Custom Directional & Wayfinding Signs

Wayfinding signs are the most intuitive signs you can offer visitors. Think about it—last time you were lost in the airport or looking for something in the grocery store, you probably starting looking for signs to point you in the right direction without even realizing it.

These visual cues that you were looking for are known as wayfinding signs, which creates a system of signs, signals, and other visual cues to escort your customers throughout your facility in the most efficient manner possible.

In urban, campus, or institutional environments, our custom designs provide effective identification and wayfinding to ensure your visitors have a positive experience navigating your facility. We have the experience to identify potential problems, generate ideas, and implement the appropriate solutions.

If you’re looking to develop a user-friendly wayfinding system for your facility, consider the four types of directional signage described by wayfinding expert Ernest Dwight in American School & University Magazine:

Directional Signs

Directional signs are probably what immediately pops into your mind when you think of wayfinding. They’re the signs that keep people moving toward a destination, like the arrows on IKEA floors or a sign in a hospital lobby that tells readers which floor a particular specialty clinic is on.

Examples:

Signs at entries to help visitors find reception desks, offices, and other common destinations
Letting users know which locations can be found on a specific floor (either within your own facility, or in a complex)
Overhead signs at junctions where users may need directions.

Identification Signs

As the name implies, identification signs perform the “You Are Here” function for readers to orient themselves. Rather than provide directions, identification signs identify where the reader is and point out specific landmarks or structures of interest, or let readers know when they’ve reached a destination.

Examples:

“You Are Here” maps, usually found in entryways
Signs identifying restrooms, break rooms, conference rooms, and other common destinations
Entry/Exit signs and those that alert readers that they’ve entered a new area

Informational Signs

Informational signs are exactly what they sound like—very legibly printed and very noticeable placards that inform people of the purpose of an object, or gives them instruction on the use of something. Highway signs that let drivers know of restaurants coming up ahead, for example, so drivers can take that into account and make or change plans accordingly.

Examples:

Reserved parking signs
Stop signs
Push/pull door signs

Regulatory Signs

Regulatory signs provide information on regulations and requirements in place. Most of us are familiar with speed limit signs, but there are countless ways to use regulatory signs around your facility as well.

Examples:

No-smoking signs
Disabled parking and tow-away signs
"Hard Hat Required" and other safety requirements during construction
HIPAA and patient rights information in healthcare facilities

Our experience working with Rick and his team was nothing short of fantastic. I'd recommend Spectrum Signs for their quality, experience, and their responsiveness. I think it's unmatched in the industry.