auf deutsch by Max Roberts en français


Welcome to my web pages about the history, design and usability of schematic transport maps. Worldwide, these are created to make people’s journey planning easier, but all-too-often design flaws make them unnecessarily difficult to use, London included. I am a psychologist who has researched into human intelligence and inference for over 20 years (my credentials) but my interests are now primarily concerned with schematic mapping (and wayfinding information in general). I design maps, conduct usability studies to test them, and have exhibited my work internationally. I have implemented research on behalf of FWT and Transport for London and can offer a range of design services and evidence-based evaluation methodologies in order to ensure the adoption of a usable, accessible, distinctive map with immediate widespread user-acceptance. Individual commissions are also accepted.

Winter Specials

Underground Maps Unravelled only £40.00 including UK delivery

 Thanks to a Royal Mail special offer on UK parcels, I can offer Underground Maps Unravelled at a discounted price to UK buyers.



Order any A2 print-on-demand poster with UK delivery and receive two free posters

 I am having a clearout, these posters are digital implementations of two drawings by Henry Beck, one showing all London’s railways, the other the Paris Metro.
They are in good condition, suitable for display in a basic frame, but I can’t store them, so they have to go.


February Newsletter


My monthly newsletter includes latest news, a summary of media and internet articles, forthcoming events, and a map of the month. Download the February 2015 newsletter here.

To receive the latest newsletter every month, send an email from the following link. IMPORTANT: Please include a brief greeting in the email so that I can be sure that you are a human being! Subscribe here.

All previous newsletters are archived and available for download, click on the button below to see a summary for each one, starting November 2013.


Concentric Circles Maps



Going Underground blog by Annie Mole
Londonist by Matt Brown
Gothamist by Jen Chung

... and many more ...

For all enquiries, use the following email address:max@tubemapcentral.com. This is checked regularly, daytime, evenings, weekends.






Major Book Still Available

Underground Maps Unravelled, Explorations in Information Design







Print-on-Demand Service

Purchase high quality ink-jet posters of your favourite maps





Exhibitions, Talks and Events

For current and forthcoming dates for your diary, see the current newsletter.
For details of previous exhibitions, and my catalogue of lectures, see below:






And Also









Contact

For all contacts, use the following email address:max@tubemapcentral.com. This forwards emails to an address that is checked regularly.
Last updated 04/02/15. All content on these web pages are © Maxwell J. Roberts, 2005-15. No reproduction without permission.

NOTE: I am not affiliated with Transport for London nor any of its subsidiary companies. If you require information on travel in London, or the latest versions of official maps, you should click here. Many of the images included on these pages are copyright Transport for London (official Underground maps reproduced here for illustrative educational purposes) or myself (experimental designs and original maps designed to demonstrate usability issues).