When you tell someone that you work in the wayfinding and signage industry, often you get a puzzled look as they simply don’t think about the designers, planners, fabricators and installers that are involved to implement a signage program. Ironically, the best advertisement for an effective wayfinding and signage program, is when the user doesn’t notice it. This means they’ve found their destination, with materials that fit the aesthetic of the space, and haven’t been confused or lost along the way. To achieve this “invisibility” however, takes a tremendous amount of experience and expertise.

I’ve often said, that the most complicated environment to design a wayfinding and signage system for, is a healthcare setting. The functionality, types of users, and nomenclature alone, make for a complex solution. We must:

• design for maximum flexibility;
• reach as many users as possible on a cognitive and visual level;
• meet cleanability guidelines;
• work with a large number of hierarchical destinations; and
• get people out as easily as we get them in.

There are three core phases that must happen for healthcare wayfinding programs:

1.  Design

2.  Implementation

3.  Management

The Design Phase should incorporate a comprehensive audit of the facility, or architectural plans, determine methodology for numbering systems, major pathways for movement, universal symbol use, and confirm nomenclature for destinations. The material specifications will incorporate functionality for sustainability through changeability, infection control guidelines, and longevity. Budgeting, location planning and message scheduling should be thoroughly reviewed prior to any fabrication.

When moving into the Implementation phase, using a platform for managing changes, updates, deficiencies and completion is important in a healthcare environment to deal with the magnitude of products that are to be installed. I have found the most success dealing with the large quantities and detail by using a cloud-based platform that multiple users (both client and internal) can access and maintain accurate and up-to-date information. This database of information is also crucial for long term management of the signage and wayfinding system.

A signage and wayfinding program is a living entity that must be adaptable to change. Healthcare organizations are often reorganizing space to fit new equipment, department growth and additional services. To maintain current inventory of not only the locations, but content of signage, is crucial to lowering long term costs of updates, changes and additions. Every healthcare client I’ve worked with in the last 15 years has required this long-term relationship with their signage partner, and advances in technology have allowed me to manage these systems with ease and saving costs on both sides.