What Makes A Good Wayfinding System?
The concept of wayfinding is an important
part of any well designed environment. When visiting a strange new
place, viewers need to be able to find their way to their destination. A
good wayfinding system will allow them to reach their destination
easily, quickly and (hopefully) with as few headaches as possible. So
what things make a wayfinding system successful?
Easily Navigable
Obviously the most important aspect of any good
wayfinding system is that it needs get the viewer where they want to go.
It needs to have clear navigation paths with well defined routes that
make it easy for viewers to move from their current location to their
destination. Clear identification, directional, orientation and
necessary regulatory information should also be provided. Decision
points should be clearly indicated and marked in advance. Once a viewer
reaches a key decision point, help should be available to provide
directional choices and point the viewer where they need to go.
Consistent Design
While good design is important, it should be
secondary and enforce or enrich the message or information provided.
Navigating a strange place is difficult enough without having to process
a different design at each point along the way. A consistent,
recognizable design across all elements of a wayfinding system will
reassure and relax the viewer, allowing them to focus on the
information. A good system will use the same typefaces throughout, a
similar family of icons and consistent color hierarchy or design
elements. It goes back to the old adage — good design is invisible.
Clear Organization & Designation
Whether in a museum exhibit or an urban environment,
places, information and locations should be organized into distinct
areas or districts. Each area should have a unique design or theme
different from all the rest. Subdivided areas break down a larger
environment into more digestible chunks. They also help the viewer know
their current location, and provide clues of what to look for when
seeking a destination.
Information is Understandable, Legible and Well Designed
Good information design is crucial to a successful
wayfinding system. Navigational or informative content should be
presented in a legible typeface with good contrast that can be seen at
various sizes and distances. Typography should have a clear hierarchy,
highlighting the most important information. The language and tone
should be easy to understand. Well designed content will help the viewer
retain information or easily find their destination, while poorly
designed information will only confuse and frustrate them.
Ease of Orientation
A successful wayfinding system should provide visual
clues to the viewer to help them orient themselves in their current
location. Each area or location should be uniquely designed (going back
to clear organization and designation) and help the visitor identify
where they are currently and which direction they face. Memorable
landmarks or waypoints help visitors identify where they are in relation
to an environment, and clearly marked destinations help them see where
they are going.
Visible and Recognizable
Good design may be invisible, but elements of a
wayfinding system should not be. Signs, directories and stations should
stand out and be easily seen from any distance or angle. Signs and
directionals should have good placement — vehicular signage should be
visible from a distance while in a vehicle, pedestrian signage should be
within eye level while walking. They should also be placed along clear
sightlines, placed where visitors need to find them, to avoid getting
lost in the clutter. Decision points and destinations should be clearly
indicated in advance to avoid getting a visitor lost.
Functional, Interesting and Accessible to All Audiences
Other forms of design or communications may have a
target audience they are tailored to, but wayfinding design should be
functional to a wide and varied audience. Wayfinding elements should be
usable by anyone, being functional and offering something interesting to
people of all ages. Information should be provided to a quick glance or
a prolonged study. Accessibility is also an important concern.
Wayfinding systems should be usable and accessible to people with
disabilities as well, accounting for deafness, blindness or color
blindness, wheelchair access or otherwise.
Simple and Concise
The best wayfinding systems are simple, telling a
visitor what they need to know in as little language as possible.
Necessary information should be brief, allowing a visitor to find their
destination while in a hurry or in the flow of traffic. Clear, simple
but limited navigation choices should be provided so as to direct the
visitor without overwhelming them.
Provide a Map or Directory
There are many ways to provide a visitor with a
bird’s eye view of an environment. Map stations or directories can be
placed sporadically (and clearly marked) in malls, museums or public
transit systems. Printed maps are helpful for visitors to study in
advance and are frequently used in travel guides, theme parks or
national parks. There are also digital maps, provided on websites, at
interactive map stations or through new smartphone applications. Maps
provide an extra method of orientation to visitors, allowing them to see
the organization of the entire area and know what waypoints or
landmarks to look for.
Solid Research and Strategic Foundation
Perhaps the most important aspect of any good
wayfinding system is that it should be based on sound research and
strategy. Haphazardly placed signage can be extremely confusing and
frustrating, often times even contradictory. Instead of reactionary
response or dealing with individual signs, a larger strategy and
wayfinding plan should be used, outlining entry and exit points,
destinations, decision points and clear visitor paths. In his book The
Wayfinding Handbook, David Gibson outlines four wayfinding strategies
based on historical city models — the use of districts, streets,
connectors or landmarks. Whatever strategy is used, it should fit the
environment, be functional and backed by plenty of research.
Wayfinding systems that consider these aspects will be well on their
way to moving visitors quickly and efficiently to their destinations.
Visitors that find their way easily will find the journey much more
enjoyable and have a greater chance of visiting the city, museum or
using the transit system more frequently.
source: http://www.arrowsandicons.com/articles/what-makes-a-good-wayfinding-system/
