Wayfinding Basics

BASICS OF Wayfinding

Infographic Transcription

Wherever we go, and however we get there,
WAYFINDING HELPS US NAVIGATE a confusing world.

Around the globe, airports, highways, malls, hospitals, and other facilities use systems of signs, signals, and other visual cues to shuttle users from “Point A” to “Point B” in the most efficient manner possible.

Wayfinding can help employees, vendors, and visitors navigate your workplace, as well.

Here’s a brief look at the importance of wayfinding—and how it can help improve efficiency and organization.

HISTORY OF WAYFINDING

Wayfinding has been around as long as people have migrated and moved. Here’s a brief history of wayfinding and how it’s been used in cultures around the world.

3000 B.C.
3000 B.C.: Polynesia takes shape in the western Pacific Ocean. Polynesians would later develop a reputation for expert wayfinding by reading the sun, moon, stars, and animals (such as birds in flight) for navigational clues.

300 B.C.
300 B.C.: Rome constructs a transportation network that eventually swells to more than 50,000 miles of paved roads. Stone pillars, built alongside the roads, delineate destinations, distances, and mile markers.

1935
1935: The first edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) (now maintained by the Federal Highway Administration) is approved as an American Standard, establishing regulations for roadway signage.

1908
1908: Henry Ford’s Model T rolls off the assembly line, making automobiles accessible to the average consumer and creating the need for wayfinding on public streets.

1960
1960: Kevin Lynch coins the term “wayfinding” with the release of his book, “The Image of the City”. The book examines how people interact with their environments as they navigate a city.

1964
1964: Pictograms are formally introduced for wayfinding at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Twenty sport-specific and 39 general information pictograms are conceived with audiences from around the world.

(1964 signpost graphic text)
Here
There

1976
1976: The Society for Experiential Graphic Design (now the Society for Environmental Graphic Design) forms to increase public awareness of architectural signage and visual communication in a changing, more connected world.

WAYFINDING RULES AND REGULATIONS

There are few established federal rules and regulations for wayfinding systems; most such decisions are left to individual facilities. Nevertheless, several agencies and organizations offer resources for planning an effective wayfinding system.

OSHA — 29 CFR §1910.22
FLOOR MARKING
OSHA maintains basic regulations for floor marking, which can be a critical component of a wayfinding system:

• 29 CFR §1910.22(d)(2) states, “Permanent aisles and passageways shall be appropriately marked,” but the standard does not specify requirements for floor marking colors, unless floor marking is used for preventing physical injuries.
• 29 CFR §1910.144: the agency’s standard for cautionary safety colors—states that red and yellow are for “identification of fire protection material, emergency safety, stop signs, and tags.”
• Red is the basic color for fire-related hazards, emergency safety, bars, and buttons on hazardous machines.
• Yellow designates caution and marks physical hazards, such as stumbling, falling, and “caught in between.”

OSHA — 29 CFR §1910.37
EMERGENCY EGRESS
OSHA’s rules for communicating egress routes in the event of an emergency can be found in 29 CFR §1910.37. Here’s what to know when accounting for emergencies while designing a wayfinding system:

• Every exit must be visible and marked by a sign reading “Exit,” and the line-of-sight to an “Exit” sign must be visible at all times.
• The word “Exit” must be legible in lettering at least 6" (15.2 cm) high, and the main line of the letters in the word “Exit” must be at least 3/4" high.
• In an exit path at stairway, signs must be posted along the route, indicating access to the nearest exit.
• If a doorway or passage along an access route isn’t an exit, but can be mistaken for one, it must be marked “Not an Exit” or with a sign that reads such. It may also be identified by its actual use (such as a closet or restroom).

Federal Highway Administration
ROADWAY SIGNAGE
The Federal Highway Administration’s MUTCD offers standards for roadway signage. These are required for public roadways, but can be used for developing signage for parking lots, garages, and other private thoroughfares.
Notes:

• Messages should be as brief as possible.
• Use at least 1" of letter height per 30' of viewing distance. If a sign should be seen from 60 feet away, letters should be 2" or taller.
• Keep abbreviations to a minimum, wherever possible.
• Don’t use punctuation marks. Minimize confusion by using only letters, numerals, and hyphens.
• Use hyphens, not forward slashes, to separate words.
• The names of places, streets, and highways should begin with upper-case letters, followed by lower-case letters.

International Building Code
CHAPTER 10 (Means of Egress)
The International Code Council (ICC) develops codes and standards for the design and construction of buildings. Chapter 10 of the ICC’s International Building Code speaks to means of emergency egress as part of a broader wayfinding system:

• Directional signs located within stairwells must be placed at elevator landings and in areas of refuge places where people unable to use stairs may gather to await instructions or assistance during emergency evacuation.
• Emergency evacuation instructions must be posted in areas of refuge and elevator areas for assistance.
• Stairway identification signs must be at least 18" x 12". Letters identifying an interior exit stairway and ramp must be at least 1" tall.

1. The number designating the floor level must be at least 5" tall and located in the center.
2. Other letters and numbers must be at least 1" tall.

• Signs must use a non-glare finish, and characters must contrast with the sign background.
  (Stairway Identification Signs graphic text)
  Other letters or numbers 1" Min.
  Level 2 — 5" Min.
  18" x 12" Min.
  Stairway Identification Signs

4 TYPES OF WAYFINDING SIGNAGE

In the July 2008 issue of American School & University Magazine, wayfinding expert Ernest Dwight broke down wayfinding signs into four groups: identification, directional, informational, and regulatory signs.

Here’s a look at each type of sign:

1. IDENTIFICATION SIGNS
   Identification signs don’t provide directions, rather they identify where the reader is, and point out specific landmarks or structures.
   AN IDENTIFICATION SIGN…

• Points out restrooms, entrances, conference rooms, and other common destinations.
• Provides “You are here” designations on maps at entryways.
• Signals entrances and exit doors to buildings and facility borders.

1. DIRECTIONAL SIGNS
   Directional signs keep people moving toward their final destinations, from grocery aisles and conference room labels to highway signage and traffic directions.
   A DIRECTIONAL SIGN…

• Helps visitors find reception desks, offices, loading docks, and other common destinations.
• Lists users in an elevator lobby which locations can be found on that floor.
• Provides directions at junctions and in busy corridors.

1. INFORMATIONAL SIGNS
   Informational signs supplement the info with useful information along the way.
   AN INFORMATIONAL SIGN…

• Shows which parking spots are reserved for visitors or employees.
• Warns of the presence of forklifts and other heavy machinery.
• Alerts users when conference rooms or meeting areas have free Wi-Fi.

1. REGULATORY SIGNS
   Regulatory signs inform users of regulations and requirements that are in place.
   A REGULATORY SIGN…

• Reminds users to wear proper PPE, such as hearing protection or face shields.
• Alerts drivers of posted speed limits and parking restrictions.
• Denotes designated smoking areas and signals when smoking is not allowed.
• Warns about areas that may be off limits.

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