Way Out also has the disadvantage of being a pun. It might be fun and appropriate on a website, but as you point out, in an airport, where people have plans to catch, the error could be a problem.
Note that at least in the US, FAA language is notoriously unfriendly to regular people, let alone those who don't speak English as a first language. Only on an airline would you refer to "lavatories" and "illuminating" the seat belt sign rather than using more common words. Diana On Tue, Sep 1, 2009 at 8:59 AM, Calvin <je...@jeepu.net> wrote: > Vancouver, Canada recently opened a new subway system called "Canada > Line" (http://www.canadaline.ca). While I notice quite a few issues > in the whole passenger experience, one thing that makes me wonder the > most is the exit sign: instead of printing "Exit", they use "Way > Out". My thoughts: > > - "Exit" is almost the international standard word to indicate an > exit route. I believe most ESL people can still understand the word > and recognize it as symbol even if they don't know English. > > - Don't try to be clever and reinvent the experience. Using an > example from Steve Krug's "Don't Make Me Think", one should use > well-known terms like "home", "about us", "jobs" instead of > "Learn More about Calvin", "Wanna get hired?" > > - According to Jhenifer Pabillano from Translink.ca blog, the > decision of printing "Way Out" was made by the private contractor > InTransit BC, who thought "Way Out" was more descriptive and would > be easily understandable by an international ridership. (see #link1) > I am curious what matrix or user study, if any, they used to support > this argument? > > For more details of my thoughts you may visit my blog at > http://calvin-c.com/blog/way-out > > > > #link1: > > http://buzzer.translink.ca/index.php/2009/08/canada-line-roundup-even-more-pics-and-video-and-passport-stamp-info/#comment-19912 > ________________________________________________________________ > Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! > To post to this list ....... disc...@ixda.org > Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe > List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines > List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help > ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
