People and Systems (PAS) Lab paslab.com.au

Examining intuitive navigation in airports

Andrew Cave ar.cave@qut.edu.au

Thea Blackler a.blackler@qut.edu.au

Vesna Popovic v.popovic@qut.edu.au

Ben Kraal b.kraal@qut.edu.au

Queensland University of Technology Brisbane, Australia

• Increasing passenger numbers

• Size of airports has grown

• Wayfinding systems can be expensive

• Passengers can have difficulty finding their way

Navigation in airports

• Passengers must navigate to processing points

Arrive at airport

Check-in Security Customs

Reta

il

Boarding gateR

eta

il

The airport process

• Intuitive Navigation is:

• Fast, semi- conscious / non-conscious decisions that are often correct

• This is enabled by prior- experience

Intuitive navigation

• Used eye tracking glasses at an Australian International Airport

• 30 participants

• Navigate through to the boarding gate

• Video and talk aloud protocol

• Questionnaire to determine Airport Environment Familiarity (AEF) Score

Methodology

• Cave et al (2013) established link between intuitive navigation and prior knowledge / familiarity

• Now we examine how participants with Low, Medium and High AEF used the airport.

Prior knowledge / familiarity and navigation

Low AEFMedium AEF

High AEF

• Look at 3 examples

1. To check-in

2. To security line entry

3. To the boarding gate

Examining intuitive navigation

3 ways to locate to check-in

1. Use airline info eg airline signs around check-in desk

2. Examine the flight information board (FIB) to locate Row number

3. A combination of 1 and 2. Try to use airline information, then switch to using FIB and row number

3 ways to locate to check-in

To the check-in desk

To security screening

• One of three actions

1. Proceed straight through to the entrance

2. Hesitate, and examine the area

3. Confuse LAGS preparation bench for security screening preparation, and navigate to bench

To security screening

To security screening

• Participants either:

1. Locate boarding gate first

2. Navigate to discretionary activity first

First airside activity

First airside activity

• Low, medium and high familiarity passengers can use the airport differently…

• Airports should:

• Provide a range of navigation elements to assist passengers using different strategies

• Ensure activities use different elements to avoid confusion

• Design for passengers with different navigation priorities

Implications for design

Conclusion

Thank you for your attention

Questions?

Email: ar.cave@qut.edu.au

Twitter: @AndrewCave

Examining intuitive navigation in airports

People and Systems (PAS) Lab paslab.com.au

Queensland University of Technology Brisbane, Australia