Boat / Port

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

Ship, Ferry, Water Transportation, Harbour, Seaport, Shipping Pier, Jetty, Marina, Anchorage, Mooring

Category

Transportation, Transport Facilities, Transport Modes, Travel, Public Facilities, Tourism

Message / Function

To indicate the location of shipping services

	Source	Description
	Québec	Clipped frontal view of boat at jetty, side view of crane with load, water shown as wavy contour
+	Icograda	Front view of boat at jetty, stairs, water shown as wavy line
	DER	Front view of ship at jetty, water shown as two wavy lines
	SVI	Front view of ship at jetty, water shown as two blue wavy lines
	Ecuador	Front view of ship at jetty, water shown as two wavy lines
	PMP RI	Front view of ship at jetty, water shown as two wavy lines
	SSRS	Front view of boat at jetty, water shown as two wavy lines
	Ecuador	Front view of boat at jetty, water shown as two wavy lines
	DER	Boat with human figures near jetty, water shown as two wavy lines
*	ÖNORM A 3011	Front view of boat with smoke on water, water shown as two wavy lines
+	Icograda	Side view of boat with smoke on water, water shown as two wavy lines
	ON Testdesign	Side view of boat with smoke on water, water shown as wavy line
	ON Testdesign	Side view of boat with smoke
	AIGA	Front view of ship on water, water shown as two wavy lines
	SADC	Front view of ship on water, water shown as wavy line
	O'72	Front view of ship on water
	Kapitzki	Front view of ship on water, water shown as two wavy lines
	ON Testdesign	Front view of boat on water, water shown as two wavy lines
*	ON Testdesign	Front view of boat on water, water shown as two wavy lines
	D'source	Front view of boat on water, water shown as wavy line
	BS 8501:2002	Side view of boat on water, water shown as two wavy lines
	ISO 7001	Side view of boat on water, water shown as two wavy lines
	Tern	Side view of boat on water, water shown as two wavy lines
	Slovenia 2015	Side view of boat on water, water shown as two curved lines
	ON Testdesign	Side view of boat on water, water shown as three wavy lines
	StVO D	Side view of boat on water, water shown as two wavy lines
	TAC	Side view of boat on water, water shown as two wavy lines
	ÖBB 2007	Side view of boat on water, water shown as two wavy lines
	BS 8501:2002	Side view of motor yacht on water, water shown as two wavy lines
	BTA 1989	Side view of motor yacht on water, water shown as wavy line
	Picto'grafics	Side view of boat on water, water shown as two wavy lines
	Parks Canada	Side view of boat on water, passengers indicated by dots, water shown as wavy line
	SVI	Side view of boat on water, water shown as two blue wavy lines
	U.S. National Park Service	Side view of front part of boat on water shown as wavy line
	EJP	Side view of front part of boat on water, water shown as wavy contour
	EJP	Side view of front part of boat on water, water shown as wavy contour
	EJP	Side view of front part of boat on water, water shown as wavy contour
	Swiss Post	Side view of front part of boat on water, water shown as wavy contour
	SWISSTRAFFIC	Side view of front part of boat on water in outline, water shown as wavy line
+	London Transport	Side view of boat
	UIC 413 b	Side view of boat
	CNIS	Side view of boat
	Eco-Mo Foundation	Side view of boat
	Bolivia	Anchor
*	Dreyfuss	Anchor
	EJP	Anchor
	Expo 67	Anchor
	NPS	Anchor
	Icograda	Pier with bollard, water shown as two wavy lines
	Icograda	Pier with bollard, water shown as two wavy lines
	Icograda	Boat steering wheel

Note: Some of the pictogram variants above were mirrored horizontally to contrast differences.

Discussion

The collection shown above is only a small selection of the wide variety of pictograms used all over the world to signify Boat, Boats or Port. There are several general concepts and a multitude of visualizations. This reflects the heterogeneity of boats or ships due to the type of use: from large ocean-going ships to river boats and other smaller inland water vessels. And there is no single type of safe place for ships like a port or harbor that may be signified by a pictogram: often a differentiation between Port and Marina, where privately owned boats (such as yachts) are kept, is necessary. Furthermore some places where boats stop are not big piers, but may be just small structures used for taking on passengers. These circumstances sometimes require specific signage that may not work just on basis of pictograms.

A number of studies examined several aspects regarding this referent:

Gehringer (1979) explored which mental images or visual stereotypes exist concerning the message Jetty or Shipping Pier using the Production Method. More than 90 % of the responses were covered by three concepts: a boat (45 %), a boat plus anchor (41 %), and just an anchor (8 %).

In Appropriateness Ranking Tests conducted for the Austrian Standards Institute (Brugger, 1977 a), the Icograda student project (Frascara) and the ISO test series 1979/80 (Easterby & Graydon, 1981 a) more than 40 pictogram variants of the referent Boat were tested. Variants in the top ranks mostly were smaller ships, while pictograms showing large ocean-going ships like the AIGA and the O'72 versions were seen as less appropriate.

Among the pictogram variants tested for comprehension (Brugger, 1977 b, marked with *, Easterby & Graydon, 1981 b, marked with +) all reached more than 70 % correct responses. Not surprisingly responses for the anchor based variant were more often related to harbour and anchoring.

In a Japanese study to propose domestically unified graphical symbols based on scientific methods, the pictogram variant labeled as Eco-Mo Foundation reached a comprehension score of 95.6 regarding Ship / Ferry / Port, an almost perfect value (Eco-Mo Foundation, 2001).

Fiori (2008) examined a map symbol almost identical with the version labled AIGA in the table above and 84.9 % of the responses could be classified as correct.

Recommendations

Due to the fact that images of boats differ to a very large extent depending on their intended purpose, just as much as piers and landing places, maybe no single image will satisfy the complete range of uses for large ocean-going ships to river boats and other smaller inland water vessels. Therefore we recommend conducting specific research for two separate referents using the Comprehensibility Estimation procedure and Comprehension Tests that will deliver useful data for recommending one or several pictograms. Detailed information about the most frequent responses given in each of the response categories should be provided to correctly judge comprehensibility and improve designs. If a single image - e.g. like the pictogram provided by the Eco-Mo Foundation - could cover the whole range of boats and landing places, such a variant should be preferred.

Tests of pictograms of referent Boats / Port

Brugger, Ch. (1977 a): Abschlußbericht über den Reihungstest. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute, Vienna, 1977-07-27.

Brugger, Ch. (1977 b): Abschlußbericht über den Erkennungstest. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute, Vienna, 1977-10-04.

Easterby, R.S. & Graydon, I.R. (1981 a): Evaluation of Public Information Symbols: ISO Test: 1979/80 Series. Part I: Appropriateness Ranking Tests. AP Report 99, Applied Psychology Department, University of Aston in Birmingham, January 1981.

Easterby, R.S. & Graydon, I.R. (1981 b): Evaluation of Public Information Symbols: ISO 1979/80 Test Series. Part II: Comprehension/Recognition Tests. AP Report 100, Applied Psychology Department, University of Aston in Birmingham, January 1981.

Eco-Mo Foundation (2001): Test data of public information symbols in Japan - Procedure for the testing of public information symbols by the Study Committee. ISO: ISO/TC 145/SC 1 N 329.

Fiori, S. R. (2008): Mapas para o turismo e a interatividade - proposta teórica e prática. Tese de Doutorado - Depto. de Geografia, FFLCH-USP.

Gehringer, J. (1979): Untersuchung über die zeichnerische Gestaltung von Pictogrammen in Abhängigkeit von einigen Persönlichkeitsmerkmalen, sowie Überprüfung einiger Bildzeichen auf ihre Erkennbarkeit. Dissertation, Psychology Department, University of Vienna.