From the customer's viewpoint, comprehensive and easy-to-use wayfinding signage systems may be the single most important element that an environmental graphics system contributes to a pleasant, positive customer experience.
For example, in a medical center environment, a well thought-out wayfinding signage system is essential as part of the positive experience for the patient and their visitors as well as for the health care organization alike.
Stressful hospital environments need succinct, quick decision making - often enabled by the use of wayfinding signage.
The sheer size and complexity of a campus can prove to be an adventure; every visitor will at some point need to find a specific destination - whether as fundamental as a parking space or a restroom or as specific as a single specialty store or department.
The vast scope of elements included in wayfinding design is complex, but the approach is simple.
There are a few essentials that need to be present regardless of the wayfinding design project.
- Good systems that work with the natural wayfinding patterns of the architecture.
- There should be a useful distinction between information the customer needs to know and the information the customer wants to know.
- Keep in mind that nothing is more confusing than an over-signed building! Classic wayfinding analysis focuses on concentric circles of decision-making, moving from broad to narrow destination: find the site, find parking, find the correct level, find the department, and find the location.
It's important to also consider the needs of the traffic: - The TYPE of traffic - vehicular or pedestrian - The FUNCTION of the traffic - *Customer or service traffic *Interested in a department or visiting a patient *Aimed at a specific destination or 'just browsing' - The FLOW of the traffic - Is it moving in or out? *Where will the decision points be located? A user's experience begins in their vehicle.
Vehicular wayfinding begins with understanding the speed at which traffic is moving and allowing for quick and easy decision-making.
Exterior wayfinding systems must direct to the desired - rather than the first available area - both for customer convenience and efficient load distribution.
Once parking is secured, the individual makes the transition from vehicular to pedestrian traffic.
The wayfinding signage system should maintain the visitor's momentum, but also augment the process of relaxing and beginning to move at a self-directed pace.
Color selection and design play an important role in this change.
The first practical task of the system is to reinforce the parking location.
Particularly important is the facility where there is a lack of one-to-one ramp-floor-to-facility-floor correspondence.
The common use of color schemes or mnemonic devices may be inadequate for a project with this concern.
As the visitor moves into a complex facility the timing in which information is introduced is key.
It's also important to space the data so there's adequate time to clear the mind and consolidate previous data points.
Informational and directional kiosks will be of primary importance to interior wayfinding design.
They must be designed to accommodate both specific and non-specific destination seekers, answering three successive questions: - What does the visitor want to find? - Where is it? - How do you get there? Interactive touchscreen directories may be used to help the visitor define their destination.
Messages on special events must be carefully edited to avoid information overload.
Interactive directories should be cross-referenced by several potential criteria so that either a specific destination can be accessed.
The key to successful wayfinding analysis involves extensive mental and physical walk-throughs identifying key decision points, alternative courses of action and their probable consequences.
The user of a well-planned and well-designed wayfinding signage system will find it intuitive and begin to know where to look for information.
For example, in a medical center environment, a well thought-out wayfinding signage system is essential as part of the positive experience for the patient and their visitors as well as for the health care organization alike.
Stressful hospital environments need succinct, quick decision making - often enabled by the use of wayfinding signage.
The sheer size and complexity of a campus can prove to be an adventure; every visitor will at some point need to find a specific destination - whether as fundamental as a parking space or a restroom or as specific as a single specialty store or department.
The vast scope of elements included in wayfinding design is complex, but the approach is simple.
There are a few essentials that need to be present regardless of the wayfinding design project.
- Good systems that work with the natural wayfinding patterns of the architecture.
- There should be a useful distinction between information the customer needs to know and the information the customer wants to know.
- Keep in mind that nothing is more confusing than an over-signed building! Classic wayfinding analysis focuses on concentric circles of decision-making, moving from broad to narrow destination: find the site, find parking, find the correct level, find the department, and find the location.
It's important to also consider the needs of the traffic: - The TYPE of traffic - vehicular or pedestrian - The FUNCTION of the traffic - *Customer or service traffic *Interested in a department or visiting a patient *Aimed at a specific destination or 'just browsing' - The FLOW of the traffic - Is it moving in or out? *Where will the decision points be located? A user's experience begins in their vehicle.
Vehicular wayfinding begins with understanding the speed at which traffic is moving and allowing for quick and easy decision-making.
Exterior wayfinding systems must direct to the desired - rather than the first available area - both for customer convenience and efficient load distribution.
Once parking is secured, the individual makes the transition from vehicular to pedestrian traffic.
The wayfinding signage system should maintain the visitor's momentum, but also augment the process of relaxing and beginning to move at a self-directed pace.
Color selection and design play an important role in this change.
The first practical task of the system is to reinforce the parking location.
Particularly important is the facility where there is a lack of one-to-one ramp-floor-to-facility-floor correspondence.
The common use of color schemes or mnemonic devices may be inadequate for a project with this concern.
As the visitor moves into a complex facility the timing in which information is introduced is key.
It's also important to space the data so there's adequate time to clear the mind and consolidate previous data points.
Informational and directional kiosks will be of primary importance to interior wayfinding design.
They must be designed to accommodate both specific and non-specific destination seekers, answering three successive questions: - What does the visitor want to find? - Where is it? - How do you get there? Interactive touchscreen directories may be used to help the visitor define their destination.
Messages on special events must be carefully edited to avoid information overload.
Interactive directories should be cross-referenced by several potential criteria so that either a specific destination can be accessed.
The key to successful wayfinding analysis involves extensive mental and physical walk-throughs identifying key decision points, alternative courses of action and their probable consequences.
The user of a well-planned and well-designed wayfinding signage system will find it intuitive and begin to know where to look for information.