Porter

Synonyms

Porter Service, Porter Services, Baggage Assistant

Category

Public Facilities, Transportation, Transport Facilities, Travel

Message / Function

To indicate the location of a porter or baggage assistant

	Source	Description
	Schiphol	Side view of standing human figure wearing cap holding sack barrow with suitcase
	ÖNORM A 3011	Side view of human figure wearing bellboy cap pushing sack barrow with suitcase
	Tern	Side view of human figure wearing bellboy cap pushing sack barrow with suitcase
	ADV	Side view of human figure pushing sack barrow with suitcase
*	ICAO	Side view of human figure wearing cap pushing sack barrow with bag
	D'source	Side view of human figure wearing cap, pushing sack barrow with case
	ISO 7001	Side view of human figure wearing skull cap pushing cart with bag on it
	O'72	Side view of human figure wearing bellboy cap pushing cart with bag
*	ON Testdesign	Side view of human figure wearing bellboy cap pushing cart with suitcase
	O'72	Front view of human figure wearing cap carrying two pieces of luggage
	Pierce	Front view of human figure wearing bellboy cap carrying two pieces of luggage
	D'source	Front view of human figure carrying two pieces of luggage, one on head
*	ON Testdesign	Side view of human figure wearing bellboy cap carrying suitcase
	NS 1980	Side view of sack barrow with suitcase
	UIC 413 b	Side view of sack barrow with suitcase
	Picto'grafics	Side view of sack barrow with bag
	Dreyfuss	Side view of sack barrow

Note: Some of the examples shown above were mirrored horizontally to contrast differences.

Discussion

The range of pictograms shown in the table above gives a good hint of the diversity of variants and image contents available to convey the message Porter / Baggage Assistant. No single visual stereotype can be identified.

Several studies present research covering a couple of pictogram variants for this referent. These papers offer some useful information:

Kraft (1976) examined five pictogram variants to indicate the location of a porter or baggage assistant using an Appropriateness Ranking Test. Pictograms showing human figures transporting or carrying luggage were judged as more appropriate than a variant displaying just a side view of a sack barrow with suitcase.

Results of a Comprehension Test (Brugger, 1977) showed that the pictogram variants of a person wearing a cap and pushing a cart or a sack barrow with a suitcase (testitems marked with a star) are quite well understood with more than 80 % correct responses. In another Comprehension Test (Brugger, 1990), the previous results were confirmed for the pictogram labeled as ÖNORM A 3011.

In a Matching Test with a set of 29 symbols (Zwaga & Boersema, 1983) the variant from the Dutch Railways (NS 1980) reached 75.5 % correct responses. This again indicates that pictograms based on a side view of a sack barrow with suitcase, but without a person pushing it, probably convey the intended message less well.

Zwaga & Poppinga examined the pictogram variant from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport in their undated study Identification and Legibility of Graphic Symbols. In the comprehension task according to ISO 9186:1999 this pictogram reached a comprehension score of 85 , and 98 % of the respondents identified the image content correctly as a man with a cap pushing a trolley with a suitcase on it. Regarding that the respondents in this study were mostly persons with higher education, previous test results are confirmed.

Recommendation

Porter

Based on test results from research available we recommend the use of a pictogram similar to pictogram No 35 of ÖNORM A 3011 part 1 to signify Porter Service. This symbol also ensures a clear differentiation from Baggage Trolley or Cart.

Tests of pictograms of referent Porter Service

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

Brugger, Ch. (1990): Abschlußbericht über den Verständnistest. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute (ON) dated 10/90, Vienna.

Kraft, E. (1976): Ranking-Test. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute (ON) dated 09/76, Vienna.

Zwaga, H.J. & Boersema, T. (1983): Evaluation of a set of graphic symbols. Applied Ergonomics, 14, 1, 43-54.

Zwaga, H.J.G. & Poppinga, J.: Identification and Legibility of Graphic Symbols; Towards a standard for public information symbols. Internal Report, Psychological Laboratory, University of Utrecht