Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
The UK road and motorway signage system was designed 1957-1967 by Jock Kinneir and Mar-
garet Calvert. It has since been adopted around the world, for example at Umm Suqeim, Dubai,
UAE (
bottom
).
Simple inventions like warning symbols and colour-coding allow users to navigate
and use machines safely. They provide guidelines that everyone can follow, even if
you are unfamiliar with the environment or the equipment being used. Clear instruc-
tions are given on what (or what not) to do.
Consider travelling to a foreign country where your native language is not spoken. At
the airport, how do you know where to find the departure gate or retrieve your lug-
gage? How do you find the taxi rank or bureau de change? All these dilemmas are
solved via information design. It provides clear instructions, facts or data to an audi-
ence in a visual language that can transcend international boundaries and bring people
together. It helps us to learn complex information, such as the Periodic Table. It can
make the complicated very simple and can save time and effort in the transmission.
