How can signage and wayfinding improve visitor experience?

A clearly designed and well thought-out cohesive signage scheme will enhance your site and improve the  overall visitor experience.

When faced with an unfamiliar environment, research shows that our instinctive decision-making process is highly influenced by the visual clues and spatial characteristics inherent within a site or building layout.

Good signage creates consistency, continuity and clarity throughout the site spreading a positive message about the visitor experience, especially careful attention to detail. Providing this experience can bring visitors back to your site, as the unified signage gently guides visitors around and through.

People are visual, hence the importance of building your identity through cohesive signage, so visitors enter your site with a clear sense of place. While visitors may even appear unaware of well-made and well-placed signage, it can have a significant subconscious effect on their enjoyment.

To avoid confusing visitors, signs should represent your identity in coordinating fonts, colours and designs. You will find that a comprehensive signage solution will enhance your identity and create a sense of ownership.

1. Colour coordinating – assigning colour themes through the design and planning phases
2. Think about signage positioning – directional graphics at floor level are a good wayfinding solution as well as cost effective (it doesn’t always have to be post-mounted)
3. Materials – consider the use of alternative or sustainable materials to reflect the theme, it can bring the brand to life with different signage materials
4. Keep it simple – not to overpower, but to influence, ensure it’s easy to read and legible
5. Keep it fresh – if you incorporate a level of flexibility into the wayfinding scheme, it means you can easily refresh signage as the requirements or facilities change.
6. The audience differs – not all visitors come for the same reason – they can be wanderers or structured explorers – ensure you consider both audience styles when thinking about interpretation around the site