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WAYFINDING SIGNAGE AT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

NOVEMBER 19, 2020| SpeedPro Silver Spring

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When people arrive at your college or university, how do they know they’ve arrived at the correct location? Your school likely already has signs welcoming visitors, students, and faculty. However, once someone steps on campus, how do they find their way to their destination? Wayfinding signage can step in aid your college community in being able to successfully navigate your campus.

Hiking trail directional signage

What is Wayfinding Signage?

Wayfinding signage helps to guide people in a physical environment while also increasing their understanding of their physical location, improving their experience of their surroundings. Wayfinding signage typically falls into one of the following categories:

  • Identification: An identification sign tells a person what a building is or lets them identify where they are. A simple example of a wayfinding sign in the identification category is a sign with a room number or name printed on it
  • Information: Wayfinding signage also provides people with information. For example, a sign inside of a classroom building might state where the restrooms are located on each floor and what amenities those restrooms have, such as being wheelchair accessible or intended for all-genders.
  • Direction: Directional signage tells people where to go. They might include arrows that point people in the right direction, list the locations of rooms, as well as trace paths around a building to a particular location.
  • Regulatory: Wayfinding signs can also allow a campus to meet regulatory requirements. For example, accessible restrooms must have the International Symbol of Accessibility on their signage in order to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).

Uses of Outdoor Wayfinding Signage at Universities

Outdoor directional signage performs multiple functions at a college or university. Here are some ways to use wayfinding signs outside.

  • Welcome visitors: An outdoor sign placed at the entrance to your school’s campus lets people know that they have found the right place. It can also greet them and make them feel welcome on campus.
  • Guide people to the right buildings: Outdoor wayfinding signage can direct people to specific locations. The signs can use arrows to help people know which way to turn as they navigate their way through a parking lot or along the paths or roads on campus.
  • Help people find their way: Wayfinding signage can also include maps that help people get their bearings and find their destination once they are on campus. The maps can show people where they are can provide people advice on shortening their trip or inform them of their different transportation options, such as taking the campus shuttle or using a bike share system.
  • Share updates and information: Outdoor signage can also help keep visitors up-to-date on campus events. For example, a digital sign at the campus entrance can display information about school closures or if the school puts a new policy in place they can display the information on an entrance sign.

Ocean Lakes High School blue banner on lamp post

Uses of Indoor Wayfinding Signage at Universities

Once a visitor, student or staff member finds the building they are looking for, they are likely to need additional guidance to figure out where they need to go in that building. Some ways to use indoor wayfinding signs include:

  • Identify rooms: Students need to find the right classroom on the first day of the semester, and visitors need to make sure they get to the right assembly room or office. Wayfinding signs can be as simple as plaques with room numbers printed on them, placed next to the doorway.
  • Direct people to particular areas: Signage on the wall can direct people to the right locations. The signs can use arrows to point people to where they need to go or list the floor numbers of each room. Directory signs, placed next to elevators or stairwells, can guide people to the right spots.
  • Share rules and expectations: The buildings on your campus likely have rules and regulations, and those rules might change from building to building. For instance, a dormitory might be open 24/7 but have quiet hours overnight. Signage can convey the behavioral expectations within a particular space on campus.
  • Provide people with necessary information: Signs on the walls, next to doorways, or near elevators and stairs can guide people by providing them with the required information, such as details on what to do in the event of a fire or where they can find a restroom.

SpeedPro Silver Spring Can Help You Make the Most of Campus Wayfinding Signage

Make anyone who comes to your college or university campus feel welcome and confident by installing directional and wayfinding signage that clearly shows the way. When people can get where they need to go, they are likely to have a better impression of your school. To get started creating wayfinding signs for your university or college, reach out to SpeedPro Silver Spring.

 

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