Lloyd – DIAGRAMMATIC METRO MAPS 2018

Description

This doctoral research investigates navigational problems in diagrammatic metro maps beyond overall layout, focusing on colour coding and local micro-design features such as transfer points, junctions and branches. Motivated by gaps in evidence-based map design and limitations of automated layout research, the study asks which non-layout factors affect usability and how resulting hazards can be algorithmically detected and remediated. An empirical study using modified New York City subway maps and 300 Mechanical Turk participants examined colour coding and local hazards. Results show route-based colour coding improves route-tracing accuracy, but local transfer and junction designs can strongly mislead users and interact with colour effects (e.g., “slip” errors where lines flip); for complex journey planning, extensive route colouring can increase cognitive load. The project aims to produce a ‘map checker’ tool to detect hazardous features in vector maps, but faces challenges in generalisable algorithmic recognition and adapting image-based methods to vector formats.