Signage

Physical signage is an integral part of the way-finding experience of a public space, guiding people through the physical space and providing key information. Through user testing sessions, we’ve discovered that signs need to meet four objectives:

• Purpose: Describe the technology's purpose

• Accountability: Identify the responsible entity

• Data Collection: Explain if the technology collects personally identifiable information

• Feedback: Provide a means for residents to share their feedback.

These objectives focus on information that public users of DTPR are interested in learning about and align with what privacy and responsible technology experts deem essential for conveying regarding technology in the public domain. These objectives are symbolized by hexagons that join and interconnect in a Honeycomb formation, illustrating their interrelatedness.

This set of signage guidelines for how the information is to be displayed in the Honeycomb is comprised of the following components:

• Purpose Hexagon: primary purpose of the technology

  • Background colour: Black (#000000)

  • Icon and name of the first/top Purpose taxonomy item in the data chain

• Accountability Hexagon: primary entity accountable for the technology

  • Background colour: White (#FFFFFF)

  • Logo (and name if needed) of the first/top accountable organization in the data chain

• Feedback hexagon: link to the digital channel

  • Background colour: White (#FFFFFF)

  • QR code and short URL directing to the relevant page for the technology on the digital channel

    • QR code should be at least 2cm x 2cm to be scanned by smartphones

• Technology Type hexagon: primary technology used

  • *Required if there is an Identifiable or De-identified item in the data chain; optional otherwise

  • Logo and name of the first/top Technology Type taxonomy item in the data chain

  • Background colour should be the same as the taxonomy item used:

    • Yellow (#FFDD00): Indicates the collection of personally identifiable information. This encompasses data that may include various personal details such as names, IP addresses, biometric records, etc., which have the potential to identify an individual.

    • Blue (#36B2E6): Used for de-identified data, where personally identifiable information is collected, but no sensitive data that could identify an individual is retained.

    • White (#FFFFFF): Denotes scenarios where no personal identification data is collected.

  • If there are multiple Identifiable/De-identified items in the data chain, one can use more than one hexagon or select the one that is most important to communicate to the public

Examples to illustrate how signage can be implemented in various scenarios and showcase the use of colour and icons in the DTPR design system:

Example 1. Charlotte, USA - Road Safety Mobile App

This sign, deployed in Charlotte, NC in Fall 2023, highlights the pilot of a mobile app to help improve road safety. Importantly, the app does not collect personally identifiable information, which is reflected by the decision to not include a Technology Type icon on the sign.

This sign uses the Digital Trust for Places and Routines communication standard available at go.dtpr.guide/github. The Icons and Taxonomy are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).

Example 2. Washington, DC, USA - Automated Traffic Analysis

In this implementation, signs were deployed to communicate that the District Department of Transportation was testing technologies to improve bike and pedestrian safety.

In this specific case, the cameras were capturing identifiable video, and thus the technology hexagon is boldly coloured in yellow, a globally recognized 'warning' colour. This addition ensures effective communication and understanding of the visual language applied in real-world scenarios. For more information and guidance on the use of colour in the standard, visitHow DTPR was Developed.

This sign uses the Digital Trust for Places and Routines communication standard available at go.dtpr.guide/github. The Icons and Taxonomy are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).

Example 3. Sydney Olympic Park, Australia - Crowd Sentiment Analysis

In this case, no personally identifiable information was being retained. Thus the technology hexagon is boldly coloured in blue, a colour widely known for its calming properties and commonly used to provide information and guidance. The Sydney Olympic Park team decided to add the phrase “No personal information is being used or stored” in addition to the blue hexagon to more clearly communicate that all collected data is de-identified, enhancing understanding in practical use. For more information and guidance on the use of colour in the standard, visit How DTPR was Developed.

This sign uses the Digital Trust for Places and Routines communication standard available at go.dtpr.guide/github. The Icons and Taxonomy are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).

Examples of Alternative Designs that fulfil DTPR Signage Objectives

Signs may differ for various reasons, such as space constraints, limitations of the medium, diverse objectives, and more. Here we present specific examples of DTPR signs that deviate from the DTPR Signage Guidelines presented in the prior section, demonstrating various approaches to the design of signage including where the Honeycomb was not used.

Example 1. Innisfil, Canada - Waste Bin Sensor

Innisfil wanted to highlight the QR code and emphasize community interaction. This was accomplished by extracting the QR code from the Honeycomb, enlarging it to attract attention, and incorporating a text caption inviting feedback. Notably, this sign includes two purpose icons to reflect the dual nature of this technology.

This sign, despite not adhering to the Honeycomb design, effectively conveys the four essential details people expect: its purpose, the accountable entity, and a feedback option.

This sign uses the Digital Trust for Places and Routines communication standard available at go.dtpr.guide/github. The Icons and Taxonomy are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).

Example 2. Charlotte, USA - Electric Vehicle Charging Station

This sign informs residents about the upcoming deployment of an Electric Vehicle charging station, which includes a camera collecting de-identified images. According to the DTPR Signage Guidelines, the sign should have included a De-Identified Image icon. However, since this was a temporary sign to help residents understand what was being installed, an Electric Vehicle Charger icon was used instead for the Technology hexagon.

This sign uses the Digital Trust for Places and Routines communication standard available at go.dtpr.guide/github. The Icons and Taxonomy are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).

Example 3. Detroit, USA - Aerial Drone

This sign conveys the testing of an aerial drone, designed to provide lighting for pedestrians for safety and security reasons. Notably, this sign stands out as it incorporates two distinct Technology hexagons. One hexagon communicates the use of drone technology, recognizing that some individuals may not have a pre-existing understanding of drones. Additionally, the sign features another hexagon to communicate that this specific drone utilises person detection technology and collects de-identified data, providing a comprehensive overview of its functionalities.

This sign uses the Digital Trust for Places and Routines communication standard available at go.dtpr.guide/github. The Icons and Taxonomy are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).

Example 4. Porto, Portugal - Hotspot & Traffic CCTV

This sign communicates information about two technologies—public Wi-Fi and traffic CCTV—using a shared QR code that directs users to a centralized portal for both technologies. While DTPR signage typically focuses on a single technology per sign, our partners at Porto Digital wanted to understand how signage could support public awareness of these technologies across distinct zones (A, B, and C). In this case, the technologies, like Wi-Fi, span large areas, making it impractical to duplicate signage multiple times throughout the zone. To address this, each zone featured a single consolidated sign rather than separate signs for individual technologies, reducing redundancy and minimizing signage overload.

This sign uses the Digital Trust for Places and Routines communication standard available at go.dtpr.guide/github. The Icons and Taxonomy are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).

Example 5. Bristol, England - General Tech

This sign at Bristol Railway Station was designed as a general marker for all the technologies in the station, featuring a prominently large QR code to attract attention and provide a straightforward entry point for station visitors. Instead of focusing on detailed or static information about specific technologies, the sign connects users to a chatbot that answers general station-related questions. This approach ensures flexibility, eliminating the need for frequent updates to the signage as technologies or systems evolve. The bold headline and oversized QR code also work to enhance visibility, making it easy for travellers to scan and engage, even in the station’s busy, fast-paced environment.

This sign uses the Digital Trust for Places and Routines communication standard available at go.dtpr.guide/github. The Icons and Taxonomy are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).