Wayfinding design is crucial to a wide variety of organizations, from hospitals to airports, shopping malls to sports arenas, and everything in between. Unfortunately, not all wayfinding systems are designed effectively, and they can end up being more confusing than they are helpful.
To ensure that your wayfinding system doesn’t fall into this category, read on for the top six wayfinding design mistakes to avoid.
1. Operating without a strategic wayfinding plan
The biggest wayfinding design mistake you can make is to approach the project without a clear strategic plan. A low-quality wayfinding plan has signs located in random places and doesn’t take into account the ease and comfortability of its visitors.
Instead, you want to make sure that you are formulating a specific strategy that enables you to create a system that is seamless and well-executed and provides visitors with an enjoyable experience once they are on your premises. While it may take time to formulate this strategy, it will pay off in the long run when visitors have a pleasant experience. In fact, at the heart of every strategic wayfinding plan should be the question of whether or not it enhances a visitor’s time on the premises.
2. Ignoring the importance of decision points
In wayfinding design, decision points are one of the most important aspects to pay attention to, yet so many projects fail to understand their importance. Decision points are where visitors have to make a wayfinding choice, making it essential that you provide them with all the information that they need.
The last thing you want to do is place wayfinding signage after decision points or have mixed messaging regarding where a visitor should go. Instead, all wayfinding signage should be located in positions that give visitors enough time to make the appropriate choice.
3. Making everything look cluttered
While you always want to be providing visitors with the essential information, you don’t want to be overwhelming them, and you don’t want your wayfinding signage to look cluttered. More signs than necessary, too much verbiage, and over-the-top graphics all suggest an inferior wayfinding system.
For example, suppose you are formulating a wayfinding system for a hospital. In that case, you don’t want your signage and wayfinding to be making visitors feel even more stressed than they already are. Therefore, you need to find a balance between providing the necessary information and keeping things simple, as simple signage creates a more favorable first impression.
4. Not considering all visitors
Don’t be an organization with a wayfinding signage system that doesn’t take into account all user types. This means ensuring that your system is accessible for the elderly, the disabled, and those visiting with children. All of these visitor types need to be equipped with options for special assistance so that they can also utilize the space.
For example, if you have a special assistance desk on the premises, make sure your wayfinding signage presents directions to it from the moment a visitor steps into the space. The best way to ensure that your wayfinding system is accessible to all visitors is to conduct audits for each user type.
5. Falling behind on maintenance
Once you have a wayfinding system in place, you also have to take the necessary steps to maintain it because one of the biggest faux pas in wayfinding design is poorly maintained wayfinding signage. This is especially important for exterior signs that are likely to be affected by weather and plant growth.
Professionalism should be at the core of your wayfinding design strategy. Having wayfinding signage that is broken, rotting, or covered in bushes is a surefire way of making a negative first impression. Therefore, when creating your strategic wayfinding plan, consider how and when you are going to maintain the wayfinding signage and who is responsible for keeping everything looking its best.
6. Not working with wayfinding design consultants
In most cases, all of these wayfinding design mistakes could easily be avoided if you work with reputable wayfinding design consultants because they know what is required to create an effective wayfinding strategy. When you work with professional signage and wayfinding consultants in Dubai, you can be assured that your wayfinding system will be both creative and beneficial and that it will seamlessly fit into the surrounding area.
Additionally, they will ensure that the wayfinding system’s design is on-brand and that all parts work together to create an omni-channel experience. As they are up-to-date on wayfinding trends and styles, they will be able to guide you through the process so that it results in an experience that is memorable for all visitors.
Dezign Technic is here for all of your wayfinding design needs; reach out today to learn more about what we can do for you.
Are you looking to upgrade your wayfinding system this year? Do you have aspects of your current version that break these rules? Let us know your thoughts and any relevant challenges you are currently facing in the comments below.
