Define – REFINEMENT 1993

Description

This 1993 “Bus Information Review: Refinement” report identifies a significant conflict between user preference and actual performance across various bus information materials. While visually appealing designs like line diagrams and Fitch Squircle maps were favored, simpler word versions and Penrose maps often proved faster and more accurate in testing. Timetables showed a desire for ‘at a glance’ summaries, but comprehensive versions were deemed essential for complex routes and outer zones. Crucially, proposed innovations such as colour-coded fare zones and route diagrams detailing bus interchanges received enthusiastic feedback, praised for their potential to clarify information, reduce fare evasion, and foster a stronger perception of a cohesive bus network, similar to the Underground. Conversely, pocket timetables garnered limited interest, and local area guides, despite high retention, exhibited low actual usage. The report concludes that maps remain a primary challenge, recommending further testing with improved indexing and ‘you are here’ functionality, stressing that new initiatives for network clarity generated the most positive energy.