PMQ Wayfinding System
Wayfinding & Strategy
Hong Kong
September-December 2018
Current State - Partly implemented
Leading a team of 4 from the HK Polytechnic University, School of Design
The Brief
— Improve PMQ's Wayfinding System
Before revitalisation, PMQ was built in 1951 as the Police Married Quarters. In November 2010, the HKSAR Government announced the plan to preserve the site for creative industries uses.
PMQ comprises two main buildings namely Hollywood and Staunton which are named after their adjacent roads. Building Hollywood and Staunton are linked on 4/F to encourage circulation between them.
Audit Insights #1
— Inconsistency & Repetitiveness
A series of wayfinding audits and shadowing were conducted at the site to understand the painpoints. The lack of organisation of a wayfinding system has left users confused in the journey.
Interviews Insights #2
— 2 Biggest Features of the Site not Prominent
"It is difficult to find
QUBE (the main event space) and what it is for."
"I do not know there are heritage spots here!"
The research led us to rescope our brief into two main parts:
i) finding the way to the main event venue (the Qube) and
ii) leading users on a self-discovery journey to the 7 heritage spots.
The Idea — The Box that Opens to Creativity and History
Prototyping & 3 Rounds of User Testing
— Refining the Signposting with Contrast
Journey Shadowing with Prototypes
Understanding the Messaging
Regconisation
Reviewing Legibility
Placement Testing
Symbol Testing
Refined Prototypes
Final Deliverables — the Qube
Final Deliverables — Heritage Spot
Implementation — Heritage Partly Implemented
PMQ is slowly implementing the new wayfinding system, starting from the iconography of the heritage spots.
