Art and Politics: A Study on Design for Scenario-based Information Guide Map

Abstract

It could be said that the epitome of well-designed information is an easily comprehensible and comprehensive map. If a map functions well, its practicality is without question. It stands as a good example of the efficiency of the medium and the readiness of its user to collaborate in the language of communication it demands. Mapping the area occupied The Kwanak campus of Seoul National University(SNU) is an equally imposing proposition and traditionally the maps produced have long been regarded as inadequate, containing insufficient and inaccurate information, which often misleads the user. My first task was to take these existing maps and thoroughly examine their usefulness, paying particular regard to the possibility of integrating the online digital technology within the University's web site, in order to maximize their value. In collaboration with my class of undergraduate students, I decided to take as sample cases, three different category of user, so as to test, both the status quo and any subsequent solutions I may devise, in the wake of my enquiry. The demands on a map made by staff, students, and visitors. These examples were to form my user groups for the project and provide the necessary scenarios for the investigation. The advantage of incorporating an online interpretation is that it has the facility of hypertext, infinitive space and the efficient search characteristics, being able to enlarge detail on demand, zooming in and out at will. These are luxuries that the offline maps cannot enjoy, simply limited by their two-dimensional state. Would it be possible to integrate the virtual language of the online the diagrams, the icons and introductory text, with the paper version and all its drawbacks? Can one expect this 'hybrid' to be as convenient as a well-conceived offline version? Can we produce maps that are customized to the needs of the user? Will we ever reach a situation where a paper map is redundant? The basis of this inquiry is therefore to explore the potential of an 'eMap' for the Kwanak campus, but an eMap with a difference. It is to be a true aid by which to navigate the location, be interactive enough to provide personal interpretations and have the capacity for translation as a printed artefact. This is a quest to discover a solution to a very complex graphic communication problem that some might consider insolvable. The aim of this study was to produce a customized digital information map for each scenario under the Traffic/Service/Administration headings, designed to demonstrate how each could locate a particular place - an information guide map. To accomplish this, I intend to present a new navigation interface and enlightened methods of map-making.