Applegate Communications "You Are Here" Maps: Shopping Center Example

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"You Are Here" Maps: Shopping Center Example

Edward Tufte wrote that “standards of excellence for information design are set by high quality maps." Unfortunately, most "You Are Here" maps do a rather poor job of helping people find their way around. The old map for Carlmont Shopping Center in Belmont, CA, is archetypal, because it violates just about every principle of effective map design.

John Boykin, Creative Director
650-802-9998; info@wayfind.com

ORIGINAL

REDESIGNED

Portion of OLD map portion of NEW map

Above is a portion of the OLD map. Among its problems:

Orientation: It is upside-down in relation to the environment, so as you stand looking at it, things that it shows as being to your left are actually to your right. Unless you realize that and mentally rotate the map, it sends you in the wrong direction--doing more harm than good.

Detail: Detail can be a good thing as long as it helps people relate a map to the environment. But the only kind of detail this map offers--architectural details of building perimeters--is of little value for that. The result is a confusing collection of odd-shaped islands floating in a trackless sea.

Confusion: The three shapes in the lower right here seem to be three separate buildings, even though shoppers actually experience them as one single building with walkways.

Directory: Like most shopping center maps, this forces shoppers to look back and forth between the map and a directory in order to identify a store. Note how the numbering jumps around.

Suitability: Flat geometric shapes poorly represent Carlmont's character as a quaint neighborhood shopping center.

Above is the corresponding portion of my redesign of the map.

Suitability: Though a perspective drawing is not appropriate or possible for all shopping centers, it is the most appropriate way to represent the charm of Carlmont.

Directory and categories: With store names at store locations, there is no need for a separate directory. This is a small shopping center, and the only meaningful category was food, so a simple icon helps shoppers quickly find all food outlets.

Updates: As shops come and go, updates are quick, easy, and inexpensive, because type is on a separate layer from the base art. The manager wanted to highlight new shops for their first six months.

Streamlining: Shapes are streamlined and simplified to give only as much architectural detail as you need to relate the map to the actual environment.

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Applegate Communications, 650-802-9998, info@wayfind.com

"You Are Here" Maps: Shopping Center Example
Edward Tufte wrote that “standards of excellence for information design are set by high quality maps." Unfortunately, most "You Are Here" maps do a rather poor job of helping people find their way around. The old map for Carlmont Shopping Center in Belmont, CA, is archetypal, because it violates just about every principle of effective map design. John Boykin, Creative Director 650-802-9998; info@wayfind.com
ORIGINAL			REDESIGNED

Above is a portion of the OLD map. Among its problems: Orientation: It is upside-down in relation to the environment, so as you stand looking at it, things that it shows as being to your left are actually to your right. Unless you realize that and mentally rotate the map, it sends you in the wrong direction--doing more harm than good. Detail: Detail can be a good thing as long as it helps people relate a map to the environment. But the only kind of detail this map offers--architectural details of building perimeters--is of little value for that. The result is a confusing collection of odd-shaped islands floating in a trackless sea. Confusion: The three shapes in the lower right here seem to be three separate buildings, even though shoppers actually experience them as one single building with walkways. Directory: Like most shopping center maps, this forces shoppers to look back and forth between the map and a directory in order to identify a store. Note how the numbering jumps around. Suitability: Flat geometric shapes poorly represent Carlmont's character as a quaint neighborhood shopping center.
			Above is the corresponding portion of my redesign of the map. Suitability: Though a perspective drawing is not appropriate or possible for all shopping centers, it is the most appropriate way to represent the charm of Carlmont. Directory and categories: With store names at store locations, there is no need for a separate directory. This is a small shopping center, and the only meaningful category was food, so a simple icon helps shoppers quickly find all food outlets. Updates: As shops come and go, updates are quick, easy, and inexpensive, because type is on a separate layer from the base art. The manager wanted to highlight new shops for their first six months. Streamlining: Shapes are streamlined and simplified to give only as much architectural detail as you need to relate the map to the actual environment.
Home \| Wayfinding \| Courtroom Graphics \| Interaction Design \| Visuals \| Words Applegate Communications, 650-802-9998, info@wayfind.com