Table of Contents
Wayfinding signs help people find their way around a business hub, park, hotel, or any other location. Businesses suffer without wayfinding signage as visitors cannot navigate around and leave with a poor impression.
Wayfinding signs direct, inform, and showcase safety rules. They’re great for retail stores, corporate offices, hospitals, campuses, and more. This guide covers every type of wayfinding signage and helps you make the right choice.
Key Takeaways
- You can find four types of wayfinding signs: directional, informational, identification, and regulatory;
- Directional signs guide visitors to specific locations;
- Informational signs display general notices, show nearby amenities, or floor plans;
- Identification signs tag specific departments or important spaces. They also feature brand logos and names;
- Regulatory signs establish mandatory actions, prohibit specific behaviors, or enforce traffic laws.
What is Wayfinding Signage?
Wayfinding signs make it easy for people to navigate through unfamiliar spaces. They contain markers that guide, inform, and orient visitors. Every major industry uses wayfinding signs to help visitors make their way through a venue with confidence.
Wayfinding signs confirm that visitors have reached their destination. They also display safety messages, regulatory rules, or building maps.
Types of Wayfinding Signage
Wayfinding signs fall into four main groups. They vary in nature depending on the message they share and the purpose they serve. Learn about their characteristics below.
Directional Signs
People often confuse directional signs with wayfinding signs, treating them as the same thing. In fact, directional signs are but one type of wayfinding system you can find. Common directional signs display useful information for visitors on where to go.
They include floor directory boards, corridor arrow signs, or plaques pointing to different areas of the building.
Use aluminum signs to lead to various departments, office rooms, or floors. Aluminum is a resilient material, so businesses can also use signs made of the material outside.
PVC and Coroplast are resilient, lightweight, and strong materials, also popular as directional signs. Their installation is easy, and they hold up well in busy spaces.
Floor decals are another popular solution for spaces like retail stores or airports. They catch the attention with appealing visuals, as people stare at the floor while walking.
Informational Signs
Informational signs feature useful details that aid people throughout their journey. They teach or inform visitors about building rules or available amenities. For example, what is on each floor, where the facilities are, what the rules are, and how the space is organized. So, their best place is in reception areas.
Businesses display operating hours, WiFi access notices, or building maps with these signs.
Dibond signs are also popular. They boast a polished look that grabs attention.
Acrylic signs work well in healthcare facilities and retail stores. They showcase rules, services, or details about the premises.
Foam core signs are good for indoor events, trade shows, and temporary installations.
Identification Signs
People verify they are in the right place thanks to identification signs. These visual markers label locations and zones at eye level.
Room numbers, department names, or restroom signs also fall under this category.
You can find brushed aluminum signs in corporate offices, hotels, shopping malls, or retail stores.
Galleries and museums use identification gatorboard signs to exhibit artist names or gallery labels.
Another popular material choice for identification signage is styrene. They identify common areas in schools, medical offices, and retail environments.
Regulatory Signs
Regulatory signs communicate specific rules and restrictions to visitors. Use bold text and colors so that these rules become impossible to miss.
Companies with hazardous zones need them to protect visitors. Common regulatory signs include “No Entry,” “No Parking,” “No Smoking,” “Restricted Area,” and speed limit signs.
Hospitals use regulatory signs to mark hygiene requirements. Construction sites display them for protective gear requirements.
The most needed feature for regulatory signs is nighttime visibility. Reflective aluminum signs provide an additional vital feature for regulatory signs, which is nighttime visibility. Thanks to their light-reflecting coating, these signs remain visible 24/7.
Aluminum, composite aluminum, acrylic, and PVC are also commonly used as regulatory signs.
Read complete information regarding workplace safety signage.
Best Practices to Create Effective Wayfinding Signs
Well-placed wayfinding signage reduces lost time and improves visitor experience. Businesses use different types of wayfinding signs to educate, show the way, or name spaces. Find tips to make your wayfinding systems more effective.
- Make your wayfinding signs visible. Place them at entrances, intersections, or public lobbies. Place signs at eye level so that people both standing and seated can read them without difficulty.
- Design signs that are easy to read from far away. To that aim, clear and easy-to-read fonts are best. Also, use high-contrast colors for the sign to be legible from a distance.
- Focus on simplicity. Keep the design simple to avoid slow navigation.
- Apply the same symbols, fonts, and colors across different signs for consistency. It builds trust and helps visitors have confidence in your signage.
FAQs
What are the types of wayfinding signage?
The types of wayfinding signs are directional, informational, identification, and regulatory signs. Each has its own purpose and area of usage.
What type of wayfinding signs should I choose?
Your choice depends on your space and visitors' needs. Use directional signs to guide foot traffic from one place to another. Install informational signs to share general guidance or business operating hours. Place identification signs to confirm specific rooms, departments, or locations. Post regulatory signs wherever rules and restrictions apply.
How to make sure my wayfinding signage is universally understandable?
Use internationally recognized symbols to overcome language barriers. Keep the design clean so that people with ability restrictions can navigate with ease.
Do I need only one type of wayfinding sign?
Most spaces benefit from using more than one wayfinding sign type. Each type serves a purpose that others cannot. The more complete your system, the fewer questions visitors need to ask.
You Might Also Be Interested In
