Client: Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
Location: New York City
Overview:
This award-winning project, launched in 2014, was a pioneer in transit and digital-out-of-home (DOOH) signage design—establishing best practices that have since shaped the industry. Tasked with bringing the MTA’s wayfinding and digital communication into the modern era, our team integrated real-time data, new sensor technology, and fragmented messaging systems into a cohesive, user-centered digital framework.
Approach:
- Conducted user research to understand the context in which riders engage with digital signage—from station entrances to platforms and on-car displays.
- Created messaging standards and hierarchies that clearly distinguished critical alerts from general service information and advertising content, addressing safety, clarity, and brand consistency.
- Developed a flexible CMS platform enabling IT, marketing, and sponsor teams to update content dynamically, while maintaining control over quality and consistency.
- Piloted new signage formats, iterated designs with real riders, and evolved the system based on feedback to ensure accessibility and usability across diverse rider populations.
