The Unsung Hero of Wayfinding

THE UNSUNG HERO OF WAYFINDING When you easily find your desired destination you don't think twice about the signage that helped you get there. It's only when signage does a poor job, or is non-existent, that you take note as you struggle to find your way around. Wayfinding is an unsung hero. It quietly helps you to orientate where you are and how to get where you need to be. ---- Why should I care about wayfinding? Good wayfin ding improves your bottom line A study conducted in 3 major hospitals discovered that over $2 million dollars annually of staff time was being lost due to them having to direct and escort CAFE visitors around their facilities. Good wayfinding encourages customers and visitors to return Simply put - if the experience of finding your way around a facility is negative then it's more likely you won't return. Good wayfinding can affoct our behaviour in a positive way Two hospitals in the UK implemented a new wayfinding system in their A&E Departments and discovered that it helped to reduce aggressive incidents by 50%. Good wayfinding reinforces your branding Wayfinding provides an opportunity to reinforce your brand through the use of consistently branded signage. Where would I find wayfinding? In large facilities or areas including: university Wayfinding communicates airport, train & bus & school 4 types of information .... сапрuses stations www identification SENDO (communicating what something is) directional (shows you where you need to go) parks & recreational orientation areas (provides an overview of surroundings) shopping regulatory (indicating regulations or requirements) malls Successful wayfinding takes into consideration these key design elements Colour can help people distinguish different areas of a facility. It can also aid navigation, e.g. blue spaces are easier to navigate than red spaces. Plus, warm colours should generally be used to identify landmarks. Colour It's important to have strong contrast between the foreground and background so the message doesn't blend into the background. Contrast The surrounding environment and audience are key factors in determining the size and position of a sign. Your sign doesn't achieve anything if it can't be seen or understood by its intended audience. Size As with contrast, sign size and position, the choice of typography is vital to how legible your sign is. It's important to have clear, easily recognised forms with plenty of positive space to help get the message across. Typography Pros & cons of each type of wayfinding signage 1 Unlimited design options - High design and development costs I Less noticeable joins " Longer lead times to implement BESPOKE OR "If your organisation changes, the entire wayfinding signage suite may have to be гeplaced CUSTOM MADE " Generally, more costly than modular I Can be customised for most projects I Noticoable join lines 1 Ultimate creativity capped Easy for designers and architects to specify as measurements have already been set MODULAR SIGNAGE 1 Quicker to implement compared to bespoke " The suite can change with your organisation without having to replace the whole signage suite I Digital signage has the ability to rapidly deploy updatos to multiple locations when required " It's interactive " Can be incorporated with traditional wayfinding signage 1 Expensive compared to modular or bespoke signage systems " Technology will eventually become outdated DIGITAL SIGNAGE 1800 620 911 [email protected] programmed.com.au PROGRAMMED Property Services Referances: Hospital study - prepared intermaly for a clant hmp/www.dacaon.com/2013/12ahospitakrodesign-by-parsonkoydracuces-violance-andaggression