Navigating your guests and visitors throughout your corporate environment is an important part of the customer experience. Imagine you are visiting an unfamiliar environment. Chances, you are already browsing the room for elements of wayfinding. Everything from asking for directions to following posted signage all falls under the umbrella of wayfinding. There are specific types of wayfinding signs for each part of the visitor experience – exterior, interior, and ADA compliant signage. Take a look as we discuss which type of wayfinding signs would be best suited for your company.
Exterior Wayfinding Signs
Exterior wayfinding creates an inviting outdoor environment that clears up navigational confusion. A big component of this is the design of entry signage that is easily legible and welcoming to both motorists and pedestrians.
Exterior wayfinding such as building numbers or names, regulatory and parking signage should be designed in a way that is unified with the brand identity. A few examples of this would be engaging maps, sidewalk graphics, monument signage and more. Incorporating your brand into the signs will further create an environment that is easily recognizable. This will ensure your visitors get exactly where they want to go confidently.
Interior Wayfinding Signs
A coherent interior wayfinding system blends corporate branding with directional cues and signage. This reinforces a brand’s identity while also clearing up confusion. Large facilities such as hospitals, universities, and corporate office complexes benefit greatly from the incorporation of interior wayfinding. It is important to design a clearly defined navigation system that helps to ease frustration and guide visitors.
Vista System Signs
One great option is to facilitate the implementation of a globally-recognized signage system such as Vista System for ease of alteration. From lobby directories and overhead directional signage, to room and hall numbering, help make sure your visitors never feel lost.
ADA Compliant Signs
ADA compliant signage creates an environment that is friendly to everyone. The planning of ADA signs requires a thorough knowledge of user-centric design, with understandings of both the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Standards for Accessible Design. Be sure to keep in mind those key elements on how to make a facility accessible to all. This includes the blind, visually impaired, or physically disabled.
ADA compliant wayfinding is meant to be functional. It calls for added components such as raised and braille characters, pictograms, and a focus on legibility. Matching a brand’s color and style is an important factor, too.
Making your facility accessible to all has a multitude of benefits. When you build wayfinding signs to ADA standards, it breaks down limits on who can comfortably visit your office space. It makes information on the signs tangible. Incorporating raised letters and braille into your wayfinding system ensures no visitor is left out of the navigation journey. ADA compliance can apply to a mix of interior signage ranging from room ID, directional, informational and signs designated for an area.
Goal of Wayfinding Systems
Whether you use one or four of these wayfinding options in your sign system, the goal should be to thoughtfully guide your visitors from start to finish within the brand environment. (The moment they first lay eyes on your exterior signage until they exit your brand space.) You can accomplish this by clearly marking and placing identity, directional, and room ID signs. Creating a navigation path built on clarity and brand continuity will leave your guests with a positive overall experience concerning your brand, too.
Room Signs and Their Role in Wayfinding
Room ID and area signs can play a large role in your signage system. They are great in helping guests locate themselves within your building. Furthemore, using brand logos and identity colors reaffirm your branded environment.
signgeek: your wayfinding partner
If you or your organization need help guiding your guests around your brand space, feel free to reach out to signgeek. Our team is well-versed in the world of wayfinding. From consultation, to design and construction, let us help you create a successful wayfinding system today. We can even ship to your doorstep if needed.