I’ve become a design snob. I can’t help it.
After years of reviewing consumer technology, I’ve come to realize that everything anyone builds and presents to the public…is design. Even colors, materials, typography, instructions—and airport signs.
The other day, I was passing through the Denver airport.
I was looking for the baggage claim. Is that so weird? Is that a super outlandish destination for someone in an airport?
The first sign I spotted very clearly indicated that the Baggage Claim was straight ahead.
Right? It’s an up arrow. That’s the universal symbol for “straight ahead.” Society settled on that convention years ago. On a vertical sign, there’s no way to display a flat arrow that actually points straight ahead. At least not without painting it on the floor.
So we, as a people, have agreed that “up” means “ahead.” With me so far?
So I walked a little farther, and found this sign!
OK, what? This time, the arrow is pointing down! What the hell does that mean!? Nobody uses “down” to mean “straight ahead!”
My conclusion: They must actually mean that I should go down. I should take the staircase or elevator.
Except there wasn’t one. The very same people who used an up arrow to mean “ahead”…are now using a down arrow to mean “ahead.”
Well, OK. Maybe they were having a bad day. Maybe Denver had budget cuts. Whatever.
But then what was I to make of the third sign I encountered?
OK, now they’re just screwing with us. This time, it’s an up arrow—and just past the sign, there’s an up escalator!
So wait: Does this up arrow mean “ahead?” Or does it actually mean “go up?”
We already know that Denver’s sign people don’t win any awards for consistency. The second sign had taught me that they sometimes use a down arrow to mean “ahead.” So this up-arrow sign could only mean one thing: Go up the escalator.
Well, I bit. I went up the escalator.
And I found myself at…the United Airlines VIP lounge.
“May I see your boarding pass, sir?”
Um, no. But I’ve got a hell of a bunch of signs I’d like to show you!
Ha! Totally. 🔜
I read an article - No need for physical street signs or street names in the future. Your phone will simply say " keep going straight " " turn right here", etc. You'll listen. No need to ( be confused by ) or verify using a physical road sign. Follow the digital bread crumbs.
And the confusing signs at Denver airport will no longer be an issue. Gulp!