metro maps

metro maps are everyday icons...


...though many people haven't the slightest clue that someone (usually quite talented) designs them. these maps define a city more than any logo ever could, and typically they exist for decades before they are redesigned. what's more, they're plastered all over every city map, guide book, billboard, and sign in their respective cities. i can attest to the fact that the shape and colors of the dc metro map is indelibly inked into my brain.


there's also an additional pressure to not only create a metro map that holds design credibility, but also one that accurately represents the transit system. after all, this is the map's core purpose.


washington dc (holler!) is in the process of updating their metro map this year. it is evident that the district is taking the redesign seriously... they re-hired the designer, lance wyman, that made the original map...40 years ago. he is now 73 years old. even the washington post recognized that "Wyman is embarking on a redesign that’s fraught with peril". though i wish i could provide a peek at the new map, i only have the current version, below. while it certainly serves is purpose, the map is beginning to seem outdated with it's thick, bold lines. dc is also constructing several new lines which alone, necessitate a redesign.

photo courtesy of washingtonpost.com

fast co design just published a redesign of london's tube map by mark noad. they cite that "according to research by nyu professor zhan gao, 30% of travelers choose the wrong route on the current london tube map, which has twice as many transit lines and is just as likely to be squinted at on a smartphone as gazed at on a wall". this brings up another valid point that designers must consider: how will designs look on an electronic device vs. print media? noad has cleverly chosen to split london's very rectangular map into sections, making it more manageable to view on mobile devices. he also "tries to 'square the circle' between geographical accuracy and visual simplicity -- and add additional usability updates like condensed typography that make the map easier to use on-screen as well as in print". below is the current london tube map, followed by noad's redesign.

what are your thoughts on the redesign? any suggestions for other redesign candidate cities?

images courtesy of fastcodesign.com

infographics are my favorite

interesting information + great graphics = infographics


i didn't even know there was a specific name for these, nor a group of people that are lucky enough to create them for a living. i have a nerdy love of information and interesting facts, so to add beautiful design into the mix makes infographics a borderline obsession for me. 


infographics may not directly relate to branding per se, but the concept is utilized by commercial companies, non profits, and government agencies alike to make complex (and perhaps boring) data more palpable and digestible. this in turn, can have an enormous effect on branding because information that would otherwise go unnoticed and unread is recognized by consumers. this is particularly compelling and significant when infographics support a cause, such as relaying messages to the public about the poor nutrition quality of an average school cafeteria lunch, or about how little it takes for community health workers to save lives in third world countries. plus, people like me would probably even hang a few infographics on a wall as artwork.


GOOD is a 'media platform website' that has all around awesome news articles, great writers, and best of all, stellar (and frequent!) infographics. find them archived here; below are some of my favorites.


has anyone ever made their own infographic? i've been brainstorming my ideas but haven't settled on one yet.

infographics c/o good.is