Signage systems are visually oriented information systems, consisting of signs,

map A map is a symbolic depiction emphasizing relationships between elements of some space, such as objects, regions, or themes. Many maps are static, fixed to paper or some other durable medium, while others are dynamic or interactive. Although ...

s, arrows, color-codings systems,

pictogram A pictogram, also called a pictogramme, pictograph, or simply picto, and in computer usage an icon, is a graphic symbol that conveys its meaning through its pictorial resemblance to a physical object. Pictographs are often used in writing and ...

s and different

typographic Typography is the art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible, readable and appealing when displayed. The arrangement of type involves selecting typefaces, point sizes, line lengths, line-spacing ( leading), and ...

elements. Signage systems differ from other methods of information presentation because they are typically used to guide people's passage through the physical world; road signs on a highway, station identification signs in a subway and overhead signs in an airport are all common examples of signage systems. The act of following a signage system is known as wayfinding, waysigning or signposting. While any collection of correlated signs can be considered a signage system, the term is typically used to refer to a group of signs with a coherent design and purpose. Frequently, significant effort is put into creating an intelligent presentation for a sign that takes into account scientific knowledge about humans' reactive capabilities to

typefaces A typeface (or font family) is the design of lettering that can include variations in size, weight (e.g. bold), slope (e.g. italic), width (e.g. condensed), and so on. Each of these variations of the typeface is a font. There are thousands o ...

and

color Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are associ ...

s. This research has produced a design aesthetic of certain fonts that are frequently used (especially humanist sans-serif designs like Frutiger, which was created in 1969 for signage in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

Charles de Gaulle Airport Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (french: Aéroport de Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle, ), also known as Roissy Airport or simply Paris CDG, is the principal airport serving the French capital, Paris ( and its metropolitan area), and the largest intern ...

Examples

London Underground

One of the most commonly cited examples of a well-designed signage system is the

London Underground The London Underground (also known simply as the Underground or by its nickname the Tube) is a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent ceremonial counties of England, counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and He ...

. The Underground's station signs consist of a red roundel and a horizontal blue bar containing the station name. They are instantly recognizable to riders throughout London, are unlikely to be confused with other signage, and can be replicated throughout printed materials, stations, and street-level entrances to provide consistency throughout the entire system. The typeface used on the signs, New Johnston, was designed in 1913 specifically for the Underground to provide readability at a distance.

External links

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