Fill ‘er Up!
Posted in Wayfinding Concept on October 21st, 2009 by Jeffry Corbin – Be the first to commentTo understand the state of information in today’s world, you need look no further than your nearest gas pump. The cacophony of information slapped on its face exemplifies what we encounter every day.
There is brand information:
- the company’s logo
- their various products’ logos
- the names of the three types of gasoline
- the octane ratings of the three types of gasoline
There is regulatory information:
- the state’s presentation of the octane ratings of the three types of gasoline
- non-payment drive-off warning
- failure of payment warning
- the state’s certification of the pump’s accuracy
- notice of the use of cameras on the premises
There is safety information:
- non-smoking warning
- shock/spark warning
- turn off the car ignition warning
There is instructional information:
- how to pump and pay for gas
- how to pump gas into loose containers
- the pump number in case you need it to report a problem
And, finally, there is commercial information:
- credit card application information and forms
- commercial advertising (for products or food inside the store)
- audio speakers that bombard you with commercial messages
- electronic scanners to scan premium/rewards cards
- and the extra steps in the purchase process (do you want a car wash? etc.)
If you think of the gas purchasing process in terms of wayfinding, it’s pretty simple: you want a tank of a particular type of gas and you want to pay for it as quickly as possible.
With a typical wayfinding experience you want to find a particular place as quickly as possible.
But the world today is much like the gas pump: filled with so much brand, regulatory, and commercial information, that it’s hard to “see through it all” to find your desired destination conveniently and quickly.
You could say that we live in a state of “expanding information”: the more you look, the more you see. In the world of wayfinding, we strive to create a state of “reducing information”: providing only the information that is needed, and only when it is needed.
Wayfinding presents us the challenge of determining the right geographic logic; developing the most intuitive terminology; and finally, presenting the essential information using proper devices at the optimum locations for the desired destinations.
We have to cut through all the clutter, so you and your audiences don’t have to. You might say while “Fill ‘er up!” works for gas, “Boil it down” is better for wayfinding!
Recently Mark VanderKlipp, Corbin Design’s President, developed a presentation for local leaders in the Grand Vision initiative here in Northwest Lower Michigan. Citing wayfinding projects throughout North America as examples, he described how other regions are becoming unified both perceptually and physically.
Of course there are many challenges in an effort… More...
For many of us, the conversation was as much about designing a life as it was about design firm management. More...
Mark VanderKlipp, Corbin Design’s President, is making a presentation to local leadership in our Grand Vision effort. Based heavily on project experience with a variety of clients throughout the U.S., Mark will illustrate how these regions become unified using several tactics, primarily wayfinding signage and transit. A discussion period after the presentation is planned, including Corbin Design Founder Jeffry Corbin.
Sponsored by the Growth and Investment and Transportation… More...
Heidi Jones
Hesper Smyth
Mark VanderKlipp
Rick Stringer
