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Sr Information Architect Specialist Sr User Experience Architect Specialist Sr Interaction Design Specialist Sr Navigational Systems Specialist Sr Usability Expert Specialist A Story about Navigation How can this be applied to navigating on Websites or developing fully integrated navigational systems? The Project The project is to show navigational systems (type, things, buildings, street signs). Signs that I use as a mental guide to get from my home to downtown San Francisco, like navigational systems on a Website help guide an end user to wayfind in cyberspace. I took these photographs while completing my project on navigation from my home to downtown San Francisco. This Web page is designed so an end user may view all my photos in order to visually read my story about navigation. My journey starts from my residence (see Figure 1). Figure 1 Now I'm walking down the stairs—this is how I travel—day in and day out. I never take the elevator to get down to the lobby. I'm outside looking back at the building where I live. The BLUE sign is up on the lamp post. It's a constant reminder of politics, a hypnotic suggestion, vote for so, and so! I don't know—who is BLUE? I've walked half-a-block, going east towards Van Ness Street. I turn right and start to walk down Franklin Street going south towards San José. The sign up on the lamp post is a SFMOMA ad. The building to the right is the EDD building (see Figure 2). Figure 2 I'm walking down Franklin Street. I can see the back of the EDD building (see Figure 3). Figure 3 Yet another colorful SFMOMA ad, I look up to see and ask to myself—is the sign still here? I know I'm going the right direction since it has been up for a while (see Figure 4). Figure 4 I've crossed Franklin Street, and I see one sign here (street sign) Redwood Street, including the apartment building with bricks on its facade (see Figure 5). Figure 5 I hit McAllister Street, yet another SFMOMA sign (see Figure 6). Figure 6 Another way I can see where I'm going is by looking down at the pavement, and it reads: Franklin Street (like headers in technical writing on a page). (See Figure 7). Figure 7 This manhole is colored from spray paint. I know I'm going the right way. Because I always notice this colored manhole, I know I'm going in the right direction. I always take the same path to catch a train at the MUNI station (see Figure 8). Figure 8 Across the street, I notice the San Francisco Unified School District's building (see Figure 9). Figure 9 I look up and see Fulton Street. Then I notice the colorful and nicely designed sign. This sign is a colorful Christmas-time sign, which cheers me up! (See Figure 10). Figure 10 I always walk between these gates and down the path lined with trees. It's a nice way to relax—a relief from city living (see Figure 11). Figure 11 I'm entering in now through the gates, and I walk down the pathway quickly to get to work (see Figure 12). Figure 12 These trees take me back to my childhood where I grew up in California. My grandmother was a designer (without a college degree) and ran her own business. My grandfather a mathematician from U.C. Berkeley, respected Department Chair at a college, and a kind Professor. The streets in California where I lived were lined with similar looking trees. The leaves scattered every place—especially in the fall. I used to play in the leaves, jumping up and down, sifting through the leaves on a fall day, waiting for my beloved grandmother to call me in for lunch or to help her on a design project. The colors of fall were ever so beautiful to me. On this day, it was a cold winter day on the verge of raining (see Figure 12). Figure 13 As I come out from the tree lined path, I can see City Hall dead-center in the middle, looking up—I see it. The gold dome is bright from a far distance because it's newly refurbished and repainted (see Figure 13). Figure 14 The War Memorial Opera House is a building I always pass coming and going from work (see Figure 14). Figure 15 Now I'm walking down Van Ness—southern direction. The street sign I see now is Grove Street (see Figure 15). Figure 16 I walk past Davies Symphony Hall. The building looks really old now to me. I notice it needs a new paint job. On the building facade, it says: feed the hungry (see Figure 16). Figure 17 Across the street an interesting building—entitled the Lighthouse (see Figure 17). Figure 18 Walking down Van Ness, I notice the green street sign is Hayes Street. Where the Rite Aid store is now located. At this location many years ago, Zim's was a restaurant open 24/7. You could always see the very bright lights from Market Street. I used to hang out with my friend John and our girlfriends (from out in the Avenues) at Zim's (when I was 17 years old); we both worked and dated girls. We used to have a lot of fun at Zim's. Then we would drive around and have fun! (See Figure 18). Figure 19 I've always been fascinated with this interesting building—the AAA building. An old building structure encased within the green windows and steel bars. Look closely at the building (see Figure 19). Figure 20 Fell Street usually has a lot of homeless people who hang around, and they beg for money all the time (see Figure 20). Figure 21 I always notice the speedometer sign up on the building. Now it's newly painted typography and repainted in bright green and bright red type (see Figure 21). Figure 22 I know I'm getting close to the MUNI station. Since I see the street sign Hickory Street up on the building, then I look up and see the One Way sign (see Figure 22). Figure 23 Crossing the street, then walk to Oak Street. I notice the green ATM sign, and I can see the Bank of America across the street and the Honda dealership (see Figure 23). Figure 24 Finally, I get to Van Ness (I notice <— 000 on the sign). I turn right and walk down stairs to get into the MUNI station. I board a train going to the Embarcadero station. The train is very crowded today. Ugh, I don't like crowded trains (see Figure 24). Figure 25 I'm walking up the stairs of the Embarcadero MUNI station. It's getting very cold and rainy. Work is just a few blocks west. I ran out of film, so this was the last shot I got. After taking photos, I run to Starbucks for some hot Chai tea with brown sugar in it (see Figure 25). top   |   back to portfolio Copyright ©—2007-2012. All rights reserved. Last updated: January 1, 2009 Steven Heitman, IA MAIA, IA MAEd Sr Information Architect Specialist Corporate Training Specialist IA Design & Usability