The Critical Role of Wayfinding Signs in Business

Wayfinding signs, or waymarking signs, are an often overlooked aspect of a complete business sign project. They’re absolutely critical for the success of businesses across industries. Like most key infrastructure, people become aware of them only when they’re absent or poorly done.

When people are trying to drive to the right terminal at the airport, find their family member’s room in a hospital, or just locate the food court at the mall, wayfinding signs are the only signs that matter.

Businesses have several options for the design and functionality of their wayfinding signs, such as static or interactive displays. However, when it comes to installation, industry best practices make sure those signs are in the right place to be seen and understood when needed most.

What are Wayfinding Signs?

At their core, waymarking signs help people reach their destination. This includes marking specific locations, identifying which turn to make at an intersection, and telling people where to avoid. Businesses need exterior wayfinding signs to help people get to their building, but once inside, interior signs are equally important for staff and customers alike.

Types of Wayfinding Information

Identification – These signs mark specific locations. Hotels will use these for the rooms, pool, and gym. Retailers use these to mark each aisle, dressing rooms, and bathrooms.

Directional – These signs help people find their destination, and highlight the route to get there, and identify which path to take when reaching a split. Malls require lots of directional signage for their parking lots, floor plans, and the iconic “you are here” maps. Hospitals also need excellent directional signage for patients, visitors, and staff to find the right department, wing, or room in a timely manner.

Informational – Some signs are important to tell people where they should avoid. The classic example is the door marked “Staff Only” like in stadiums. They also include warning or danger signs for live electrical wires, chemical storage, or medical waste. Some places are fine to explore, but these signs keep people in safe areas.

Wayfinding Sign Display Options

Static – For information that doesn’t change, static signs are simple, cost-effective solutions. Marking exits, room numbers, and building locations can all be accomplished with static signs.

Digital Signs – Digital signs can be bright and colorful, making them highly visible for people that need directions. One of the key benefits of digital signage is that it can cycle through many screens, providing several pieces of information in a single location. Digital signs are also great for regularly updating information, such as the departure and arrival boards in airports, helping people find the correct gate and terminal.

Interactive Signs – Combining touchscreens and custom software, interactive signs are popular in large venues like malls or museums to help people discover what is around them, learn about specific places, and find the simplest route to get there.

Wayfinding Sign Design and Best Practices

When people are lost, they instinctively look for interior signage. As such, signs must be intuitive, readable, and instinctive. One of the best practices is to put signs at eye level or above so they can be seen even when there’s a large crowd.

Another important point is to use bright, visible colors on signs. It’s encouraged to use the business’s color palette for cohesive branding, but the key information should stand out from everything else so people can find it quickly and easily.

Accessibility is another thoughtful consideration to serve the community. While the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates certain standards for healthcare facilities and schools, any business that follows these guidelines is helping people who need it most.

Read More: Navigating the Campus: Essentials for School Wayfinding Signage

Ideal Locations for Interior Wayfinding Signs

When installing wayfinding signage, certain locations should be considered mandatory.

Elevators and Stairways – People are always using these transition points from floor to floor. Signs marking the elevators should be high enough to be seen from a distance. They should also indicate the floor number and what areas of interest are on this floor.

Intersections – Any time a hallway splits into multiple paths, people need interior wayfinding signs. Motels, for example, usually install signs on the hallway corners and opposite the elevator doors to show the range of room numbers down each path. The same principle is used in airport terminals.

Doors and Entrances – Generally speaking, every door or room entrance should be marked and identified. People should know what every room is for before going inside, and that information should be in front of their face or slightly above. Some doors, like those used for security, are purposely unmarked to go unnoticed. In those cases, the people who need to know what’s inside already know.

Wayfinding Signs Save Lives

The benefits of interior wayfinding signage go beyond convenience. In emergency situations, they can directly result in lives being saved. Well-placed informational signage can also prevent emergencies from happening at all.

Medical Emergencies – EMTs need to get to a specific spot on the right floor of the right building in a situation where seconds matter. Directional signage gets people to the site of an emergency, even if it’s their first time in the building. Some locations have an automated external defibrillator (AED), which should be very clearly marked for quick access.

Security Risks – Anything can happen in a public space, so police and building security can utilize wayfinding signs to get to a scene as quickly as possible.

Emergency Exits – While professionals need to get to the site of emergencies quickly, everyone else needs to evacuate swiftly as well. Emergency exits should be even more visible and intuitive than all other waymarking signs.

Hazards and Dangers – Well-placed warning signs can prevent emergencies or accidents from occurring in the first place. Doors marked with “KEEP OUT,” “HIGH VOLTAGE,” “HAZARDOUS WASTE,” and even “NO SMOKING” can keep people away from risks and save lives.

Planning a Comprehensive Building Sign Project

Sign projects involve significant complexity. Creative aspects like design and construction must be balanced against practical limitations such as regulations and permits. This can be difficult when businesses work with several different firms for their sign needs; it adds extra wait time and risks errors from miscommunication.

Vertically integrated sign companies like Flexlume handle all aspects of a full-scale signage project under one roof. These companies offer a single point of contact throughout the process and an experienced team of specialists. For a free consultation on a custom signage rollout, contact Flexlume to schedule a meeting.