Abstract

Public signs are graphical images for the provision of warnings, directions, regulations and guidance in all locations and all sectors where the public has access. One of the major deficiencies of the current practice of public design is that it is policymaker- and designer-oriented. To create more user-friendly graphical signs, the stereotype production method has been introduced to involve users as much as possible in phases of the conceptual design process. With the use of the stereotype production method, prospective users recommend pictorials for sign referents while designers recognise and integrate the common images users have for the signs in design. Therefore, the weights of the designs have been shifted from professional- to user-oriented, and both designers and users could play an active role in the sign design process. Comprehensive research on the effectiveness of the new practice for sign development, the stereotype production method, had never been reported. Taking public sign development in Hong Kong as a case study, this paper aims to identify and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the stereotype production method for sign development from the perspective of design participants, i.e., users and designers during the design process. The findings of this paper provide insights on developing useful guidelines for future implementation of the stereotype production method in future sign design practice.