Your mission is to design “back of the napkin directions” or a “nickel tour” for a friend. Merely walking on campus from classroom to dorm does not qualify for this assignment. Make it fun and interesting for someone to visit you (or go for an outing). It has to be a place where you enjoy walking (or running), a path you know intimately without looking it up online (e.g. daily exercise, a tourist place, relaxation spot, a nature hike). Imagine that a friend will be visiting and you are giving them insider tips. What have they got to see, try, do? Your map must include a start marker, an end marker, location markers, a distance scale, a clearly marked path, and a compass rose to indicate orientation and direction.
PROCESS INSTRUCTIONS (time required: 1 to 2 hours)
Rhetorical situation
Purpose: Way finding map to a visitor you like
Context: A visual guide for a physical tour
Audience: A friend who will follow your route and wants to know where to go
Process Instructions
- First list the places of interest to you, where you are the expert. What things would you like to show a person who visits you? Recommend stops or things to see along the way. What is something unique or interesting about your tour that you want to share about? What is your keen advice if they’re only visiting you for a few hours? It could be a map you take together, or they follow alone. The map has to be a hand drawn route, with essential orientation details (see checklist).
Note that I check on Google Maps that your route exists and can be followed. - For your research, do a cognitive walkthrough (Ware, pp. 162-164) in your mind: Locate the starting point, interest locations, and the destination. Write down the steps to go from start to destination first. Use your itinerary to to inform the visual design of your map. What are the choices, decision points, and landmarks that will help reduce uncertainty about the path? What interesting points should they stop and see. What landmarks or data will they need to know how far to walk (distance) and what to look before a turn? Roughly sketch this preliminary map. Decide on the gestalt layout, and minimal text to include. Use what we have learned to decide on the visual markers, colors, textures, shapes and lines. Take a picture of this rough sketch.
- Help the brain direct the eye along the map to find the route. It will help to show a friend your sketch and ask them to talk as they navigate your map. Consider asking these questions about how the map tells them:
- How does your map answer visual queries (see Ware,pp.18,59, 165)?
- What’s the route to follow?
- What options do I have to get there?
- How long/far is it (to the marker)?
- Where do I turn (what can I see or hear)?
- How do I know I’m on the right path? Where might I be confused?
- Do I need money for tolls?
- Should I take hiking boots?
- Why are you recommending these spots?
- Create a final map and show another friend. Remember to include all required visual items. Ask them the questions above.
- Post to your blog 3 photos of your map. You can upload additional photos.
- One photo shows the rough sketch map that was shown to a friend.
- One photo of the finished map route.
- The second photo focuses on a detailed section of your map.
Fill out this checklist AFTER you have completed your assignment and post it in your Portfolio Blog.