Way finding signage is concerned with helping to direct you from point to point, or confirming your progress along a route. Wayfinding signage, in other words, is not advertising signage or informational signage such as a trains arrival timetable.
Types of Way finding Signs
-Directional Signage
The most obvious type of signage, which you might expect to find in a location where people need to be guided, is directional signage. Signage often uses symbols and arrows and, in certain spaces, tends to have internationally recognized conformity, although not always. This form of signage is quite straight-forward in that the point is to try and send people in the right direction such as up and down, forwards, left, right or to take a turn. When I say straight-forward though, that is in theory because even directional signage can easily create a lot of confusion and send people the wrong way.
The most obvious type of signage, which you might expect to find in a location where people need to be guided, is directional signage. Signage often uses symbols and arrows and, in certain spaces, tends to have internationally recognized conformity, although not always. This form of signage is quite straight-forward in that the point is to try and send people in the right direction such as up and down, forwards, left, right or to take a turn. When I say straight-forward though, that is in theory because even directional signage can easily create a lot of confusion and send people the wrong way.
-Conformationals Signs
A lot of signs are actually not to direct people, but to act as comforters to the users. Creating a positive user experience and also ensuring that the right mood and impression is relayed to the users, is a key part of what signage can achieve when implemented correctly. In airports a great example is when you see a ‘You have arrived at Gate…’ type sign, which highlights the fact that you have reached somewhere.
A lot of signs are actually not to direct people, but to act as comforters to the users. Creating a positive user experience and also ensuring that the right mood and impression is relayed to the users, is a key part of what signage can achieve when implemented correctly. In airports a great example is when you see a ‘You have arrived at Gate…’ type sign, which highlights the fact that you have reached somewhere.
-Identification Signs
It is also important to often provide information which is to let people know things such as the:
Identification signs provide valuable and necessary information and can sometimes be combined and crossed-over with confirmational signs.
It is also important to often provide information which is to let people know things such as the:
- Carousel numbers for baggage collection.
- The terminal number or letter.
- Flight departure and arrival details.
- The check-in desk, check flight, destination airport and flight number.
Identification signs provide valuable and necessary information and can sometimes be combined and crossed-over with confirmational signs.
-Informational Signs
A lot of signage acts also to provide information, rather than to direct, or to confirm a location. Examples can be:
Informational signs though, can also sometimes cross-over with regulatory signage (discussed below) which provides safety and security details. Signage, for example, which lets you know what you can or cannot take through security in an airport. These types of signs though, most often are to satisfy the user and to improve their customer experience.
A lot of signage acts also to provide information, rather than to direct, or to confirm a location. Examples can be:
- Opening hours.
- Entrance prices.
- Rubbish and litter disposal info.
- ‘You are Here’ maps.
- Special assistance help.
Informational signs though, can also sometimes cross-over with regulatory signage (discussed below) which provides safety and security details. Signage, for example, which lets you know what you can or cannot take through security in an airport. These types of signs though, most often are to satisfy the user and to improve their customer experience.
