According to the book How to Make Sense of Any Mess, author Abby Covert defines information as a concept that was not invented in the information age, but a subjective message defined by the user themselves (2015).
Generally, message designers intend to deliver information to receivers. They usually send a public message like news, or a product like an advertisement. However, information designers actively impose such information on the audience, and the information is received passively by the audience. This passivity can lead to misunderstandings if the receiver does not fully understand the message. Nowadays, people live in an overloaded information society. They prefer to use an active approach to fixedly and quantitatively find the target information that they want, not just receive what is sent out by the designers. However, many factors influence the receiver’s correct understanding of information.
For example, a subway’s arrival at the platform is supposed to be an objective fact. However, the actual arrival time, the waiting time that’s on the station display, and the expectation of the waiting time by a subway rider can all be different. According to my observation of Chicago’s CTA, the displayed waiting time is a predetermined average that is not accurate. The updated time gets refreshed only when the subway is already approaching the station, sometimes within 10 seconds of arrival. That means the actual distance between the subway and the station is not actively synchronized and displayed on the platform in real-time. This results in waiting time latency. From a commuter perspective, when they are in a rush or cold weather, waiting for the subway feels longer than expected. Therefore, information is often misunderstood or miscommunicated at that stage.
The waiting time can be interpreted differently by different parties. Information designer Covert says in her book, “Reality involves many players” (2015). As we go through the mess, we, as information designers, need to be aware of potential conflicts that receivers may see, and we must interpret the information under various circumstances.
If information designers of subway waiting time displays took user needs into account, the user experience would be different. For instance, designers could add an actual waiting time message beside the predetermined time, like the subway will “arrive early in X minutes” or “late in X minutes.” This meets user expectations and helps the user get more meaningful information. Undoubtedly, the subway should just run absolutely on time with the schedule. In an ideal world, the subway was on schedule, everyone had the same information and expectations — with no miscommunication.
In addition, according to the book: Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man by Marshall McLuhan, he says that “The medium is the message” (1964). He emphasizes that the medium as a message delivery platform is also a part of the information, meaning the platform that we use to send information is as important as the information itself. Subway waiting time displays are a medium. However, the display is only located at the station. In other words, the user can only receive the information when they arrive at that particular location. Information designers could extend the information to other mediums, such as mobile applications. Then the schedule is updated simultaneously and with easy access. This would be helpful and reassuring to the user. A mobile app is a positive extension of the medium. Likewise, placing waiting time displays in nearby malls and apartments allows users easy access through other mediums.
In conclusion, as an information designer, we must understand that information is subjective, and the meaning can be dramatically different from different parties’ POVs because of different circumstances. We should design something that’s more user centered. Moreover, we should not only see the importance of information itself, but also emphasize the medium. The medium itself can be a powerful tool to deliver messages on a large scale.
REFERENCES
Covert, A. (2015). “How to make sense of any mess.” Abby Covert.com
Review: http://www.howtomakesenseofanymess.com/
McLuhan, M. (1964). “Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man.”
Review: https://canvas.colum.edu/courses/20711/files/2416869?wrap=1
