After researching into schematic map usability and aesthetics for ten years, I created a London Underground concentric circles map in 2013, and was amazed by the response it generated. Similar reactions to designs for New York, Berlin and Paris showed that their powerful appearance uniquely captures public interest. It might be argued that such maps are easier to use, but objective data imply a different story. Every network is unique and requires schematic map design rules that match its properties, and subjective opinions on usability should never ever be trusted.
Maxwell Roberts
Lecturer of Psychology at the University of Essex
Maxwell Roberts completed a BSc and PhD in psychology at the University of Nottingham, UK, and joined the University of Essex as a lecturer in 1993. Originally researching into logical reasoning and intelligence, his focus is now on schematic map usability and aesthetics. He creates challenging new designs and also tests…
