Good wayfinding design helps people get to where they need to be quickly and confidently. From shopping centres and office buildings to cinemas or healthcare facilities, clear signage can make all the difference.

A successful wayfinding signage design is about more than simply adding arrows to walls, it needs to be easy to read, clear and consistent. In light of this, here’s everything you need to know about proper wayfinding design and the common mistakes to avoid.

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What is Wayfinding and How Does It Work?

As the name suggests, wayfinding signs help people find their way. Signs can help visitors locate an entrance, reception desk, exits or the way to go to access other floors in a building. They’re commonly found in:

Shopping centres
Offices and workplaces
Stadiums and entertainment venues
Healthcare facilities
Universities and schools
Hotels and hospitality spaces

No matter the environment, the goal is always to help visitors get to where they need to go as smoothly as possible.

Wayfinding Design Principles

Strong wayfinding design is built around a few core principles that help improve clarity and usability throughout a space.

Simplicity
The messaging should always be concise and easy to understand. Visitors often make decisions quickly, so signage needs to communicate information clearly.

Consistency
Use consistent colours, typography, symbols and terminology to help users recognise information. If signs aren’t consistent throughout a building, finding your way around can be tricky.

Visibility
It seems obvious, but signs must be easy to see. They should be positioned where people naturally look for information. Think about signs in supermarket aisles – they’re bold, clear and up high enough so they’re not blocked by any obstructions.

Accessibility
Good wayfinding signage should consider all groups of people, including those with visual impairments and mobility challenges. Language is also important to consider, as signs shouldn’t alienate those who don’t have Engish as their first language.

Types of Wayfinding Signage

Different types of commercial signage work together to form a complete wayfinding system. However, each one serves a slightly different purpose.

Directional signage

This signage helps to guide people through a space towards areas such as entrances, exits, corridors and junctions.

Informational signage

Informational signs are usually more detailed and give visitors extra context about a location. Examples include maps, opening times or other visitor instructions.

Regulatory signage

For areas with rules and restrictions or other safety information, regulatory signs can help to communicate information clearly.

Identification signage

This signage helps users recognise a specific area to help them check they’re in the right place. This can include reception signs, room numbers or department names.

Choosing the Right Typeface for Signage

Typography is one of the most important elements of a sign. Best practices include:

Use sans-serif fonts and test that increasing the spacing doesn’t break the layout (e.g. Arial or Helvetica)
Choosing a font family that includes different weights to ensure flexibility
Ensure text-to-background contrast checks are in line with WCAG 2.2 and 2.2 standards
Character height should be proportional to viewing distance (typically 15-50 mm)
Make sure that the meaning of the sign isn’t reliant on colour (e.g. red/green to indicate status) due to the impact on colour blindness or impaired vision, environmental factors

Creating Strategic Wayfinding Signage

Strategic wayfinding signage starts with understanding how people move throughout your space.

Understand the User Journey

One of the first steps in creating effective signage is mapping out how visitors will move around the environment.

This includes considering:

Entry and exit points
High-traffic areas
Common decision-making points
Areas where visitors may become confused

Whether it’s for internal or external signage, understanding these journeys helps to reduce user frustration.

Keep Messaging Clear

People don’t want to read large amounts of text while they’re trying to get somewhere. Keep messaging short and to the point, so users can process it quickly.

Incorporate Colour Coding

Colour coding helps to simplify wayfinding designs, which is especially beneficial for large areas with complex layouts. Colours can be used to show:

Separate floors
Departments or zones
Priority services
No entry areas

Ensure Accessibility

Accessibility can sometimes be treated as an afterthought, but it should be a priority. Accessible wayfinding design helps ensure all visitors can use a space comfortably. This may involve larger text, high-contrast colours or easily recognisable symbols.

Use Icons and Symbols

Icons and symbols can help to communicate information clearly and reduce the need for any long-form text.

If you’re using icons, just make sure they’re easily recognisable. Symbols can be used for toilets, lifts, parking and exits, and can help visitors quickly identify facilities, even where language barriers may be present.

Prioritise Placement

The placement of signs is just as important as the design itself. Even the best signage can become ineffective if it’s hidden by obstructions or placed too late along a route.

Signs should appear where users naturally expect information, for example, during key decision points throughout a journey.

Mistakes to Avoid in Wayfinding Design

Poor wayfinding design can create frustration for visitors. Some of the most common mistakes include:

Using text that is too small
Overloading signs with information
Choosing difficult-to-read fonts
Inconsistent colours or terminology
Poor sign placement
Unclear symbols that are unrecognisable
Lack of accessibility considerations
Having too many signs that contradict each other

Don’t overcomplicate it; a clear and organised approach is usually the best way forward.

Wayfinding Signage at Image

At Image, we create bespoke wayfinding signage solutions designed to improve navigation. From initial concepts through to the manufacture and installation, our in-house team works closely with you to develop completely bespoke signs that work just how you need them to.

Contact our team and tell us what wayfinding signage you need and we’ll design, build and install exactly what you need.