Standardization of the Information Design in Public Transportation Facilities

Ryozo TAKEYAMA*
*Takaoka National College / Dept. of Industrial Design 180 Futagamimachi Takaokao-shi Toyama 933-8588 JAPAN, takeyama@takaoka-nc.ac.jp
Abstract: In order to protect the environment, there has been an increasing demand to organize public transportation

systems and reduce the use of private vehicles. Public transportation includes buses and streetcars in the cities, and high-speed railways connecting cities, as well as international air routes. Although the number of passengers and traveling speed greatly differ depending on the type of transport, trunk lines and local lines must be coordinated to transport people to their desired destinations. To facilitate smooth travel by bus and train or plane, comprehensive route information must be shown. There are four obstacles that hinder the emergence of the desired level of seamless integration: (1) The divers means of transportation employed; (2) The fact that numerous companies are used; (3) The existence of different media; (4) The difference in various region. For this reason, it can be said that people have placed too much emphasis on the importance of originality in the field of design, especially in lieu of president problems encountered with lack of continuity often found in divers systems such as those in public transportation. To help overcome these barriers, the concept of meaningful association should probably be given greater importance. Standardizing certain factors in design can provide an effective way to create meaningful association in practice of design. In this paper, the author would like to point some design factors that would help in this regard. Keywords: Sign Design, Pictogram, Diagram, Interface Design.

1. Growing Importance of Public Transportation 1-1.Protection of Global Environment "In 1900 only 4,129 cars were manufactured in the U.S.A. the automobile. 100 years later, in 2000, the US produced 12.77 million automobiles and there were 221.47 million registered cars. (Note 1) The 20th century was truly the era of Streets were paved to facilitate car travel, and commercial facilities with large parking lots were built in suburban areas. Use of automobiles spread to other parts of the world after World War II. Consequently, cities in developed countries came to suffer from chronic traffic jams and air pollution. As of the end of 2000, there were 748.71 million automobiles registered in the world, with 40% of these being in the US and Japan. In the near future, economic growth in China and other Asian nations will result in an increased number of vehicles in these countries, leading to even more serious environmental destruction. The Kyoto Protocol agreed upon at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, held in December 1997, set forth concrete numbers to control the emission of greenhouse gases. expected to reduce the level of emission by 6% by the scheduled time. we must control the use of private automobiles, one of the major causes of emission. For example, Japan is Therefore, promotion of However, in order to achieve this number,

public transportation is an important theme that directly relates to global environmental protection.

1-2.Internationalization Since auto production is a core industry in advanced nations, it is difficult to achieve the target reduction. There are fears that by controlling the use of private vehicles may hurt the economies. These days, although the Internet and teleconferencing are accessible to most people, it is still important for people to meet in person to develop better communications. Therefore, a public transportation infrastructure is indispensable for people for conducting economic and social activities efficiently without depending on the use of private automobiles.

2.Characteristics of Public Transportation 2-1. Characteristics of Automobiles People prefer private automobiles because they allow travel from door to door. and route can be chosen to suit ones own convenience. Regular sedan cars can accommodate 4-5 people, but in most trips, the driver is the only passenger. means that almost 100 automobiles are needed to transport 100 people, thus overflowing the streets. Although the speed limit on highways in Japan is 80$100km/h, there are frequent traffic jams. people need to take a rest when driving a long distance. Osaka in only 5.5 hours. 2-2.Characteristics of Public Transportation When using public transportation, people take either a bus or a train from the closest stop and get off at another stop in the proximity of their destination. in most cases, people must walk. desired location. There are various types of public transportation vehicles. people and to travels at a speed 12km/h. speed of 32km/h. For example, a regular bus can accommodate 50 And, while A subway train can accommodate 1000 passengers and travels at a It is rare that a stop is located exactly at ones destination, so Alternatively, they may have to transfer several times before arriving at the Also, This Also, a traveling schedule

As a result, it is difficult to drive 550 km from Tokyo to

A bullet train accommodates 1200 people and travels at a speed of 225km/h.

buses stop every 200$300m, the Nozomi Bullet Train stops only twice between Tokyo and Osaka. Therefore, in terms of competition for the private automobile, bullet trains seem to be the only solution. However, for a system like the bullet train to function, passengers must first travel to where the train departs. stations. If people drive their car to the station, it causes traffic jams, and gigantic parking lots must be constructed at major Furthermore, more transportation is needed to carry passengers from the parking lot to the terminal building. Bullet trains and busses do not seem to be related, but in order for bullet trains to service a large number of passengers, local bus lines must be functioning, as well. 2-3. Continuity for an Effective Transportation System Passengers transported by buses travel to local train stations; local trains then carry them to express stations, from where they can reach other cities by fast train. passengers effectively. This type of traffic hierarchy is indispensable to transport

In order to take advantage of the characteristics of different transportation means and build efficient public networks continuity on the following points must be maintained. a) Space Platforms must be easily accessible. ramps are undesirable. b) Time Timetables for connecting lines need to be coordinated to realize minimum waiting time. c) Procedures Complicated procedures, such as purchasing a new ticket when transferring should be avoided. d) Information Explanations of the procedure for getting on a vehicle or train, and the route to the destination, must be provided when transferring. Furthermore, such information should always be shown in the same manner. Unfortunately, there have been only a In order to promote the use of public transportation, continuity in the above areas must be maintained. Continuity of information is the least expensive measure of improvement. few studies of design for continuity of information, and therefore, prompt attention to this issue is demanded. Simple stairs and
Fig.1 A platform where a user can easily transfer between a street car and a bus. Although continuity of space is maintained, unless the timetable, tickets, and the guide for the destinations are coordinated, passengers cannot transfer smoothly. Portland, US.

3. Information Design to Promote Continuity of Travel 3-1. Obstacles that Hinder Continuity Following are some obstacles that hinder continuity: a) Different means of transportation#when a bus connects to two different train stations, for example, passengers may not know which station to get off at unless they have a train route map. should be accessible not only online, but also at bus stops and train stations. b) Different companies: Two companies rarely use the same location of route maps, and the symbols and expressions used in the maps are also different. Oftentimes, companies deliberately use different symbols and expressions to indicate identical information, in order to distinguish themselves from the competition. c) Different media#When people plan trips, they obtain necessary information from guidebooks or online. However, when they are at bus stops and train stations, they must depend on the information on the signs posted there. Travelers become confused when signage is different than they have seen on a map prior to the trip. Divisions that publish PR material and those who set up and maintain signs at bus stops and stations tend to be different, and they use styles appropriate for each medium. d) Different regions: At overseas airports, there is the barrier of a different language and writing system. Many of the symbols reflect local customs and culture and are difficult to understand for foreigners. The more transportation facilities are connected, the more obstacles one encounters. stations, must be indicated. For example, at a train station where several lines meet, names of all stations for the various lines, and transportation fees to these Therefore, design that can organize voluminous information and provide required information in an easy to understand manner are required. Information on the shortest route

3-2.Conditions for Easy-to-Understand Information In order to provide information in an easy to understand manner, we need to discuss the following two points: a) External appearance of the information. b) Contents of the information. Taking the example of a signboard, external appearance refers to the size of the image, the type face, color and layout. The elements that constitute a design must be visually easy to recognize. For example, in some cities subway lines are named by combining This type of name clarifies the direction Contents refer to the actual information. of the line.

the last stations in either direction, for example, the ABC-XYZ line. cannot even ask others for help.

However, such a name is often difficult for foreigners to memorize or pronounce, and thus they At transit stations where several lines meet, as signboards become entirely filled

with the names of the train lines, comprehension deteriorates. For such cases, if we define ABC-XYZ as Line A (Red), Line A becomes the only sign required at each transit point. Therefore, contents consists of organizing the information required and choosing an appropriate method of indication. In the field of design, external features such as type face and color coordination have been the major focus. However, when various transportation facilities are connected and the information becomes complicated, due consideration must be given to the contents. 3-3. Required Standardization To enhance users understanding of information, we can a) Reduce the volume of information b) Take advantage of the learning effect To reduce the volume of information, the following should be undertaken: 1) Avoid elaborate expressions and unnecessary items, and provide the minimum information necessary. 2&Increase the number of common expressions. 3&Review the way information is represented. To promote standardization, we must continue to discuss especially item 3). For example, if a passenger needs to purchase a new ticket at every transfer, he/she has to read ticket purchase instructions each time, which requires the use of several signboards. implemented, Travelers only one signboard However, if a is necessary. from the system using a single ticket for all transfers is obtain information directly
Fig.2 A diagram that indicates traffic routes clearly was developed by London Transport and has been adopted for various traffic systems in the world. This is a representative example of standardized information for public transportation facilities. Nankai Raolway Line also adopts this system and its route map was planned to provide coordinated contents with other train lines as well. This type of information is necessary for travelers. However, in the past there was no attempt to provide a route map indicating competitive private train lines.

signboard during the trip. system itself.

Therefore, when enhancing

the convenience of the signboard, we get to review the As for enhancing the learning effect, identical

information should be given repeatedly. For example, once a user learns the correlation, ABC-XYZ Line= Line A=Red, as long as they recognize the color red, even from a distance, they know that it is a station on Line A. Application of this learning effect is not limited to stations but can also be used online, providing information to users prior to their travel. For example, for subway line maps, the same line names and colors are used for guidebooks and signboards at stations. However, the symbols for transferring Obviously, stations should also be standardized.
Fig.3 Standardization was a theme for the project to design signs for the Nankai Train line to the Kansai International Airport.

conditions differ for a business card size map, signboards at stations that are as big as 2m x 2m, and for online maps shown on a 600x800 pixel monitor. entirely standardized, line maps would be hard to read on a monitor. images so that no matter which media a user refers to, they can obtain identical images. Ideally speaking, public transportation businesses should give sufficient consideration to design and continuously update route maps. for guidebooks and other media. Learning effect can be shared not only among line maps but also by different public transportation companies. The Nankai Railway Sign Project Team created the design for Nankai train line which goes to the Kansai International Airport, opened in 1994. As a first step, they researched all the signs and symbols used by various public transportation organizations, both in Japan and overseas, and extracted the elements that could be shared. They used these as sign languages and applied them to the actual design. For example, pictograms developed by the American Graphic Arts Association seemed to be most attentive in terms of shared elements. Therefore, they used them as a foundation for Nankai design ideas. Since most systems seem to use the color red to indicate holidays, express trains, danger, or prohibitions, They also used this color for the Nankai Train Line. As a result, a Nankai signboard gives the impression of lacking originality. its originality. However, it focuses correlating information, and the attempt at standardization becomes
Fig.4 Standard design pictograms presented by the Foundation for Promotion Personal Mobility and Enological Transportation. In order to realize standardization, we must satisfy conditions such as understandability % what kind of motif is to be symbolized& , aesthetics and universality. &

If they are

Thus, we need to discuss ways to adjust the

Copyright issues must also be discussed so that identical line maps can be used

4. Future Themes and Directions 4-1. Bilateral Design Features From1998 to 2003 the aouther conducted research on information design of public transportation facilities in cities in England, Holland, Germany and France, and in major cities on the West Coast of the US. From this research, It was found that, although companies involved in the operation of public transportation feel the need for standardization, in reality, they focus on corporate characteristics when creating information design. For
Fig.5 History of wind instruments introduced at the Hamamatsu Museum of Musical Instruments. Originality was the design focus. Shared elements must be considered for information design for public transportation facilities.

example, each company had unique design for their pictograms. In other words, higher priority is given to corporate identity than to standardization, and this is the quintessence of designing.

In Hamamatsu, Japan, there is a museum where various types of musical instruments are displayed in chronological order of their appearance. The exhibition tells us that numerous design were attempted to make each instrument. Taking the example of a wind instrument, various lengths and the curvature of the pipe, as well as The ongoing challenge to create an Truly, sizes of the head, were attempted in the development of the trumpet.

instrument that is easy to play and has better sound resulted in the trumpets and horns we have today. designing involves a continuous effort to create unique work without being easily satisfied.

In a way, standardization represents an opposite tendency, as it promotes shared elements instead of distinguished new design. Designers have been trained to pursue creativity, but, in order to succeed with standardization, we must change our goal from creativity to constructing correlation. 4-2. Coexistence of Standardization and Distinction Corporate identity is one way of standardizing information. If all product packages share identical colors and scripts, they are easily recognizable as products from the same company. product characteristics and narrows the potential for variation. Some companies have successfully established a distinguished corporate identity despite adopting several different brand logos and design layouts. maintained within design variations. Likewise, when creating information design for public transportation facilities using pictograms, we must consider the content, structure, and correlation of information to be transmitted, and must determine what motif should be represented. We must not pursue standardization of superficial geometrical figures. Under the circumstances, there are not many opportunities for us to discuss informational representation of public transportation systems from a global viewpoint. Different nations must collaborate to share information This is a design theme for and think about design that can be distinguishable yet standardized at the same time. What is common to those companies is that they have solid corporate principles that govern their activities. When a company has a well-established concept, consistent identity can be However, this limits the range of

the 21st century, one directly relevant to building a culture that has strong environmental awareness.

References American Institute of Graphic Arts. United States Department of Transportation. Symbol Signs, The development of passenger/pedestrian oriented symbols for use in transportation-related facilities. (1976). Senden-Kaigi, Inc. (trans.) Adrian Forty. Objects of desire, Design and Society 1750-1980. (1992). Kashima Shuppan-kai. (trans.) Donald A. Norman. The Psychology of Everyday Things. (1988). Shinyo-sha. (1990). (trans.) Ken Garland. Mr Becks Underground Map. (1994). Capital Transport Publishing Paul Mijksenaar. Visual Function, An Introduction to Information Design. (1997). 010 Publishers. Study Committee of Public Information Symbols. Public Information Symbols Guideline. (2001). Foundation for Promoting Personal Mobility and Ecological Transportation. Yukio Ota. Pictogram Design. (1987). Kashiwa Shobo Publishers, Ltd.

Note 1; Japan Automobile Manufactures Association