Ged Carroll

Hidden information design

Published: (Updated: ) in design | 設計 | 예술과 디자인 | デザイン, innovation | 革新 | 독창성 | 改変, london | 倫敦 | 런던 | ロンドン by .

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I’ve stared at UK mainline railway station departure boards at many times over the years, yet there is hidden information design that I just caught on to. I am usually fixated on the platform number and whether it will leave on time. So it was only this week that I picked up on the hidden information design of this little train ideogram as a footnote at the bottom of each destination on London Euston station’s display. I have been staring at this screen on and off for two decades as I travelled to see families or clients.

Once you realise that the ideogram is there, it’s a revelation as it gives you a lot of pertinent information at a glance.  Just look at the picture I took of it below

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Ideogram as hidden information design on train departure board.

The diagram flips, this was the dominant image.  It shows:

It would be interesting to see if this data was available in API form for apps or web service usage and what could be done with it. More related content here

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