2024
https://doi.org/10.1075/idj.24010.yus
https://doi.org/10.1075/idj.24010.yus
Abstract
This paper reports three separate studies. Study 1 consisted of route map observations; study 2 looked at map
creator’s perspective, and study 3 considered user research and route map usage. It was observed that the route maps issued by one
bus service provider in Fukuoka, Japan, have as many as 24 types of design variations. According to the route map creators,
limited resources was the main reason for this practice. Route map usability testing, keyword sorting and interviews were
conducted as part of a user-focused research. Map-reading tests revealed several practices that have a negative impact on user’s
ability to read route maps, and the user research revealed that users prefer a unified design.
Article outline
- Research overview
- Study 1: Route map observations
- Method
- Results and analysis
- 1.Text versus diagram dimension
- 2.Matrix versus freeform dimension
- Study 2: Creator’s perspective
- Method
- Results
- Study 3: User research and route map usage test
- Method
- 1.Participants
- 2.Procedure
- 4.1.2.1Map reading experiment
- 4.1.2.2Keyword sorting experiment
- 4.1.2.3Interviews
- 4.1.3Materials
- 4.2Results and analysis
- 4.2.1Experiment on route map usage
- 4.2.1.1Learning confidence and time
- 4.2.1.2Map reading task 1: Identification of the current stop
- 4.2.1.3Map reading Task 2: Bus number to a particular destination
- 4.2.1.4Map reading task 3: Identifying the final stop for a particular bus number
- 4.2.1.5Summary
- 4.2.1.5.1Bus numbering and bus stop naming
- 4.2.1.5.2Differential graphical treatment
- 4.2.1.5.3Grouping/structure
- 4.2.1.5.4Language barrier
- 4.2.1.5.5Informational load and font size
- 4.2.2Route map PSSUQ score and perceived difficulty
- 4.2.3Keyword sorting
- 4.2.4Interviews
- 4.2.4.1Map-type superiority
- 4.2.4.2Types of users based on their bus usage patterns
- 4.2.4.3Printed versus Internet-based information
- 4.2.4.4Effect of practice
- 4.2.1Experiment on route map usage
- Method
- 5.General discussion
- 6.Conclusion
- Acknowledgement
References
References (9)
Roberts, M. J. (2012). Underground
Maps Unraveled. Exploration in Information
Design. (p. 9). CKN Print Ltd.
van den Bosch, A. L. M., de Jong, M. D. T., & Elving, W. J. L. (2005). How
corporate visual identity supports reputation. Corporate Communications: An International
Journal, 10(2), 108–116.
Bast, H., Brosi, P., & Storandt, S. (2020). Metro
Maps on Octilinear Grid Graphs. Computer Graphics
Forum, 39(3), 357–367.
Wagner, F., Wolff, A., Kapoor, V., & Strijk, T. (2001). Three
Rules Suffice for Good Label
Placement. Algorithmica, 30(2), 334–349.
Wu, H., Niedermann, B., Takahashi, S., Roberts, M. J., & Nöllenburg, M. (2020). A
Survey on Transit Map Layout — from Design, Machine, and Human Perspectives. Computer Graphics
Forum, 39(3), 619–646.
Lloyd, P. B., Rodgers, P., & Roberts, M. J. (2018). Metro
Map Colour-Coding: Effect on Usability in Route Tracing. Diagrammatic Representation and
Inference, 108711, 411–428.
Burch, M. (2017). Which
Symbols, Features, and Regions Are Visually Attended in Metro Maps? Intelligent Decision
Technologies 2017, 237–246.