Think about the last time you passed through an airport, navigated a highway interchange, or went shopping at the mall. Did overhead signs direct you to your destination? Did text-based messages help you at critical junctures? Were your destinations labeled with images and other visual cues?
These elements are all part of what's called "wayfinding," which creates a system for helping users move throughout an area. Wayfinding relies on a system of signs, signals, and other visual cues to shuttle users from "Point A" to "Point B" in the most efficient manner possible.
If you're looking to develop a wayfinding system for your facility, you'll want to get familiar with the four types of signs at the heart of any good wayfinding system.
In the July 2008 issue of American School & University Magazine, wayfinding expert Ernest Dwight broke down wayfinding into four groups: identification, directional, informational, and regulatory signs. Almost all signs you'll develop as part of a wayfinding system will fall into one of the four groups.
Here's a breakdown of each type of sign:
As the name implies, identification signs identify where the reader is, and point out specific landmarks or structures. These signs do not provide directions; instead, they may serve as a kind of "you are here" designation or let users know when they've arrived at a destination.
How can you use identification signs around your facility?
Informational signs are less about moving toward a destination than supplementing the trip with useful information along the way. For instance, highway signs may alert drivers when they're entering a construction zone, or warn of upcoming congestion. In both instances, drivers can take that information into account and make or change plans accordingly.
Here's how informational signs can help your facility:
Regulatory signs inform users of regulations and requirements that are in place. Most drivers will recognize speed limit signs and "No Parking" notices as regulatory signs.
What do regulatory signs look like around a facility? Here's a look:
Duralabel carries sign-making equipment and supplies to help you communicate key messages and help users find their way throughout facilities large and small. DuraLabel industrial sign and label printers come with label creation software, which lets users customize signs with a library of more than 1,800 symbols, and we offer numerous supplies for site-specific applications.
We also offer sign blanks to help you turn labels into rigid signs. Sign blanks come in various materials including plastic, aluminum, steel, fiberglass, and corrugated plastic, and are available in 1-way, 2-way, and 3-way formats for easy viewing from multiple angles.