Mappedin Print
Bridging digital and physical wayfinding with automatically generated, print-ready maps.
- When
- 2018–2019
- Where
- Mappedin
- What I did
- Product design, User research, User testing, Prototyping
Outcomes
- Cut print-map production time in half compared with the manual agency workflow.
- Co-inventor on US Patent US10606532B1 for generating printable maps.
- Exported matching vector PDF, identifier SVG, and XML directory files that dropped into Adobe InDesign templates.
Context
Even with digital wayfinding, malls and airports still needed printed directory maps across their properties. External agencies converted the live 3D map data into print by hand, which took weeks and went out of date whenever a store moved.
Why a 1-click PDF export wasn't enough
We assumed customers wanted a flat PDF export. Interviews with venue graphic designers and tests of early exports in Adobe InDesign showed otherwise.
Infinite zoom vs. a fixed scale
Putting 300 stores on one fixed artboard made store numbers collide inside small units and pushed the legend past 60 digital categories.
Last-mile customization
Production designers needed editable vector geometry, separate icons, and structured directory text in InDesign, not a locked image.
What we shipped
Three editable files that work together
Each export produced a vector PDF map, an SVG of store identifiers and amenity icons, and an XML directory listing that flowed into InDesign templates.
Category mapping with warnings
New stores could drop off the printed legend if their category wasn't mapped. A taxonomy mapper let authors group detailed digital categories into a short print list and flagged any unassigned category before export.
Callout routing and density controls
When a unit was too small to fit a store number readable from standing distance, the placement algorithm routed a lead-line callout into open space. This approach is covered by US Patent US10606532B1, which I co-invented. Layer toggles and section grouping let designers adjust how dense the map looked.
Final notes
Mappedin Print cut signage production time in half. Automatic layout handled the venue geometry and callouts, and layer toggles plus editable InDesign files gave production designers control over the final polish.