Research of Metro Guidance System Design Based on Visual Search Mechanism

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Research of Metro Guidance System Design Based on
Visual Search Mechanism
Jiahui Wang1*
1School of Design Arts & Media, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210094, China
*Corresponding author. Email: 782605543@qq.com
ABSTRACT
In order to improve the present metro guidance system, which have no obvious information and reasonable
spatial layout, the theory model of visual search is introduced into the research of metro guidance system
design. By analyzing the visual search mechanism of human in the space of metro, the design principles of
metro guide system are put forward to improve the efficiency of visual search. Improved design methods are
put forward for the plane vision elements and space location elements of the metro guidance system, and the
design system of the metro guidance system is constructed. It is of theoretical significance to the design of
metro guidance system.
Keywords: metro guide, visual search, plane visual elements, spatial location
1. INTRODUCTION
Metro station is a place where people gather in high
density. The metro guidance system can provide
passengers with a variety of guidance information, and
help passengers to locate in the underground space where
there is no environmental reference, so as to realize a more
reasonable direction of travel. However, there are some
problems in the existing metro guidance system, such as
the inconspicuous presentation of the plane information of
the guide signs and the unreasonable location of the guide
signs, which greatly reduce the visual search efficiency
and affect the passengers' pathfinding efficiency.
The existing research of metro guidance system design
mainly starts from the perspectives of interaction design,
color design, ergonomics design, which plays a positive
role in the design of metro guidance system. Cao xin
(2014) applied the thinking and method of interactive
design to put forward the design idea of constructing
interactive digital multiplexing system [1]. Su yafei (2015)
focused on the humanized design of the color information
function planning in the metro guidance system by taking
color elements as the entry point [2]. Xu zejun et al. (2018)
proposed general design guidelines for space lighting and
color design in guiding environment by analyzing the
needs of the elderly in the process of pathfinding [3].
However, the existing researches seldom pay attention to
the effectiveness of the spatial location layout of guiding
signs, and at present, few scholars take the visual search
mechanism of human beings as the starting point to design
the metro guiding system on the basis of studying the
visual search behavior and visual cognitive law of human
beings.
Based on the theoretical model of background guidance,
this study analyzes the visual search mechanism of people
in the metro guidance environment. This paper puts
forward two design principles of metro visual guide
system which can improve the efficiency of visual search,
and on this basis summarizes the design methods of plane
visual elements and spatial location elements of metro
visual guide system, and constructs the design system of
metro visual guide system. It has a positive effect on
creating a more reasonable metro guidance environment,
reducing users' cognitive cost, and improving ride
experience and route finding efficiency.
2. ANALYSIS OF VISUAL SEARCH
MECHANISM IN METRO SPACE
Visual Search refers to the process in which an individual
actively searches for a target object from a complex visual
environment. It is a visual behavioral process of a specific
stimulus and a complex cognitive process [4]. Human
beings are engaged in visual search activities every day,
and any small reduction in search time may result in huge
cost savings and effective improvement of user experience
[5]. By studying human visual search mechanism, we can
better understand how humans perceive, search and
process visual information, and provide effective
suggestions for designers of artificial visual search tasks
[6].
The contextual guidance model of visual search explains
the relationship between real scene and stimulus
recognition, that is, when people conduct visual search in
real scene, they will receive the dual functions from two
aspects, one is background information, the other is
knowledge and experience [7]. The recognition of the
scene and the target by the observer is realized by the
integration of two parallel processing pathways: local
processing pathway (bottom up) and global processing
pathway (top down). Local feature processing is based on
background information such as color and size. The
extraction of these local features forms a visual dominant
region and affects the information search of the observer.
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 435
6th International Conference on Humanities and Social Science Research (ICHSSR 2020)
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The whole feature processing is based on the whole feature
extraction, activates the existing knowledge and
experience, and adjusts the direction of information search.
In this way, bottom-up and top-down processing is used to
fit and ultimately determine what information the observer
searches for [8] (Figure 1).
Figure 1 A theoretical model of background guidance
for visual search
According to this model, when people search for visual
information in the metro environment, on the one hand,
they will be stimulated by the visual information with
emergent dominance in the scene to form a visual
dominant area and attract people's attention. On the other
hand, according to the task target and their own experience
and knowledge, they will actively search and pay attention
to the area of interest, form the prediction of spatial
position, and generate the expected clues of "target
stimulus in a certain position", which will play a regulating
role on the scanning path, and finally determine the
direction of visual search [7].
3. DESIGN METHODS OF METRO
GUIDANCE SYSTEM BASED ON VISUAL
SEARCH MECHANISM
3.1. The Design Principle of Metro Guidance
System
Based on the visual search mechanism of people in the
metro visual environment, this study proposes two design
principles to be followed in the design of the metro visual
system.
3.1.1. The Flat visual elements should have
visual significance
For the local feature processing process of visual search,
the graphic design of metro guide sign is required to have
visual significance to promote the search speed of local
feature processing path. When people focus on the scene,
visually prominent objects, such as size, color, brightness,
texture, contrast and movement direction, have the
advantage of visual competition and can obtain earlier
gaze [9]. Therefore, in the design of metro guide signs, it
is necessary to enlarge the guide information appropriately,
use bright colors, obvious contrast, enhance the sense of
movement and other ways to highlight important
information, so that important information in the visual
search of local feature processing process to form a visual
advantage area, the first to attract people's attention.
3.1.2. The spatial elements should conform to
people's psychological expectations
For the overall feature processing path of visual search, the
location layout of metro visual information needs to fit the
direction prediction formed by people based on previous
knowledge and experience, that is, the design of metro
visual system needs to match the common sense and visual
habits of users. On the one hand, it conforms to people's
general cognition of the spatial layout of metro guide signs,
on the other hand, it conforms to people's visual search
habit in the space. In order to promote the search speed of
the whole feature processing pathway, the corresponding
guiding information is set in the expected position of
human psychology, so that human can accurately find the
target information in the expected position.
3.2. Construction of Metro Guidance System
Design
The design of the metro guidance system is mainly
reflected by color, graphics, text, lighting and other plane
visual elements and spatial location elements. Design the
elements properly to disseminate the correct guidance in
the environment. Based on the visual search mechanism of
people in the metro guiding environment, under the
guidance of the above two design principles, specific
design methods to improve the visual search efficiency are
proposed for each design element of the metro guiding
system, and the design system of the metro guiding system
is constructed (Figure 2).
Figure 2 Construction of design system of subway
guidance system
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588

3.2.1. Graphic Visual Element Design Method
with Visual Significance
(1) Highlight important information with prominent colors
to attract users' attention. Color is the most sensitive visual
information element and the key factor for rapid visual
focus. Different colors are perceived differently by visual
perception. In the design of the guiding system, the color
is too uniform, which will make the whole guiding system
sink into the whole environment, thus failing to meet the
requirements of remote viewing, thus losing its effective
"indicating" function [10]. Therefore, in the design of
guide signs, it is usually necessary to use color to highlight
the strong stimulation of information, such as on the white
wall supplemented by red graphics, through contrast to
generate striking feelings, attract people's attention, in
order to improve the visual search efficiency.
(2) Enhance the guiding function of the logo with the
visual tension of graphics. Graphics are generally a
concise symbol to express a certain meaning. Compared
with text, the recognition of graphics is more intuitive and
vivid and easy to understand. Therefore, instead of text
barriers, specific information can be transmitted quickly
and accurately [11]. Enhancing the visual tension of the
graphics helps to enhance the guiding function of the logo,
and makes it easier for people to focus concise graphics
from the visual center. During the design of the guidance
system, the visual tension of the graphics can be enhanced
by making the motion of the graphics and magnifying
them [12]. In addition, the three-dimensional logo beyond
the plane, with the help of three-dimensional modeling to
strengthen people's association of the space environment
also helps to attract visual attention and improve visual
search efficiency.
(3) Reduce users' cognitive cost with bold and enlarged
isometric font. In the complex underground environment,
noisy auditory background, time pressure and other factors
will increase the difficulty of text recognition. In this
situation, the design of text information is required to be
easy to identify quickly, and the text is required to be
visually significant in the design of font, size and color.
The font should be as plain as possible, and the text can be
highlighted by bolding and magnifying. In contrast to
make the guide sign has the aesthetics and USES the small
font size, should adopt the reasonable amplification way to
make it easy to identify.
(4) The lighting design is mainly based on soft indirect
lighting and focuses on important information. The
lighting of metro space should be mainly indirect lighting
and supplemented by direct lighting. This kind of light is
relatively soft and comfortable for human eyes, which is
conducive to creating a warm and comfortable humanized
space, and will not cause strong reflection and affect the
identification of identification information. In addition,
should undertake key illume in important information
place, wait for special target object with emphasis exit,
stair, guide sign, achieve the action of visual guidance
thereby.
3.2.2. The Spatial Layout Design Method That
Conforms to The User's Psychological
Expectation
The expected direction of people's visual search in the
metro guiding space is influenced by people's general
cognition of the spatial layout of the metro guiding system
on the one hand, and by the subtle visual search habit on
the other hand. The spatial layout design of metro guide
signs should take these two aspects into consideration.
(1) The design of the metro visual guide system should
match with people's cognition of the spatial layout of the
metro visual guide system.
In the metro guiding environment, different spatial
positions correspond to different forms of signs, which
have their own common uses and fixed display contents.
The interior space elements of the metro include walls,
pillars, ceiling and floor, so according to the fixed position
of signs, they can be divided into wall signs, signs on
pillars, hanging signs, landmarks and standing signs [13].
The pointing signs on the wall are generally placed with
the guidance information and map information of each exit;
The signage on the column usually sets the transfer guide
information, the guide information of the toilet and the
elevator, and the name of the station. The suspended
signboards are always placed on the metro transfer stairs
and at the corner of the passage, and the information of
inbound, outbound and transfer directions with arrows is
usually placed. Most of the landmarks are the pointing
arrows of the transfer routes. Standing signs are placed on
fixed shelves on the ground, usually with maps of metro
lines with the names of each station and a map of the area.
Different spatial positions correspond to different forms of
signs and the conventional setting contents of all kinds of
signs, and people have formed a basic cognition and
judgment on this. Therefore, when people want to search
the expected target information, they will go to a specific
spatial location to look for a specific form of signage. For
example, if they want to search for inbound and outbound
information, they will generally pay attention to hanging
signs, and if they want to search for a large area of map
information, they will usually look for a standing sign.
According to different visual search task, the different
space position distribution to the obvious differences in
visual attention, and identification of space position and
represents a specific type of guidance information, so you
cannot blindly change identity information types
corresponding relation with the space location and identity,
otherwise it will conflict with people experience of
common sense, greatly reduce the visual search efficiency.
For example, if people think that advertising information
will appear on the hanging tag, don't blindly ground
identification as the main source of information, so can't
through the ground on the attached type identification
information instead of suspension's identity information,
only as a supplement and to emphasize information
auxiliary way, people won't be able to timely according to
the psychological expectations location to find specific
identity.
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(2) The design of the metro visual guidance system should
match people's visual search habits.
People in the metro environment and other space
environment, such as shopping malls, stations, have had
the experience of looking at the signs "find the way", so to
some extent will be affected by the subtle, forming a
spatial visual search habit. For example, people pay more
attention to the hanging signs above the space and often
ignore the signs on the ground. Therefore, in the design of
metro guidance system, we should focus on the study of
people's visual habits in space, explore people's visual
preferences and visual interest areas in spatial orientation,
and then carry out the spatial layout design of guidance
signs on this basis.
In the actual research, can be carried out in real metro
advertising scenario eye tracking test, using portable eye
movement device record eye movement behavior in the
process of passengers pathfinding, through the analysis of
eye movement data, found that people in the metro
advertising space in the characteristics and law of visual
search in the appropriate space, reasonable layout of
advertising information, so as to improve the efficiency of
visual search.
4. CONCLUSION
Metro is an indispensable part of people's daily travel. The
metro guidance system can provide passengers with
various information to help them find their way. In order
to improve the problems existing in the design of the
current metro guidance system, such as the lack of
dominant plane information and unreasonable spatial
arrangement, it is of practical significance to design the
metro guidance signs from the perspective of users' visual
search behavior. This study introduced the background
guidance theory into the design of the metro guidance
system, and analyzed the visual search mechanism of
people in the metro space based on the background guided
search model. The design principles of metro guide system
were put forward to improve the efficiency of visual
search. Improved design methods were put forward for the
plane vision elements and space location elements of the
metro guidance system, and the design system of the metro
guidance system was constructed. It is of theoretical
significance to the design of metro guidance system.
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