Public graphies

The symposium 'Public graphics: visual information for everyday use' (at Lunteren, The Netherlands, 26-30 September 1994 ) was organized by Harm Zwaga and Henriëtte . Hoonhout of Utrecht University's Department of Psychonomics, and Theo Boersema and Wim Nijhuis of the Delft University of Technology's Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering. Talks were in seven sessions: User instructions, Warnings; Forms; Practical and theoretical approaches to information presentation; Maps and plans; Wayfinding, signs, and sign systems; and Graphic symbols. The symposium's Proceedings are now out of print, but the editors plan a book, and abstracts of the 26 talks appear on pages 72-82. So these notes arise mainly from the discussions which weaved between the speakers' talks. Some participants later sent me their informal reflections and answered questions; for letting me quote from these, my thanks to Austin Adams, Theo Boersema, Fred Brigham, Bob Dewar, Janice Leong, Romedi Passini, Peter Simlinger, and Pat Wright (whose observations appear separately on page 82).