In creating this decision map I was trying to a clear representation of which lawn care product was suitable for different situations, without using words. I wanted to clearly represent the different conditions; temperature, dryness, and insects, without the use of language. I choose to use commonly known icons and colors. For the temperature aspect I had to use numbers because the specific 90degree point was important. The arrow and thermometer next to the “90” were used to show above or below. I also used red and blue in the thermometers to show warm and coolness. The dry and wetness elements incorporated images and color as well. The brown and yellow with the sun were to show dryness of the land. The rain icon was used to show wetness.
While creating the decision map I had an “AHA” moment. I realized that since I can read English the written instructions were understood but if I were the one searching for the correct product I’d rather look at the decision map. The lines and icons on the map make it much easier to follow rather than reading through all of the instructions. The map tracks my vision away from non-possibilities while when reading instructions I have to continue reading to make sure I went through all possibilities. If I were looking for the lawn care a decision map with words may or may not be easier for me to understand than with icons but for non-English speaking consumers the icons would work best. Decision maps can be very useful in making decisions because they lead you to the decision that fits for specific circumstances while at the same time eliminating ones that don’t apply.
