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Navigation and Wayfinding is vital in all the environments we inhabit. It is a multi-sensory activity that takes in more than graphical user interfaces, websites, and physical signage; at its core is the way we ascribe meaning and interpret the landmarks and cues we are given. I propose that in a world where the digital self is pervasive, and geolocation is unimportant we need to rethink what artefacts are useful at landmarks. This is my presentation from UX Camp Brighton 2013. Tom Wellings © Emotive Systems Ltd. 2013
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FINDING YOUR WAY IN A DIGITAL PHYSICAL WORLD
Tom Wellings www.emotivesystems.co.uk @tcwellings
UX Camp Brighton 2013 2nd November 2013
NAVIGATION = WAYFINDING + LOCOMOTION
Orientation and choosing a path
within an environment
Successful travel requires we know where
to go and how to get there
Where am I now?
Where do I go next / What do I want to do?
How do I get from here to there?
• Process involving a string of decisions
• Coordinated and GOAL driven movement through the
environment
Recreational wayfinding Emergency wayfinding
Learning language
• Markmaking: Children have to understand that marks signify something.
o Marks have meaning. They are symbolic - not just a mark on a piece of paper.
• Marks have a sound. String the marks together make words and language.
o Shared understanding of what marks mean - communication
‘OK’ meaning ‘select’ ‘OK’ meaning ‘confirm’
Words and symbols, in and of themselves have no
meaning
How are you feeling on
your new medication?
• We ascribe meaning to them - Cultural norms, context
We can understand this dialogue, but incorrect symbolism of ‘ok’ button feels uncomfortable
Semiotics
• Signs can be words, images, sounds, gestures and objects
• one-way communication to impart information : directions or
identification.
Language is very flexible, but 'words fail us' in attempting to represent some experiences.
• Mental construct • concept
• Material or physical • form
Shared meaning within language:
- Categories
Words or terms that co-occur frequently infer
synonymy
Coarse Juddery Rough
Jerky Rubbing Grinding
Jumpy Harsh
Smoothness
Data analysis Linguistic analysis
Shared meaning
Shared meaning in empirical data
- Regression equation
Affinity index
Index – Popular styles of dish (Argentinian)
Mixed index – ingredients, categories and methods
Navigation design guidelines
• Clarity – Ensure linguistic and semantic clarity
• Simplicity - Avoid jargon – speak language of user
• Saliency - Avoid redundancy and repetition – make labels easy to distinguish
• Context - Look for common (visual) language within domain
• Correlation - Avoid ambiguity and contradiction
• Tonality - Similarity of typography, colour, and form
Silfver, P., 2012. The Elements Of Navigation, 20 March 2012, Smashing Magazine. Available at:
http://uxdesign.smashingmagazine.com/2012/03/20/the-elements-of-navigation [Accessed 31 October 2013].
Navigation through other senses
Product affordances also
provide navigation cues
Tactile and auditory cues
Visual vs. tactile navigation
In a world of the ‘digital self’, geo-location is meaningless:
• How do I know where I am in relation to other people?
• Where am I trying to get to?
• What landmarks will enable me to orient myself?
Perhaps…
• Reputation?
• Experience?
• Culture?
• Psychographics?
