UX stories > Signs and cognitive effort
Signs and cognitive effort
Some months ago, I went to the airport with my brother using a car-sharing service, and we needed to park in the secure airport parking area, which was a bit far from the main entrance. The sign wasn’t very easy to understand, and after driving along the same roads, we finally found the right one.
The next step was to find the way to the 'Arrivals,' so we needed signs to guide us on the correct path. While walking inside the parking area, there were signs like 'Exit' with no distinction between 'Arrivals' and 'Departures' until the exit, which left us with some doubts, such as, 'Do we need to follow the same road for both?'
The hardest part was when we went outside, as the parking area was situated in the middle of several roads, and there were no signs for the main entrance. Obviously, we didn’t remember the route we had taken earlier, so we opened Google Maps to search for the path.
While walking and looking at our phones, we saw a sign on the ground like the one below:
“Are these the signs!?”
We wasted a lot of time walking around, feeling like we were in a dead end, before discovering those signs. Obviously, to approve or disapprove of the idea, we need more than two people in this case, but I would like to express what I think is wrong about this choice.
Usually, these signs are designed to promote an event or a museum, so our first instinct when looking for directions isn’t to look at the ground.
We are used to seeing large arrows accompanied by big words along the street. Different contexts call for different problem-solving approaches. These signs are typically placed before and/or near road junctions.
The cognitive effort is high because my brother and I took several minutes to understand the relationship between the typical blue color of road signs and the arrows.
These paint markings are temporary and require maintenance. Due to weather conditions or other factors, they can become dirty and partially obscured.
Let’s assume there is no way to place these signs at a standard height, like the others.
What could be a solution to improve this situation and reduce cognitive effort without requiring users to think too much, making it easier for them to understand the meaning?
Solution A
Honestly, it’s very unattractive.
Finding another solution to reduce elements and be more straightforward could be a good start. We can assume that those who leave their cars need to go either to Arrivals or Departures. Therefore, we can also assume that the word 'Airport' is unnecessary.
How can we maintain a bit of creativity in these signs while helping users understand them more quickly?
Solution B
“Follow me” removes the cognitive effort to understand the meaning; it’s unusual to see a sign like this. The words “Arrivals” and “Departures,” whether presented together or separately, could help users understand how to reach their desired destinations.
Maybe “Follow me” isn’t necessary either, but I would like to leave this decision to the users, perhaps with a simple simulation.
Solution C
Not so original, not so creative, but straight and easy to understand.
Thank you for reading about my experience. I hope it was interesting and provided some food for thought.