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Wayfinding Defined and Designed

After Lynch coined the term, “wayfinding”, environmental psychologist Romedi Passini expanded the concept to include signage and other graphic communication, clues inherent in a building's design, space planning, audible communication, tactile elements, and provision for special-needs users. (Passini, 1984)

Wayfinding is the process of using spatial and environmental cues to navigate through an environment. Properly designed, a wayfinding system integrates with the surrounding architecture, landscape, interior design and lighting, making it easier for people to access and understand the environment.

Basic goals when designing a wayfinding system include:

· Allowing people to know where they are, find the best route, recognize the destination and find their way back

· Creating clues that are appropriate and legible

· Developing a unique system that functions well

· Integrating the system into the overall architecture and aesthetic

· Communicating to a multilingual audience

Blending wayfinding elements into key communications like advertisements, marketing brochures, registration, and Web sites provides meeting participants with the information they need - even before they arrive on site.

Why this Way?

Why is wayfinding important? Most organizations strive to hold meetings that are user-friendly and member- or employee-focused. Wayfinding systems help achieve that goal. By eliminating disorientation and enabling wayfinding, you create well-designed and well-managed meetings.

More specifically, a focus on wayfinding improves:

· Functional efficiency

· Accessibility

· Safety

Feelings of comfort

Good wayfinding decreases:

· Frustration and stress

· Late arrivals

· Time spent giving directions

Wayfinding During Site Visits

When viewing a potential site for a meeting, most people unconsciously consider wayfinding elements. Architecture and design elements on site are the first level of wayfinding clues. Effective architectural and design wayfinding clues include:

· Building layouts

· Corridors

· Lighting

· Use of color

· Use of patterns

· Use of texture

All these clues allow people to quickly grasp and understand the environment.

On site visits, check for:

· Clearly identified arrival points

· Delineation of areas (meeting spaces, public spaces, etc.)

· Memorable landmarks along corridors and at key decision points

· Consistent lighting, floor coverings and architectural finishes in specific types of spaces

· Sites with good wayfinding are created through a collaborative effort of design professionals--architects, designers and sign makers. The site will help shape the experience for meeting participants.

Wayfinding Meeting Systems

A wayfinding system for meetings incorporates branding, signs, maps and directional clues that tell participants where they are, where they want to go, and how to get there.

When determining what types of wayfinding elements you need for a meeting, start with these design issues:

· What is the function of a meeting wayfinding system? What are the needs for this meeting?

· Who is the audience? Are they residents or from out of town? Is there more than one user type? How will each navigate the space differently?

· What is the sequential context? In other words, where are people coming from? Where might they be headed? How will they be using the various wayfinding elements? Continued...

T.I.M.E. Issues Online

Making My Way—Wayfinding...continued pg 2

Date: February 2007