Wayfinding signage is an integral yet unsung part of everyday life. Their pervasiveness has made using signs to get around second nature. How many times have you headed down certain supermarket aisles or towards information kiosks without thinking? This is all down to effective wayfinding signs. Good wayfinding does the thinking so you don&#;t have to, providing cues to guide visitors in a certain direction.
Whether you&#;re embarking on a navigational project for commercial or retail purposes, the five core wayfinding principles remain the same. Adhering to these principles maximises their effectiveness, simultaneously heightening the user experience. Wayfinding can also increase revenue by better informing visitors of which products and services are available and where to find them.
Lavastar consider the principles of wayfinding when creating bespoke signage designs for our clients. This guide will give an overview of the 5 core wayfinding principles and explain why they are important. We&#;ll also provide an insight into how these principles manifest in the design process.
This principle makes every destination of wayfinding instantly recognisable, creating associations which the user connects with their surroundings. Simply put, if all sections of a larger space merge into one then it&#;s incredibly difficult to create structured navigation. Ensuring that your visitor is aware of their position and attaches familiarity and meaning to a certain location is a core wayfinding principle.
At Lavastar, we create graphic navigational signage which is designed to turn each area into a noticeable landmark, thus making it easier to direct users around. Achieving this can be done in subtle ways. No need for outlandish flashing lights and overcomplicated designs to make each area distinct. Colour schemes, tasteful graphics, certain textures and finishes are all effective ways of adhering to this principle of wayfinding.
As mentioned, landmarks are an incredibly useful navigational tool. Landmarks are often the most visible parts of the property and can therefore act as designated waypoints around your space. Wayfinding is all about triggering orientation choices with clear visual cues. Landmarks draw instant recognition, making the directional decision associate with it that much more memorable. When designing a navigational signage system, it&#;s important to consider the most recognisable and memorable parts of the area.
Should there be a series of landmarks, these can be linked through signage. Creating a wayfinding relationship between these points is particularly useful as it naturally focuses the users&#; path and defines and informational space. Too many landmarks can be overkill, of course, so these orientation cues are used sparingly. We can also provide taller signs, such as monoliths and totem signage, to form highly visible reference points which can be spotted from a distance.
An important wayfinding principle is getting the user for A to B in a structured manner. But what makes a well-structured wayfinding path? Each navigational path must have a beginning, middle, and end which is clearly communicated to the user. This should be communicated in a way which guides navigators between points easily without getting lost. Creating directional paths with clearly defined characteristics improves the efficiency of your wayfinding system.
Large areas, such as hospital wards or university campuses with multiple buildings, benefit from well-structed paths. With markers strategically placed throughout the route, location awareness is heightened, letting the navigator know that they&#;re in the right place and heading in the right direction.
Particularly important for navigating in large areas, this wayfinding principle maps out the space into smaller segments sections. This makes the area far easier to map out. The wayfinding trick is to apply clearly defined attributes to each section, giving them their own code and identity. Colour coding is the most popular method of giving each section a unique character, commonly seeing in areas such as airports, with clear indications of where terminals, check in, security etc are. Regions can be as small or as large as is necessary, so long as each is set apart from the rest.
Splitting up the key areas of your facility makes moving between spaces easier. Regions also give cues for recovering your location by creating associations between features such as colour and graphics with specific areas. By assigning character, the location of each segment is boldly defined to the navigator as they stray into them. When designing wayfinding signage for large spaces, Lavastar look for the simplest way to divide the regions up to make navigating easier, whether this be through different colours or fonts.
This principle is all about cohesion and limiting the user&#;s choice. This is achieved by only offering up the most relevant information. You should define one route, or two at a push, which can be listed on signage, regardless of whether there are multiple ways to get between points or not. This prevents confusion and creates a clean, efficient navigational process.
This is of particular importance to spaces such as museums who may want their visitors to head to exhibits in a specific order. Taking the option of detours out of the equation keeps the navigators on your desired path, providing them with the intended experience of your space. It also allows for greater orientation and familiarity of their surroundings.
Similarly, it&#;s important to keep the displayed information as short and sharp as possible. If a wayfinding sign needs reams of text to get the point across then it&#;s ineffective. Get straight to the point and simply point the user in the right direction. Simplicity is everything in wayfinding.
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Here at Lavastar, we create bespoke wayfinding signage which align with all core principles. To get the ball rolling on a navigational signage system for your property or project, get in touch with our wayfinding experts today. Give us a call on 020 or fire an over to .
Wayfinding refers to the process of navigation and orientation in an unknown environment, and wayfinding signs are one of the easiest ways to make your outdoor space easy for visitors to explore.
But how can you create a wayfinding system that works? In this blog we&#;re going to go over five wayfinding principles to keep in mind during the design process, to ensure a simple, effective, and visually pleasing wayfinding system in any space. Let&#;s get started!
When it comes to wayfinding, a key consideration to remember is that every location should have its own look and feel. This will help to create an identity for the space, making it easier for visitors to recognise the area and be able to navigate it more easily.
To do this, signage should be designed in a way that is distinctive from neighbouring places. Consider using colour palettes specific to each area and unique typography, while still being consistent with the overall design style of the entire site or building. For example, if you are designing signs for a shopping centre, use colours that match the branding of each individual store; if you are designing directional signs for a hospital, use colours and typography that match the overall aesthetic of the building, and are simple to read.
Another way to create an identity for each location is to use landmarks as markers or reference points. Consider adding images of local attractions or iconic buildings in order to draw attention to the space and provide a memorable visual cue. This will make it easier for visitors to recognise each area they enter, giving them a sense of familiarity with the surroundings which can help them orient themselves more easily.
Landmarks should also be used to provide orientation cues, allowing users to immediately identify their location within any given space. This helps people understand where they are in relation to other areas, making it easier for them to determine which direction they need to go.
In locations where landmarks can&#;t be used as orientation cues, signs should be provided that indicate the various directions visitors may take. For example, directional arrows pointing towards different amenities within the area or a simple map displaying the key points of interest within a building. This helps to provide visitors with easy-to-understand navigation options and clearly define their current location and intended destination.
You can also use helpful signs that describe sights or attractions that people may not be familiar with. This could include short descriptions of nearby monuments or historical markers, providing more information about the surrounding area and giving visitors a more comprehensive understanding of their location.
When it comes to wayfinding, it is important to create paths that are easy for users to follow. This means ensuring there is a clear flow between each different area, and making sure each route has the right amount of signposts and markers so people can easily orientate themselves without getting lost.
One way to create well-structured paths is to clearly mark the route from one area to another, for example, by providing arrows or lines to indicate the direction people should go. Another way is to design signposts that are large enough and visible enough for users to be able to see them easily, while also having a clear indication of where they lead. For example, if there are two entrances into a building, one could have an arrow pointing left and the other right with the destination written beneath each arrow.
Finally, you can use colour-coding or differentiating shapes to make it easier for visitors to identify their current location in relation to other areas within a space. This could involve creating signposts in different colours for each area or using circles for one route and squares for another; this will help people understand which path they should take more easily.
To create a cohesive sign system, it is important to consider how different areas within a location relate to each other; this will help give visitors a sense of place and understanding of their overall environment.
To do this, try to create distinct regions within the space with varying visual characteristics &#; this could include specific colour palettes, fonts or graphics used on signs in particular areas. Play on regional characteristics where possible; for example, signs could include images of local attractions or iconic buildings in order to draw attention to the space and provide a memorable visual cue.
Also consider how your signs communicate with each other; think about which elements should be consistent throughout a whole area and what should change from one region to another &#; this will help create a more dynamic sign environment that is visually stimulating for users and easier for them to navigate.
It is important to remember not to provide users with too many navigational choices when it comes to wayfinding. This can lead to confusion, making it harder for visitors to find their way around. Instead, focus on providing clear directions and reducing complexity within your sign system so visitors can easily orientate themselves without getting overwhelmed by information.
The key here is balance &#; too few signs will leave users confused as to which direction they need to go; conversely, too many signs may overwhelm them and make navigation difficult.
Wayfinding Signs should be placed at regular intervals along the path with enough details for people to understand where they are going, but not so much information that it becomes overwhelming.
Think about how different paths intersect and provide clear points of reference that indicate the direction visitors need to go; you can also make use of colour coding or simple symbols to help identify each route, making it easier for users to understand which way they should be travelling.
One of the most important takeaways to retain from this blog is the following: wayfinding systems should simplify the navigation process, not complicate it. By adhering to these 5 principles, you&#;ll be able to design an effective and efficient sign system that encourages and helps visitors to explore your space, without feeling overwhelmed by information.
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