HUMAN ORIENTATION AND WAYFINDING IN AIRPORT PASSENGER TERMINALS

Passengers and visitors to major U.S. airport terminals frequently complain that they have problems finding their way through the vast and complex structures. Such problems are related to the extent to which it is possible to reach various destinations within reasonable limits of time and effort, which is an important aspect of a terminal building's environmental quality. This paper provides an evaluation of current airport terminal wayfinding systems, focusing specifically on visual information elements, such as signs, maps, and directions. A multiple-method strategy of respondent self-reporting and behavior tracing was used to draw a composite picture of passenger wayfinding information needs and to identify particular problems that lead to poor spatial orientation or wayfinding performance. Significant problems were reported and observed with respect to the design of you-are-here maps and, to a lesser extent, corridor directional signs. These problems are addressed in the context of a theoretical framework for understanding how humans acquire and represent navigational information. This framework, in turn, is used both to evaluate existing terminal designs and to suggest specific guidelines for effectve redesign.

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