Case Study: UI/UX redesign of a parking sign in the surroundings of Vanier College

Parking in Montreal is a bit like a secret code, hard to decipher even for locals. The signs that tell drivers where they can and cannot park are so complicated that even experienced drivers struggle to read them. These signs are full of information about parking rules during different times of the day or week, different seasons (summer and winter), and reserved areas for residents. All this information can be hard to understand, leading to confusion and even parking violations.

Montreal struggles with the challenge of communicating parking regulations effectively through signage. In many areas of the city, parking signs exhibit design flaws that can lead to confusion and frustration for residents and visitors alike. Let's analyze some of the common bad design elements found in Montreal parking signs.

1. Confusing and cluttered layout: Many Montreal parking signs have complex and wordy messages. Additionally, the signs have repetitive content and tend to cram too much information into a limited space, making it difficult for drivers to quickly understand the parking regulations in a particular area.
2. Ambiguous Time frames: Some parking signs fail to specify the exact hours and days when parking regulations are in effect. Ambiguity in terms of parking time frames can lead to parking violations and unnecessary stress for drivers. Clear and consistent information about when parking restrictions apply should be a priority in sign design.
3. Lack of Visual Hierarchy: Effective design relies on establishing a clear visual hierarchy, with the most important information being the most prominent. In many Montreal parking signs, the critical details, such as parking hours and permitted days, are not highlighted effectively. This can result in drivers overlooking essential information.
4. Lack of user-friendliness: Parking signs often rely heavily on text to convey information. Incorporating more universally understood graphic elements could help convey rules quickly and effectively to a broader audience, especially tourists and non-native speakers.
5. Inadequate Signage symbols: The lack of symbol standardization on park signs transforms navigation into a puzzle rather than a seamless experience. Symbols meant to convey simple messages, such as the sign allowing to park and not park diverge in design, leaving visitors deciphering an inconsistent lexicon. The absence of a unified symbol standardization leaves users dealing with an unintentional maze of visual information, decreasing the very purpose of effortlessly guide and enhance the park experience.