Oct. 21, 2024
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A wayfinding strategy is essential for any built space, from universities and office buildings to retail and transport networks.
As Dubai&#;s leading wayfinding signage consultancy firm, we understand that wayfinding is an important instrument in creating a stress-free environment and bringing about a desirable navigational experience.
Without wayfinding signage, buildings cannot function as efficiently as needed. Lacking space planning and other graphic communication elements makes it difficult for people to make their way through a designed space.
People who can easily navigate an unfamiliar place were able to reach their desired destination with the help of wayfinding. A well-designed wayfinding system will help solve the complex problem of getting visitors from Point A to Point B in the most efficient way possible.
Through creating a sense of space, business owners can build brand equity and deliver a more cohesive brand story while providing an organic guest experience. Regardless of your business and industry, wayfinding is necessary to improve your environment&#;s accessibility and safety.
If you&#;re ready to develop wayfinding solutions for your architectural project, below we highlight the different types of signage your business should consider.
Across every industry, from hospitality and healthcare to manufacturing, directional signage makes it easy for customers and employees to navigate their physical environment. The most common type of indoor signage, directional signs uses symbols such as arrows to point people in the right direction.
When implementing directional signage to your business, two factors must be considered: design elements and location.
If interior directional signage does not appear in the location people expect them to be, the opposite effect can occur. People can quickly become lost. Likewise, if the design elements are inappropriately sized, frustration can arise due to the sign&#;s illegibility.
To create an effective directional signage system, continuity is key. Visitors to the physical environment must be able to make key decisions between two points that enable them to continue on their journey.
Some great examples of directional signage include colored floor lines in hospitals to highlight different departments and junction route markers that highlight key points of interest such as exits, food courts, or restrooms.
Typically seen as placards, informational signage aims to inform users regarding the surrounding facilities. These wayfinding signs contain broad information that visitors need to make an informed decision. At the same time, they can also be used to confirm a location.
These signs must be understandable at a glance to allow visitors to identify the purpose of the facilities. They can supplement directional signage, providing useful information along the way. If a pathway is temporarily closed, information signage allows visitors to make or change their plans accordingly.
Information signage is critical in improving the customer experience which, in turn, builds consumer confidence.
Examples of informational signage that businesses can use for their building include:
Primarily used as wayfinding landmarks, identification signage is used by organizations to highlight when visitors have arrived at their desired destination.
Whether it&#;s an office space, educational institution, retail store, or any other establishment, these identifiers draw attention to a critical service or building feature that a visitor may require. These wayfinding signs can be as simple as a restroom placard or departmental markers.
Be that as it may, they all provide valuable information to the visitor.
A few more examples of identification signs could be:
Like informational signs, identification signage must be straight to the point. The information presented must be distilled in seconds and should highlight the surrounding landmarks of the building.
No matter the environment or facility, safety must always be a priority. Visitors must be aware of the established rules, regulations, and boundaries of any physical environment. To support this notion, safety and regulatory signage is necessary.
These wayfinding signs are embedded where safety standards must be reinforced. These signs prominently feature clear messages or warnings such as Caution! High Voltage, Employees Only, No Smoking, etc.
Such clear and concise messaging leaves no room for ambiguity so no rules are broken or safety warnings overlooked.
Safety and regulatory signage must be big and bold so they cannot be ignored. Typically, these types of signage use strong colors and bold text to emphasize their importance.
Each type of wayfinding signage above can be used by businesses of all sizes to produce a clear and effective wayfinding system.
Regulatory signs along with informational signage can set behavior expectations and keep visitors appraised of the boundaries of their surroundings. Directional and identification signage can create a more seamless user experience, allowing visitors to transition from point to point with ease.
When it comes to the actual design of a wayfinding system, signs must be appropriately sized and easily readable, and should incorporate universally recognized symbols. They must also be positioned high enough and in key areas of your building that have no clear traffic flow.
Successful wayfinding signs also properly convey the information they require.
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Copy and imagery must be simple in design to ensure the message is communicated concisely to the visitor. Signage must also be scaled to their environment to maximize the probability of being noticed.
To further improve their impact, proper planning is necessary.
This ensures your built environment avoids unintentional signage cluttering which can distract from the decisions that must be made during navigation. Too many signs in a confined space can lead to elevated levels of stress and frustration.
Incorporating a strategic and creative wayfinding program into the communication design process ensures visitors can easily and quickly locate their destination. Working with a full-service wayfinding design consultancy like DezignTechnic will enable your business to address the circulation challenges of your built environment.
Whether it&#;s a new or existing project, our design team will work closely with you to develop a strategic approach to deliver a design direction that perfectly complements your building&#;s overall aesthetic.
If you&#;re ready to learn more about implementing or improving a wayfinding signage system, get in touch today.
Imagine all the times you&#;ve been to the mall, an airport or most public areas. How many signs did you see? All these signs are what is called wayfinding.
In a nutshell, wayfinding signage is the process of creating a system for helping direct people to a specific destination. It is particularly important in complex built environments such as educational institutes, hospitals and other health facilities.
Wayfinding signages are the most common types of wayfinding methods and generally, there are many types of wayfinding designs &#; These include some of the following :
Directional signage is the most common type of wayfinding signage. You can find it in places where travelling guidance is necessary. Directional signage employs the use of arrows and symbols to offer directional guidance. Some of these signs are globally recognised to create uniformity and standardisation.
Directional signage is also straightforward. For instance, there may be an arrow that depicts the location of a certain facility. The arrow will point right, left, up, down, or forward. Nevertheless, some people don&#;t interpret directional wayfinding systems with ease.
For the directional signage to provide the required assistance, it must be conspicuous and located in an area where many people can see it. Consequently, you will see many directional signages in elevated positions. The signages will also have a legible font with clear icons or images.
Many directional signages belong to local city municipal authorities. The authorities invest a lot in the design of directional signages. In particular, they focus on the background lighting to ensure that the signage can still be visible at night.
Identification signage is also prevalent. Its primary purpose is to indicate the function of a particular installation or individual. For example, a &#;senior manager&#; signage can be found at the senior manager&#;s office entrance. If you don&#;t know where you are, identification signage can provide additional information. That way, you can determine your next steps.
Creating identification signage requires special skills. The identification signage must provide enough information, but it shouldn&#;t confuse people. Since excessive details can blur the original meaning, identification signage should be short and accurate.
Regulatory wayfinding signs are essential since they display the requirements or regulations for a particular place. For instance, regulatory signage may inform users of a restaurant that smoking is prohibited in that restaurant. Other standard regulatory signage include speed signs and traffic control measures. Some of these signage are on T-shirts and uniforms of law enforcement officers.
The regulatory signs need to be visible to every person. Some regulatory signage includes the penalties for violating the stated requirement. Similarly, a law enforcement officer may lurk near the signage to arrest offenders.
Regulatory signage needs to be short and concise. Moreover, there shouldn&#;t be more than two regulatory signage in the same place. Generally, the signage will have a picture of what is prohibited and a written explanation.
Informational signage is different from identification signage because it provides extensive information about a specific facility. Informational signage is usually found at the entrance of the facility. Some of its details will include the location and function of various units within that installation.
This provides a general overview of what you can expect to find when you are wandering throughout that facility. Nowadays, informational signage may also include other details such as the Wi-Fi username and password.
A system designed for individuals with visual impairments, Braille signage is needed as it helps protect the rights of the blind and visually impaired. It provides them with the means to be able to evacuate in case of an emergency in a public place but more importantly can also help show consideration towards people by creating an environment whereby everyone can find their way around a building.
To reference braille building codes have a look here for relevant standards and codes. This list includes references for signage, hearing augmentation, tactical indicators, wheelchair seating spaces, swimming pools, ramps, and glazing.
This type of wayfinding signage includes some of the following: First aid kit signs, emergency signs, fire extinguisher signs and danger signs to name a few.
The wayfinding definition, types of wayfinding signage, and benefits of each will come in handy when you&#;re trying to navigate a new location or facility.
Additionally, you will stay within the legal requirements if you know how specific wayfinding signage work.
With over 20 years of experience in wayfinding signage, Apex can help design, create and even install all your wayfinding signage needs.
Are you interested in learning more about Hotel Wayfinding Signage? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!
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