Abstract
This paper has stepped back from the specifics of signage and argued for a more fundamental consideration of sign design. The approach advocated is to determine the suitability of the existing operating setting, vehicle user, and environmental system and then design or revise signage to meet the information-processing capabilities of the user. Thus, from the theoretical standpoint of understanding of the operator's attention allocation, it is suggested that signage will be better able to support regulatory, advisory, navigational, and value-added information needs if designed in context with the needs and capabilities of the vehicle user.