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Web Trend Map 2008: New Layers

Published on in Design

Those familiar with the new Swiss train station maps may recognize one source of inspiration. After meeting with our good friend Adrian Schaffner from evoq over the holidays, we studied his impressive work with mapping the Swiss train stations and adopted a few of the concepts ourselves.

Instead of cluttering the main stations with additional information, we elaborated on their trends by adding two new layers: brand quality and interface quality.

Brand Experience

We named the brand quality layer “Brand Experience.” It illustrates our perception of user experience and brand management of the main stations. We studied the usability, user value, and interface (simplicity, character, and feedback), and rated each site on a scale of eating at various types of Japanese restaurants.

Brand Experience

We chose restaurants as the metaphor for brand experience because, from an interactive branding point of view, a visit to a website is like a visit to a restaurant in terms of service, feedback, content, pleasure, character, and memorability. And also because Tokyo has the highest density of good restaurants in the world—even the cocky French have to admit that now.

Brand Experiences Leg

Momentum

In addition to excellent food, Tokyo also sports a wild party scene. We rate the main sites in terms of interface quality. A website’s momentum is comparable to the momentum of a dancer in action—or exhaustion.

Momentum Momentum Leg