From Visual Behavior to Signage Design: A Wayfinding Experiment with Eye-Tracking in Satellite Terminal of PVG Airport

Passengers principally rely on signage to making wayfinding decisions in transportation buildings. Most existing research focuses on the analysis of the wayfinding trajectory, but there is less attention on the process of how passengers make the wayfinding decision. So, it is hard to accurately locate the causes of the wrong wayfinding decision. Taking the Satellite Terminal of Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG Airport) as an example, we adopted the eye-tracking technology and recorded the eye-tracking data of passengers observing the signage and making wayfinding decisions. Then, we compared and analyzed the data, presenting it by data visualization. This study found the causes of passengers making wrong wayfinding decisions and the visual behavior of wayfinding: the reconfirmation behavior, the priority of attention, and the clockwise observation. Finally, corresponding suggestions for signage design optimization are put forward regarding some wayfinding decision points. As a result, the optimized signage system in the satellite terminal is welcomed by the passengers two months later according to monthly questionnaires.