Road signs: Definition of technical terms for graphical components

During my research and design activities (2005-2014) in European funded research projects, it became evident that problems in communication within and among development-teams reduce the ability for effective collaboration. This text introduces new technical terms needed for the visual design of road signs.

Figure 1: Traffic signs: Definition of technical terms for graphical components

In the field of research based development of traffic signs, there is no tradition for interdisciplinary collaboration of experts in the field with designers. Relevant technical jargons exist, yet those are restricted by the historically determined cause of the teams, which is standardization.

Participation of professional visual designers is a novelty, and it is caused by the need for a detailed, in-depth engagement with every single graphical component of a road sign.

Due to new insights from perception research and Information Design, it is clear that the visual design of small graphical elements of road signs does effect road safety (see MOA Design Method, SOMS/In-Safety, Safeway2School). As a result, new cooperations of traditional teams including Information Designers are founded, bringing along the need to develop a new common language to take into account the enhanced complexity of the task.

As a foundation for the extension of the technical jargon, the illustration “Road signs: Definition of technical terms for graphical components” provides definitions, stemming from international sources. These terms should allow for effective verbal exchanges on the visual components of road signs.

The document TS-Definitions lists the technical terms, and their equivalents in German language, along with relevant resources.

Dieser Text ist in Deutscher Sprache abrufbar.

Stefan Egger, IIIDre, 2015-03-20. Definitions updated on 2018-10-19.

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Tagged: Definitions Design Development Graphical components Information Design Interdisciplinary collaboration Jargon Research Road safety Standardization Technical terms Termini Traffic signs