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What is the medium? Will it be printed, viewed on the computer? What size will the final piece be?

Building a Better System

Your wayfinding system may consist of some or all of these elements:

· Signage

· Maps

· Directions

· Symbols

· Audible clues

· Landmarks

· Trails

· Tactile communication

Don't limit your wayfinding strategies to signage only. Wayfinding is using the entire surrounding environment to help people get around.

Signage

People scan signs very quickly. If they can’t find the information they need, they’ll look for another source of information. Signs need to be easy to see, read and follow. Their design and positioning should be consistent. Well-designed signs group and emphasize information. They link text and arrows clearly and use color appropriately.

Carol Sconzert identifies the types of signs found at meetings:

· Identification – used to establish a destination or to define the activities as belonging to the meeting. Example: Event Name, names of places or functions “Speaker’s Lounge”

· Informational – provide background or information. Example: Exhibit Hours

Directional - assist attendees in moving safely and efficiently. Example: signs with arrows

(Sconzert, C. 2005. In G. Ramsborg (Ed.), Professional Meeting Management (5th ed.). Page 438. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.)

In addition, when planning a meeting you may also need to consider signs for internal and for external use. Or whether it is necessary to have signs for vehicles and people on foot.

Signs should be consistent across these factors:

· Typefaces

· Type sizes

· Design

· Names

· Colors

· Symbols

Positioning/Locations

While this issue of Tips for Innovative Meetings and Events won’t touch on all these factors, it is worthwhile to remember a few basics in sign design.

Typefaces: No single typeface provides optimum legibility, but sans serif typefaces are easier to read on signs than serif typefaces. For signs, you should:

· Use a bold sans serif typeface with a large x-height and thick stems

· Use upper case for the first letter and lower case for the rest of the word

Names: Names, locations and destinations should always be listed in a consistent, understandable and logical way. You can list them in one of the following ways:

· In alphabetical order

· By function

· By direction on directional signs

By floor

Arrows: How text relates to the arrows will affect how easy directional signs are to use. Arrows should:

· Be clearly linked to relevant text

· Show the appropriate direction

· Not be separated from text by too much white space

Have a consistent style, size and position on all signs

Positioning: Signs should be located where people need to make a decision. Locate signs:

· At a consistent height so people know where to look

· Where people approaching from all possible directions can see them

· Close to eye level wherever possible so people with visual impairments can read them from a close distance

Where people can stop and read them without causing an obstruction

Continued...

T.I.M.E. Issues Online

Making My Way—Wayfinding...continued pg 3

Date: February 2007