Parks, malls, museums, hospitals, airports. All these spaces have one thing in common: They need to have an effective wayfinding strategy. This is why these places typically feature waymarkers like wooden lecterns and fingerposts — on top of having receptionists or guides.

In this article, you’ll learn nine tips on how to make your own premises navigable and your overall user experience more convenient.

Understand your space and your users’ needs. When devising your space’s wayfinding strategy, think as if you’re the user or audience — someone unfamiliar with the area. To better understand your premises from an outsider’s perspective, it will be helpful to conduct an interview or survey.

Create paths that are effectively structured. To help users find ways within your place, you have to construct paths with a clear start, middle, and end. To further facilitate navigation, you should also utilise landmarks, walls, and other visual cues.

It’s the location — not the quantity — that matters. When putting up wayfinding signage and marks like fingerposts, take note that it doesn’t follow the the-more-the-better principle. The key is identifying decision points and placing signages there. Apart from installing them in strategic areas, you have to make sure they are visible and readable.

Be clear and consistent. Your signage shouldn’t just be clear design-wise. You should create copies that are concise and easy to comprehend. Both in writing and in its aesthetics, it’s also important to be consistent to establish a sense of familiarity among your audience.

Pay attention to proper lighting. To further aid with your marks’ visibility, you have to also take into account your lighting needs. This is especially crucial for indoor and darker environments.

Consider people with disabilities. Coming up with a good wayfinding strategy isn’t all about having smartly placed and designed signages and wooden lecterns — you have to be inclusive and include people with disabilities in your design. Incorporate disabled access and always inspect your space for any safety hazards.

Invest in integrated wayfinding. Take advantage of the modern technology and integrate digital wayfinding solutions to your plan. For instance, if your budget allows, you can create a mobile app that can help your users navigate your area.

Train your staff. Despite being digital, you also have to go back to the basics: Make the most of your workforce. Train them and make sure they know the ins and outs of your wayfinding program.

Work with a credible wayfinding signage firm. To help you with your wayfinding strategy, it’s more cost-effective to team up with professionals in the field. They can help you identify crucial decision points and design and implement a program that actually works.

Make your space easier to navigate when you team with DAB Graphics. An expert in designing and making waymarkers like fingerposts and wooden lecterns, they work closely with their clients to ensure that the needed information can be easily accessed by their target audience. Reach out to them at 01472 488085 or at [email protected]. Get more info at https://www.dabgraphics.co.uk.