WAYFINDING

What is Wayfinding?

• Wayfinding can be defined as spatial problem solving. It is knowing where you are in a building or an environment, knowing where your desired location is, and knowing how to get there from your present location. Putting it simply getting from point 'A' to point 'B' in the most efective and efficient way.

Why do you need it?

• There are several principles that go into wayfinding, our focus is on the principles of architectural clues, lighting, sight lines, and signage. These features are information support systems to wayfinding. Users rely on these principles when making decisions about how to reach their destination. A good wayfinding system gives strong indicators of where the user is and how to get to her destination from her present location. Wayfinding problems occur when decisions cannot be executed. In a poor wayfinding system, the user does not have enough information to decide his or her course of action. Basically you have people milling about not knowing where to go and getting in the way.

Ineffective wayfinding systems are very problematic for buildings because of the costs they can incur and the time that users devote to searching for a desired location. In an environment where bad wayfinding systems occur, people rely on the staff of the building to direct them to their destination. Further, users may also become so frustrated with the environment that they will not return. If a building has good wayfinding features, the user should have a positive experience when reaching their destination. Simply people want to come back to you, they enjoy being in the space and traffic moves freely creating a friendlier approach to your site.