In partnership with Auckland Transport, Maynard have successfully developed a customer-centric wayfinding system to encourage cycling uptake across Tāmaki Makaurau. The empathy-driven, iteratively-developed system has helped foster a transformative cycling culture and contributed to Auckland’s broader mobility and decarbonisation goals.
Images by Celeste Fontein
Tasked with the brief of ‘creating positive mode shift through improved customer experience for people on bikes’, Maynard employed empathy interviews and on-path observations to uncover the greatest barriers to cycle uptake.
This process defined a target cohort of ‘cycle considerers’: those who had the means and interest to cycle and were most likely to change their existing behaviours. A deeper understanding of their need for freedom and safety, together with a focus on experiential offers to motivate cycling, produced key insights on the importance of a ‘a great first ride’ across the total cycle journey.
The wayfinding suite prioritises visibility within a rider’s cone of vision. Using information hierarchy principles, it delivers succinct content at pace, with additional detail available when stopped or slowed. Destinations prioritise experiences and landmarks, moving away from a car-centric focus. Route identities are a key feature for hero rides—such as the City Centre Loop, where a clear identity connects beacons, signage, and ground markings into a cohesive experience.
As transport priorities evolve to meet climate challenges, Auckland Transport aims to encourage more people to choose cycling. Improved wayfinding and network information are key levers in this shift. While significant cycle infrastructure has been built over the past decade, wayfinding provides the consistent glue that connects it into a usable, understandable network.