The basic function of wayfinding signage is to help people navigate their way to their destination. It doesn’t matter whether you are trying to find your way to the bathroom in a restaurant, a specific department in an office building or a disabled parking space, wayfinding signage is there to give you orientation and help you to have confidence in your journey. It is a massive and extremely important industry, and any sign company will need to be aware of the rules and regulations regarding these signs.
Wayfinding signs can also contribute to a sense of wellbeing and security as clearly marked signs help to orientate a person and give them information about their location, which is important especially in larger spaces. Uncertainty of where you are can lead to confusion and anxiety; easy-to-read, simple wayfinding signs help to reassure people that they are on the right path, preventing them from getting lost and giving them a sense of security.
Wayfinding signs can be vital for health and safety, diverting people around or away from dangers such as high-voltage areas, or helping them to navigate their way through complex or hazardous environments. It is a very important tool to safely manage the movement of people, and was a very prevalent way to encourage social distancing in the recent pandemic. Directional signage can also help improve user-experience – being able to traverse your way easily through a large and complex building (think of yourself in a museum or huge art gallery) and arriving at the right room or finding the painting you were searching for, will be a far more pleasant experience than if you wandered around for hours, lost in a maze.
The Importance of Wayfaring Signs
Hospitals are generally set in very large buildings. It is bad enough if you need to go to one, but it can be a nightmare trying to find the right ward or department. The system of signs and cues is designed to guide patients, visitors and staff through the complex layout of a hospital. Directional signs and arrows give guidance on where to go, which department you are headed for or room numbers, and there are often informational signs that provide useful information like maps, directories and safety instructions.
Hospitals will use different types of wayfinding signs, such as regulatory signs that convey rules and regulations, for example, no-smoking areas, or restricted areas like X-ray departments. Others may identify specific locations like restrooms and cafeterias. Reducing the stress and anxiety of trying to navigate a hospital will help to keep both patients and visitors calmer, and save time for staff who are trying to give directions or transfer from one area to another. Taking the stress out of the navigation process helps a hospital to run more efficiently and generally makes the whole experience a more positive one for everybody.
Educational complexes are another area where wayfaring signs are crucial. A large number of students, staff and visitors need to navigate through huge and often complex spaces, which can seem daunting at the best of times. By providing signage for specific locations like classrooms, libraries or administrative offices, you can help smooth pedestrian traffic flow, keep people moving and prevent bottlenecks. When designing wayfaring signs for large educational buildings, instruct the sign company to maintain a consistent design and colour scheme across all signs, to help the user recognise and understand your wayfaring system. Strategically placing signs in high-traffic areas, like along corridors and at the entrance of each floor, can help give the user confidence and reduce tension in a particularly stressful environment. In elementary schools, it can be particularly useful to use bright colours and simple shapes to identify different grade levels and make it simple for children to follow their specific colour and shape to find their way.
Wayfinding Floor Signs
In any facility or any path in life, there is always a floor, and most people tend to look at it! This makes it the ideal area to create wayfinding signage. Flooring can be easily divided into different areas that can be defined by visual appearance and colour codes to set apart different functions in a building, like the waiting area, or provide clear directional information. Flooring signage should be made visible in a variety of different lighting, and can be extremely helpful for the emergency services and the general public to follow in the case of a fire or other emergency. It can also be made tactile to help the visually impaired recognise specific areas or directions.
Find Your Direction
Wherever you are headed, it’s no fun being lost. Generally, if you are going to get lost, it’s because you haven’t been there before, so it is already a place you are not familiar with and may feel anxious about making sure you arrive on time and with a calm demeanour. Trying to get to an interview or arriving for your first day at work and not being sure where to go are already stressful situations, so being able to easily spot directional or instructional signs for your journey makes it a far more pleasant and stress-free journey.
Some people feel uneasy or awkward around strangers and may become nervous in a social situation, so the thought of having to ask people they don’t know for directions can leave them feeling flustered or disconcerted. Helping people to feel spatially orientated and able to find their way without getting lost or having to ask strangers for directions, is one of the many important things about wayfaring signs.
A reputable sign company can help you to effectively produce wayfaring signs, prioritizing clear and simple signs that are easy to read and accessible to all users. Maintain a consistent brand identity across all your wayfinding signs including colours and fonts, and help people to navigate their way in a smart and simple fashion.
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