Category: Wayfinding Design

The Wonder of Wayfinding Design

Posted on by Ellen Turbett

Wayfinding design is an enlightening experience, guiding and steering people through their surroundings. From arrow markers to directional stickers, the opportunities are endless to deliver a simply understood wayfinding design.

Whether you own a small warehouse or a skyscraper block of office space, wayfinding is a must. Everyone who visits your organisation, be it staff or visitors should be able to freely navigate their surroundings in a straightforward manner. The goal of wayfinding is to direct people through unfamiliar settings. To achieve this, a thorough planning and implementation is required, using the correct language, typography, colour palette, all of which maintain and boost your brand identity.

Create a positive atmosphere from the get go with wayfinding design!

We have all been there. Getting lost in a new environment is never fun and often leaves a feeling of embarrassment. This is not the desired association that brands want visitors to create when visiting their organisation. Hence, the importance of wayfinding design.

To combat any confusion from the get go, wayfinding navigation can be extremely useful. When providing navigation, it is crucial to deliver this in an easily interpreted manner, this will not only benefit attendees, it will also assist your staff members by reducing direction enquiries. Additionally, using a unique wayfinding design will help you to promote your brand throughout the location. 

The skill in designing wayfinding is understanding the visual and physical clues that help pull people through a space without the need for intensive signage. In doing so, the interpretive journey is much less stressful and therefore, much more enjoyable.

Seize the opportunity for some shameless self-promo

Designing your wayfinding design from scratch can provide many opportunities to boost brand recognition.  Yes, purchasing typical, generic signage will save your brand time and money but in the long run, it can depreciate your organisations reputation and brand identity.

In order to boost your brand identity at all times, it is important to seize every opportunity that comes your way. Incorporating your brand guidelines into all elements of your business is key, including that of wayfinding design. To promote and represent your brand highly, it is important to remain consistent in your design.

It is often the case where organisations invest highly in large-scale branding, leaving very little budget for smaller scale elements. Wayfinding design presents a unique opportunity, it is designed to be looked for. This alone should encourage organisations to avail of branded wayfinding, guaranteeing a boost in brand representation and incidentally, recognition.

What wayfinding design works for you?

Identification

Identification wayfinding design offers an informative clarification to visitors, outlining where they are presently located. This wayfinding signage is frequently used in offices, outlining rooms such as the ‘Meeting Room’.

Regulatory

Regulatory wayfinding is an extremely vital design, alerting individuals of regulations, rules and laws. These signs are essential when it comes to ensuring safety and compliance. Common regulatory wayfinding can be seen in ‘No Parking’, ‘No Smoking’ and ‘Wear a Mask’ signs.

Directional 

The most popular form of wayfinding is directional design. Directional wayfinding supports individuals in their journey around a specific location. Common directional signs point out entrances and exits.

Informational

The final category of wayfinding is informational design. Providing valuable information to individuals, informational wayfinding is commonly used to deliver answers to frequently asked questions, including ‘WIFI Available’ and ‘Free Parking’.

Wayfinding Design at Kaizen Brand Evolution

At Kaizen Brand Evolution, we have widespread and detailed experience in designing wayfinding. Through working with numerous businesses across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, we have developed an esteemed portfolio in wayfinding.

We can help you progress your brand identity through wayfinding design. We can help you with the planning, design and implementation, ensuring this is executed appropriately and successfully.

Wayfinding can be unclear if designed unprofessionally. Our graphic designers are experienced in creating clear, attractive wayfinding designs. This ensures visitors experience a smooth and enjoyable journey.

We aspire to create wayfinding designs that make visitors almost spend as much time looking at it as they do with whatever they are on-site to see. To discuss a creative project for your business, get in touch with our esteemed team of graphic designers via the contact form or on 028 95072007.

Navigate your Festival with Wayfinding Design

Posted on by Ellen Turbett

Finally… Spring has sprung here at Kaizen Brand Evolution and we cannot wait to see what the season has in store. With the much-anticipated time change at the weekend, we have most definitely blossomed into the Spring time mood.

When we think of Spring and Summer, we associate it with brighter days and exciting activities in beautiful weather. Over the last 2 years, we have unfortunately been robbed of a typical Spring/Summer period due to the pandemic. Festivals, concerts, parties and holidays were all a distant memory that we longed for; in hope they would return some day.

We are finally starting to see the return of our much-awaited Spring/Summer activities and we just cannot wait. With the brief, unanticipated hiatus of social activities, comes a sense of anticipation, as well as a sense of unfamiliarity.

Create a Welcoming Atmosphere

If hosting massive events, such as a concert or a festival, it is massively important that attendees feel welcome and comfortable within their surroundings. It can be extremely difficult for staff members to provide constant navigation at large-scale events, particularly those in the dark. Hence, the implementation of wayfinding design at these events is advised, creating a sense of awareness and navigation for attendees.

Confused at a Concert?

We have all attended large-scale events, such as a concert or festival and as great as they are, they can become overwhelming when it comes to navigation. Whether the event is in a location you are familiar with, or a brand-new setting, the crowds and masses can hinder our sense of direction, as well as our ability to navigate.

Avoid Navigation Frustration

To combat the concert confusion, the employment of wayfinding navigation can be extremely useful. Typically, when people consider navigation signs, they think of arrows or sign posts. Incidentally, the use of typical arrows and signs can cause misinterpretation, confusion and conflict.

When providing navigation, it is crucial to deliver this in an easily interpreted manner, this will not only benefit attendees, it will also assist your staff members in crowd control. Additionally, using a unique wayfinding design will enable you to promote your brand throughout the event location. 

What is Wayfinding Design?

Wayfinding design is a massively advantageous tools for organisations, particularly those who are hosting events with unfamiliar attendees. Providing seamless navigation through waypoints, wayfinding design allows individuals to move from point to point to get to their desired destination.

Wayfinding design is much more than a simple sign post or arrow, it is a strategically designed navigation system that takes into consideration the visual and physical clues that assist people through a location without the need for intense and unattractive signage.

The incorporation of wayfinding will boost the experience for attendees, providing an interpretive journey in a pleasant and recognisable manner.

The Branding Perks of Wayfinding Design

When hosting a large-scale event, such as a concert or festival, we place a considerable amount of importance on the branding of the event. From tickets, to presentations to banners at the event, it is all go and important to provide a recognisable experience from start to finish.

In some cases, organisations place all of their focus on the large-scale promotion and forget to implement the more intricate but equally beneficial design tools. When it comes to events and festivals, navigation is an extremely important tool and your attendees will appreciate your consideration of this.

Unfortunately, many event promoters make the impulsive decision to use typical signs and arrows to navigate their location. Undoubtedly organisations like this have missed a trick, failing to recognise the benefits of branded wayfinding design. This lack of consideration can result in confusion within attendees, as well as a missed branding opportunity.

A massive perk when it comes to wayfinding design is that individuals will always be looking for it. Hence, maximise this opportunity and place distinctive branding within the design, you are guaranteed to boost brand identity. Additionally, the incorporation of wayfinding design will position your organisation as a customer focused brand. This showcases that you place consideration on the safety, security and comfort of their audience.

Wayfinding Design at Kaizen Brand Evolution

Are you planning a large-scale (or small) event that requires navigation for attendees? We have you covered. At Kaizen Brand Evolution, we can create easily-followed, innovative and recognisable wayfinding design for your organisation. Promoting your brand throughout the entire process, we can design wayfinding that will provide an enjoyable journey for attendees.

At Kaizen, we have a team of experienced graphic designers, with first-hand experience in creating distinct, attractive and eye-catching wayfinding design. Putting your attendee first, wayfinding design provides an enjoyable experience.

To discuss a creative project in wayfinding design for your organisation, get in touch. You can contact our team of graphic designers via the contact form or on 028 95072007.

Why not update your Wayfinding Design?

Posted on by Ellen Turbett

Wayfinding design is an informative experience, guiding and navigating people through their surroundings. From arrow markers to social distancing stickers, the opportunities are endless to deliver an easily understood wayfinding design.

The goal of wayfinding design is to steer individuals in the correct direction in difficult to navigate settings. To achieve these goals wayfinding design must incorporate the correct language, typography, colour palette and represent your brand identity clearly.

When designing wayfinding, it is important to understand the visual and physical clues that are beneficial and often necessary to pull people through a space without the need for intensive and unpleasant signage.

Wayfinding plays an important part of each and every interpretive journey. Undoubtedly, signage and notices have a significant role in navigating and leading visitors through spaces. Though the benefits of wayfinding prove overriding and effective, providing an intuitive, comfortable and enjoyable experience for guests.

Whether you need to kit out a small workplace or a massive company warehouse or head office, it is paramount that attendees are appropriately directed through your space using wayfinding design.

Invest in your Brand Identity through Wayfinding Design

Many make the neglectful decision to purchase cheap and typical signage for their business. Failing to invest in wayfinding can result in complications for your visitors, leading to confusion and mix-ups for.  Additionally, choosing to use poorly designed and created signage can depreciate your organisations reputation and brand identity.

When developing a brand identity, it is vital to incorporate your brand guidelines and house style into all elements of your business. This is equally as important when it comes to internal assets, such as wayfinding. To promote and represent your brand highly, it is important to remain consistent in your design.

Provide Comfort and Clarity for your Visitors

When visiting your business, you want attendees to feel comfortable and secure in their surroundings. Creating informative and engaging wayfinding design will enforce an understandable and interactive navigation tool for visitors. This will not only ensure they are aware of where they are, where they have to go and how to get there, but it will also enforce a sense of security in their visit. 

Promote your Brand Character through Innovative Design

Through creating and using wayfinding design that is unique to your organisation, massive opportunities are available. Using wayfinding is an innovative way to further promote your brand identity and unique character through providing an exciting, collaborative and engaging journey through your brand location.

Promoting a clear and unique brand character is a beneficial tool for organisations as it encourages visitors to remember and think fondly of your brand in the future.

The Different Types of Wayfinding Design

According to wayfinding expert Ernest Dwight, there are four different types of wayfinding design, including identification, directional, informational, and regulatory signs.

Identification

Identification wayfinding design provides an informative explanation to visitors, outlining where they are currently located. Commonly recognisable identification wayfinding signage is used in offices, outlining rooms such as ‘Meeting Room’ ‘Canteen’ and ‘Boardroom’. Additionally, identification wayfinding is commonly used when outlining ‘Toilet’, ‘Bin’ and ‘Parking’.

Directional 

The most common form of wayfinding design is directional. Directional wayfinding assists in navigating individuals in their journey around a particular location. Common directional signs point out entrances, exits, staircases and overall, provide direction when necessary.

Regulatory

Regulatory wayfinding is a particularly important design, notifying individuals of regulations, rules and laws. These signs are essential when it comes to ensuring safety and compliance. Providing individuals with necessary information, including warnings, guidance and alerts, common regulatory wayfinding can be identified as ‘No Parking’, ‘No Smoking’ and ‘Wear a Mask’.

Informational

The final type of wayfinding design is informational. Providing beneficial information to individuals, informational wayfinding is commonly used to provide answers to frequently asked questions, including ‘WIFI Available’, ‘Free Parking after 6pm’ and ‘Children go FREE’.

Wayfinding Design at Kaizen Brand Evolution

At Kaizen Brand Evolution, we can help you evolve and boost your brand identity through wayfinding design. We can help you with the design and execution, ensuring this is implemented correctly and successfully.

Wayfinding can be confusing and inconsistent if it is difficult to understand and interpret. Our graphic designers are experienced in creating clear, attractive and unique wayfinding designs, allowing visitors to experience a smooth and enjoyable journey.

We aspire to create wayfinding designs that make visitors almost spend as much time looking at it as they do with whatever they are on-site to see.

To discuss a creative project in for your business, get in touch with our esteemed team of graphic designers via the contact form or on 028 95072007.