Summary

1. Guideline vs. Manual - Defining a Sign Standards Manual - 5:36

• Wayfinding Guidelines focus on strategy and provide guidance on planning a signage program.
• Sign Standards Manuals provide detailed specifications of the signage family, products, and construction details.
• Both can be included in one document or separated, but they should provide a cohesive strategy for stakeholders.
• Many designers provide only concept books or proposals, which are insufficient for long-term implementation.

2. Why a Standards Manual is Important - 7:00

• Serves as a standard for production, eliminating deviations and reducing errors.
• Enables straightforward implementation with detailed information for decision-making.
• Improves procurement and cost efficiency through accurate specifications.
• Helps maintain regulatory compliance (ADA, building codes, fire codes).
• Supports program standard maintenance as a reference tool for facility staff.
• Ensures brand consistency for logos, colors, and brand elements.

3. Best Practices for Creating a Manual - 8:53

• Define the purpose for each sign (room IDs, directories, wayfinding signs).
• Create logical naming conventions and coding systems for sign types.
• Organize sign types by categories with variations (e.g., R for room signs, R1 for offices, R2 for patient rooms).
• Keep organization logical and consistent while avoiding excessive sign types.
• Consider quantity when determining if content deserves its own sign type.

4. Who Uses a Sign Standards Manual and Why? - 12:23

• End Users/Facility Managers:
  • Use manuals to create standardization and consistency.
  • Transfer knowledge among staff.
  • Use as a reference document for tenders, procurement, ordering and budgeting.
  • Maintain brand consistency and regulatory compliance.
  • Establish accountability and quality control standards.
• Manufacturers and Installers:
  • Rely on accurate details and specifications to work without errors.
  • Establish standardization of materials and processes for efficiency.
  • Prepare inventory and templates for ongoing relationships.
  • Better quoting, reducing errors and managing expectations.
  • Use as a reference for quality control and accountability.

5. The Devil is in the Details - 15:23

• Graphic specifications: layouts, pictogram placement, margins, spacing.
• Mounting details: installation methods and mechanical fasteners.
• Construction specifications: welding types, materials, assembly details.
• Clear technical drawings are fundamental to a smooth project process.
• Include dimensions, materials, production processes, margins and spacing.

6. Balancing Design and Functionality - 19:30

• Start with design elements: colors, fonts, branding, ADA requirements.
• Consider practical constraints like budgets, which affect materials and complexity.
• Include detailed specifications for dimensions, fonts, logos, and materials.
• Select appropriate materials and installation methods for specific environments (e.g., rounded corners for mental health facilities).
• Incorporate content management guidelines with character limits and text constraints.

7. Building a Comprehensive Sign Manual - 22:39

• Wayfinding Program Overview:
  Strategy exploring space usage and decision points.
• Design Standards Pages:
  Branding, materials, finishes, fonts, pictograms, colors, languages.
• Sign Types:
  Nomenclature, Visual examples, proper names, short codes, dimensions, variations.
• Technical Specifications:
  Construction drawings with dimensions, tolerances, production processes.
• Installation Guidelines:
  Elevation drawings and cross-sections for proper placement.
• Example Tender Documents:
  Templates for how to apply the standards to specific projects.

Final Thoughts - 29:50

• A comprehensive standards manual creates consistency across facilities and projects.
• While there's no mandatory structure, logical organization is crucial.
• A well-designed manual minimizes errors, manages expectations, and provides clarity for all stakeholders.
• The manual serves as a selling point to clients to demonstrate the value of professional services.

Questions & Answers

Q: Is it a good idea to have an engineer design detailed specifications for sign types?

A: It depends. Exterior signs generally require engineer drawings for permits. Simple interior signs mounted with methods like double‑sided tape typically do not.

 

Q: Should the manual’s page layouts be branded with the client’s brand or the design firm’s brand?

A: Both. Use a layout similar to architectural sets with a sidebar that includes firm info and the client’s branding prominently.

 

Q: How should designers handle technical drawings when mounting methods vary by location and surface?

A: Bring in a technical designer subcontractor and create cross‑section mounting details for each surface condition (e.g., drywall, brick, concrete). Otherwise the client pays later through longer installer time on site.

 

Q: What’s the best way to maintain and deliver the standards manual?

A: A sign manual is commonly produced in InDesign and delivered as a PDF for versioning. Design work happens in Illustrator. Many teams also load sign type pages into SignAgent so end users, manufacturers, and installers can access the specs tied to each sign type.

 

Q: For multi‑location brands (e.g., franchises), should standards be per location?

A: Create a corporate sign catalog with centrally organized standards. Document regional variations at the corporate level and keep them consistent.

 

Q: In the sign schedule, which signs get unique numbers? Does each room sign with unique text get a unique number?

A: Each instance gets a unique identifier (e.g., R1‑01, R1‑02) where R1 is the sign type and the suffix differentiates instances/messages. You can have hundreds of R1s, each with its own number and message.

 

Q: Does building a sign plan/manual require heavy upfront structuring of types and numbering?

A: Yes. Start with the wayfinding strategy and codes to determine needs. Define sign types by purpose first, then design, and distinguish front‑ vs. back‑of‑house. Create dedicated types for high‑quantity use cases (e.g., patient rooms). Keeping sizes limited (e.g., S/M/L) can speed production.

 

Q: Any tips or platforms to reduce the time to assemble documentation?

A: Use SignAgent to organize projects, plans, sign types, and to share with end users and manufacturers. Continue designing in Illustrator; SignAgent centralizes the information and supports schedules and installs.

 

Q: Our architecture team wants Revit/AutoCAD‑style spec sheets. Is that appropriate for signage packages?

A: Industries use different tools. Provide Illustrator‑based technical drawings as PDFs that can be uploaded to BIM models. Sometimes a separate signage bid package is appropriate. Advocate for signage’s importance in the project set.

 

Q: How should signage specifications align with architectural bid specs and how do you estimate with limited info?

A: When briefs are thin, use a prior project as a base, do a quick takeoff from plans, and estimate by sign type and quantity. Align where helpful, but your signage narrative can differ. Always leave room for change orders.