Final Version

Here are the final versions of the maps after improvements made. More landmarks are added to be used as a guide for people. Also a more conspicuous way to direct people to walk clockwise or counterclockwise was added at the beginning of the route: an arrow.

Other small improvements where made as well.

Shopping Map

Museum Map

User Test

Method, results and conclusions of the usertest. Posted in JPEG format to retain tabel format. A PDF version can be downloaded here.

Background studies

Different coloured backgrounds used to determine the redesign. The previous post shows the redesign.

The changed maps after receiving feedback

Above can be seen the Museum and the Shopping map with the changes we have made after receiving the feedback on our presentation. The actual map with the route is now in the center and on both sides are photographs wich will indicate what can be seen on the route. These pictures are different for both maps.
Also, the landmarks are more visible and differentiate from both maps aswell. On the museum map only the museum landmarks and icons are shown so people would get attracted to walk towards the most landmarks they see and in this way they automatically will follow the correct route and viceversa for the shopping map.
Because we wanted the map to stand out, the surrounding area is shown with a lower opacity.

Feedback first concept presentation

The core of the feedback to our first concept maps is that the difference between the two maps are too subtle. There could be more ways to persuade the viewer to follow the routes. The differences between the maps are the background colour and the pictures on the left side. The right side (the actual map) are the same in both maps. In order to create a less subtle difference, there should be more focus on the icons and the route. This is because when using the map, the viewer will mostly look at the right side of the map. The left side is merely a 'first glance' impression. There could be some variations in the size and color mode of the icons. For instance, making the shopping relevant icons bigger on the shopping map, with the other icons kept small and in a grayscale.

The basic map designs with landmarks

On the pictures below there can be seen the basic design for the map. The map itself will stay the same with the museum route aswell as the shopping route. They will differ in color and direction of the route and the landmarks that are used. On the museum route only the landmarks with historic value will be shown and on the shopping route only the landmarks with commerce value will be shown. The only landmark that will be shown on both the maps will be the new church, because it is a well known building within Delft and it will make clear to people where the centre of the old city of Delft is located.

The design of the recommended routes

Two different versions of a pedestrian map of the centre of Delft have to be designed in such a way that it influences the behavior of the users. On each map a different walking route will be clearly recommended and the two versions will alternate every day.

On the image below there are shown different designs of the same route, clockwise and counterclockwise.

As can be seen, all the routes consist out of just one color. I have chosen to do so, so people won’t get distracted and confused by the use of various bright colors. It is important that the recommended route really stands out of the map, so I have chosen for a bright, pink color, but because this is the only flashing color on the route, the map itself is still clearly readable and the different icons and landmarks that we will use on the map won’t go unnoticed.

There are different ways to manipulate someone to take a certain route within the map.
But because the two different maps have to look similar on first sight, the differences between the two will have to be subtle.
On each of the six different designs of the route shown above, there can be seen that the route contains a gap on the cross-section. This will make people follow the route going forth in one piece, because that will be the most logical for them.
Of course a clear and well known way to show a direction is by using arrows, as are used in the two lower left corner designs. Another way to clearly make a certain direction visible is to start busy and slowly bring it down, like the two designs in the lower right corner, or to start big and slowly bring it down in size, like the footprint design in the upper right corner, or to start with a bright color and slowly make a gradient in it going to transparency.
When I look at the six different designs, the one in the upper left corner speaks the most to me. Because this route consists of just one piece and has the cleanest design, the map will look trustworthy and the route will not steel all the attention away from the rest of the map and all the icons and landmarks. But because of the bright color pink the route still stands out and it will become clear to every visitor of Delft which way they have to walk by following the route from bright color going to transparency.