Having defined my wider design ambition as connecting airport journey information, sensory accessibility and traveller-controlled assistance, I wanted to consider how this might be communicated visually. I deliberately collected references before committing to a name, logo or final colour palette. This allows me to examine the design principles that could support the proposed system rather than choosing an aesthetic and then trying to fit the project around it.
I selected examples of airport and accessibility wayfinding, digital interfaces and graphic identities found through Behance, and organised them into three visual research boards. My intention is to look critically at information hierarchy, recognisable actions, consistency across touchpoints and the role of colour. These boards are inspiration and visual analysis, not evidence that any particular design approach has been tested with autistic adults.
The first board looks at environmental graphics and wayfinding. I was drawn to the large directional signage, pictograms, maps and digital journey information because they demonstrate how visual design can operate across a physical setting rather than inside one app. The bold orange sign is particularly interesting as an example of a highly visible information object, while the other examples show how journeys can be described through maps, symbols and spatial guidance.
For my project, the important design question is whether information remains consistent as a traveller moves between airport signs, screens, environmental information and assistance points. A clear sign may work at one point in a journey, but it does not automatically explain how to find quieter spaces or request help when plans change. This led me to consider a visual system that connects different touchpoints without assuming that each should contain identical information.
These references also made me think about hierarchy and legibility. Large type, directional arrows and strong contrast can make a current action more noticeable, but a visually striking sign is not necessarily accessible to everybody. I will need to test which information is prioritised, what supplementary detail remains retrievable and whether the graphics can be understood within a real airport context.
The second board concentrates on digital interaction and the presentation of choice. The references include approachable onboarding screens, simple controls, card-based information, status displays and recognisable interface icons. I was interested in how these designs use scale, spacing and clearly differentiated actions to help a user recognise what to do next.
This relates directly to my current communication-first proposition. If a confirmed gate change occurs, I want to investigate whether a traveller can immediately identify the revised instruction while retaining access to the wider journey, environmental options and assistance. The interfaces also encouraged me to think about the difference between presenting choices and overwhelming someone with choices.
Some of the references use friendly characters, playful forms and bright colours. Although these can create a welcoming visual identity, I do not want to assume that a playful style is suitable for all autistic adults or that simplifying an interface necessarily makes it easier to use. At this stage I am analysing potential approaches to clarity and approachability, not selecting a mascot or a final interface style.
The third board explores visual identity more closely, particularly colour relationships, typography and graphic motifs. The references combine purples, blues, greens, yellows and coral tones with expressive shapes, badges and digital gradients. I am interested in the way a colour system can give related materials a shared character while making different functions recognisable.
However, colour would need a defined purpose in my proposed airport system. It might help distinguish journey updates, environmental information and assistance, but important meanings could not depend on colour alone. I would also need to investigate contrast, readability, consistency and the risk of adding visual noise. A palette that looks appealing on a presentation board does not establish that it is comfortable or accessible for the intended users.
I therefore see colour exploration as part of developing a communication system rather than simply branding it. The final choices should be justified by the functions they perform and reviewed with users, not by an assumption that one set of colours is universally calming.
Looking across the three boards, I am beginning to see a possible link between physical wayfinding, digital interaction and graphic identity. The signage references highlight the importance of clear direction and consistency in the environment. The app references prompt questions about information hierarchy and understandable choices. The colour-focused work suggests how different touchpoints might belong to the same visual language.