Wayfinding is an integral part of the exterior and interior design in large shopping malls, stadiums, corporate offices, healthcare institutions, and government complexes. If you have ever gotten lost in an airport, theater, theme park, or concert hall, you know how defeating it feels to lose your way. Hence, avail directional signs on your premises to enhance navigation.
What Is Wayfinding Signage?
Wayfinding signage describes any type of sign that displays directional information. This information can be in maps, symbols, words, arrows, or a mix of these elements.
Effective wayfinding signage lets visitors know where they are and how to get to the next destination. For instance, a business that places a large sign behind the reception area with its name and logo lets visitors know they are in the right place.
Then, wayfinding signs in the waiting rooms and entrances show where stairs, elevators, restrooms, and other amenities are. Even better, a company directory tells visitors which floor the office or department they want to visit is, and posters on each junction direct traffic flow.
Directional signage can either be static or digital. Static posters, featuring graphic designs on plastic, paper, or acrylic, have been around for centuries. Sometimes, designers carve signage information onto walls. However, static posters have become outdated in modern businesses. Today, visitors prefer interactive digital displays that enrich the wayfinding experience.
Benefits of Wayfinding Signage
In today’s fast-paced world, people want to know where they are headed without much fuss. Below is a recap of the benefits of wayfinding signage.
1. Enhance Brand Identity
Wayfinding solutions can complement your entire brand strategy. Currently, people need to interact with your brand at least 5-7 times on average to remember it. In addition to embedding your digital marketing campaigns with your brand name, logo, and color scheme, echo your branding on interior wayfinding.
Wayfinding design featuring your brand elements lets visitors associate the experiences in your building with your brand. When you couple excellent customer service with an effective branded wayfinding design, you ensure that people remember you positively. These delightful experiences keep people eager to interact with your brand in the future.
2. Better Visitor Experience
An improved visitor experience is among the primary benefits of wayfinding signage. Wayfinding signs accomplish this advantage in several ways.
First, directional signs reduce people’s stress and anxiety. Someone visiting your large building for the first time is likely to feel anxious if they can’t find clear directions.
Digital wayfinding is especially great in providing a sense of place and cultivating a delightful user experience. For example, interactive maps let customers take charge of their experiences while immersive virtual tours highlight your amenities.
Further, a sophisticated wayfinding system lets users access directional information on mobile apps. You can even integrate digital signs with directories to help guests find people or departments. Ultimately, a well-designed wayfinding program creates consistency and clarity across your premises.
3. Improve Health and Safety
Safety signs are vital elements of a wayfinding signage system, where they warn visitors of impending hazards like an employee-only warehouse with heavy equipment. During an emergency, entry, exit, and evacuation procedures on wayfinding signage guide people to safety. Business owners can also reinforce social distancing guidelines on wayfinding signs to help employees and guests navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.
4. ADA Compliance
Wayfinding signage makes your building ADA compliant, that is, accessible to people with disabilities. However, you need to follow several aesthetic guidelines to ensure your signs comply with ADA regulations.
For example, the ADA mandates signs to be high-contrast and contain large fonts. Also, place entrance and bathroom signs near the door. The organization has additional character size and spacing guidelines for braille and tactile lettering. The fines for ADA non-compliance can cost your business $75,000, and it is wise to decorate your premises with directional signs that cater to everyone.
5. Reduces Employees’ Workload
If your business doesn’t have effective wayfinding signs, employees spend a lot of time directing traffic from point A to point B. Consequently, workers hardly concentrate on their tasks, which reduces productivity in your organization.
High-quality wayfinding signs reduce the time that your staff spends answering basic inquiries. If you install interactive digital signs, visitors can conduct advanced searches and receive personalized directions.
6. Great Return on Investment
Although you may not think of wayfinding signs as advertisement mediums, they effectively generate customer interest. If a first-time customer navigates your building seamlessly with the help of clear signs, they are likely to come back. Similarly, well-placed signs invite passersby to your premises, encourage them to explore, and enhance brand recognition.
Additionally, wayfinding signage is impressively cost-effective with regard to cost per impression. In short, you reinforce positive branding as you direct traffic through your site.
In Summary
Wayfinding signage simplifies navigation in office spaces, buildings, amusement parks, and government buildings. However, businesses can no longer rely on static wayfinding signs that show outdated and uninspiring content. Digital signage is the future of wayfinding systems as it wows visitors, displays fresh information, and enriches the visitor journey.