Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Color Works



After focusing primarily on color for my Wayfinding project, I've started to look for other interfaces that focus primarily on using color to give information. One of the first interfaces to pop in my head is the Boston subway system or "The T."

The whole train system is based on color, unlike New York which is based on both letters/numbers and color. Each train becomes a color. The train to South Boston/Davis Square is the red line. Downtown/Revere Beach is the blue line, so on and on.

I feel that this is the simplest system possible. When both letters and numbers are added, it begins to complicate the system. You might think you're on the right train because you knew to take the red line, but what you don't realize is that you're on the red line W when you meant to take the red line Z. People get easily confused like that. But take away the letters/numbers and just leave colors, there will be no mistakes as to which train you are on.

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