Mikko Airikka
MA thesis
2020
Designing better tourist maps: How can illustration be used to improve the functionality of a tourist map?
This Master’s Thesis examined the functionality of tourist maps. Through the research conducted in the thesis, the aim was to find out how to create tourist maps not only aesthetically appealing, but properly functioning for information acquisition purposes. The emphasis of the research was on finding out what kind of visual styles should be used when striving to design a functional tourist map and how illustration can be used to improve the functionality of tourist maps. The purpose of the research was also to identify different kinds of problematic issues appearing on tourist maps designed by graphic designers. As part of the thesis, three different versions of Suomenlinna tourist maps were designed for research purposes.
Link to thesis: http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-201911076031