Everyone wants to go from A to B in the fastest way. Similarly, it’s much better to quickly find where you want to go than to be totally lost. This applies whether you’re working in a new office, shopping at a mall, or visiting a convention center.
Wayfinding signs help people find their way without any confusion or accidents. So, every business and group should spend money on clear and good wayfinding signs. Here are seven important ideas for making these signs:
What Are Wayfinding Signs?
Wayfinding signs are real signs and markers that help people move around in a place. Whether it’s an airport, a convention center, or an office, wayfinding signs are really important for helping people get to where they want. Good signs make sure visitors, customers, and workers can safely and easily move around a place.
You wouldn’t want to be lost when navigating an unfamiliar place, right?
The Four Categories of Wayfinding Signs
There are four primary kinds of wayfinding signs:
- Directional: These help people find the right path to their destination.
- Informational: These give important details (like warning signs).
- Identification: They let people know where they are (like signs for restrooms).
- Regulatory: They tell visitors about specific regulations (such as no parking).
Why is Wayfinding Signage So Important?
Wayfinding signage plays a vital role in providing excellent customer service and ensuring a positive experience for visitors. It’s also a key factor in guaranteeing the safety of both customers and employees. The ability of customers, employees, and visitors to easily and smoothly navigate your premises is of utmost importance, and wayfinding signage is the solution that enables this.
Visitors can quickly become frustrated and agitated with your business when they see no wayfinding signs. After all, feeling lost or struggling to find your intended destination can be incredibly vexing.
It’s crucial to verify that all wayfinding signage is accurate and effectively guides customers in the correct direction.
Moreover, wayfinding signage holds significant importance for safety reasons. Directional signs can indicate emergency exits and evacuation routes.
Furthermore, well-designed wayfinding signage contributes to the productivity of employees. Consistently getting lost detracts from their working hours, squandering valuable time. Effective wayfinding signage is instrumental in fostering a more productive and organized work environment.
1. Keep It Simple and Understandable
Wayfinding signs should be clear, simple, and easy to grasp. Present the necessary information in a straightforward and concise manner. An overly intricate design can hinder readability, thereby diminishing the effectiveness of the wayfinding signs.
The most effective approach is to employ a clean and uncomplicated design that effectively conveys crucial information to visitors. You can use custom metal signs for this. They should be able to absorb all the important details at a glance. Small text, elaborate fonts, and complex messages might bewilder (and irritate) visitors.
2. Establish a Clear Naming System
Having a naming system in place can assist visitors in navigating your space, particularly in large complexes or properties. Prolonged strings of numbers or unclear labels can confound visitors, spoiling their experience and leading to heightened frustration.
While it might be possible to forego a naming system for extremely small buildings, the situation differs for larger structures or complexes. When dealing with a sizable signage project, a meticulously designed naming system is essential.
3. Plan for the Future in Your Signage
Can your wayfinding signs adapt to changes on your property? For instance, is it easy to update your signs if you construct new buildings or renovate existing ones?
During the development of your signage system, contemplate how to incorporate new buildings, landmarks, or destinations. Any new signage should harmonize with your existing signs. If this proves impractical, consider replacing all the signs across your property with a new, uniform system. Unfortunately, this may entail a substantial cost.
A well-devised naming system can spare you from this significant expense. It can play a pivotal role in safeguarding the longevity of your signage.
4. Maintain Signage Uniformity
Consistency is crucial for your wayfinding signs across your entire property. The design, fonts, size, and symbols should be uniform no matter where a visitor is within your complex. This uniformity helps prevent confusion. Remember, effective wayfinding signs should be easily recognizable with just a quick glance.
5. Strategic Placement
Wayfinding signs have the greatest impact when strategically placed in locations where they are most likely to be useful. For instance, areas with high foot traffic are ideal spots for wayfinding signs.
Visitors want to locate their destinations with minimal effort. Wasting time (and patience) on searching is something they’d prefer to avoid. Similarly, visitors shouldn’t have to go on a quest for wayfinding signs. These signs should be conveniently positioned where they are needed the most.
6. Infuse Your Brand
Ensure your wayfinding signs are clear and easy to read. Yet, you can still infuse these signs with your company’s branding. Blend your brand’s colors, fonts, designs, and logos seamlessly into your signage. This uniformity not only reinforces your brand but also guides customers in the right direction.
7. Tailor to Visitor Needs
Lastly, your wayfinding signs should cater to your visitors’ requirements. Reflect on what information matters most to your customers and the most effective way to convey it.
For instance, in shopping malls, prominent stores could be included on wayfinding signs to assist shoppers. There should also be signs indicating restroom locations, ATMs, and public transportation.
Take your customers and visitors into account when crafting the appearance of your wayfinding signs. If your clientele includes seniors, consider using larger fonts on the signs as well.