Cognitive Ergonomics and Universal Design for Museum Wayfinding: A Teaching Experiment Based on Human-Centred Design and Project-Based Learning

Museums are active agents shaping cultural experience by influencing perception, orientation, and interpretation. Wayfinding is therefore essential for visitors with diverse cognitive, sensory, linguistic, and cultural needs. This paper presents a teaching experiment that combines Cognitive Ergonomics, Universal Design (UD), Human-Centred Design (HCD), and Project-Based Learning (PBL) in a real-world context to guide the design of inclusive museum wayfinding systems capable of reducing cognitive load and improving visitors' autonomy. The experiment was conducted in 2025 within the Psychology and Cognitive Ergonomics course of the Program in Design at Sapienza University of Rome and involved 200 students. The case study was the Archaeological Museum of the Italic Peoples "Amedeo Maiuri" in Veroli during an exhibition rearrangement process. The methodology included analysis of the context of use, on-site surveys, configurational analysis of spatial layouts, identification of user profiles and engagement with stakeholder associations through qualitative interviews, task analysis to identify critical decision points, definition of performance requirements, and development of prototype solutions. The task required the development of a reversible wayfinding system using eco-sticker signage to meet conservation and sustainability constraints. Based on the identified critical points, students defined key design requirements (visibility, comprehensibility, recognisability, and multisensory accessibility) and developed concepts by simulating user scenarios. Accessibility was addressed according to UD principles by integrating cognitive, perceptual, and social factors. The resulting concepts proposed systems based on colour coding, horizontal and vertical signs, pictograms, concise texts, and perceptual contrasts. Within this educational framework, the experiment provides a transferable teaching model for promoting active learning, raising awareness of UD and HCD principles among future designers, and linking research, design education, and cultural heritage management.