design:retail - March 2017 - 50

the visual eye

050

Finding Our Way
PETER-TOLIN BAKER
VISUAL MERCHANDISING SPECIALIST
P-T B DESIGN SERVICES

ptb@ptbdesignservices.com

VERYONE SEEMS to
have a story of getting
lost while navigating through today's
complex landscape
of airports, shopping
malls and other public spaces. And
despite all the mobile GPS tracking
devices and sheer volume of visual
information vying for our attention,
we can still find ourselves a bit lost
and confused.
For retailers, effective wayfinding plans can make
all the difference with traffic flow and customer satisfaction. Wayfinding-or rather the collateral used
to convey the information-can include a plethora of
signs, maps and other directional aids in a range of
styles and materials.
For starters, wayfinding can generally be divided
into four key categories: Informational, Directional,
Identification and Warning; each one acting as a
unique layer of information, be it providing guidance on where you are in a particular place, or
navigational clues on how to get from one point
to another. Additionally, wayfinding can include
information that enhances your understanding
and experience of a space or journey along the way
(think an identification sign for certain landmarks
or historic site references).
Wayfinding, in the current sense of the word,
references a rather recent "visual design" discipline
that rose out of the rapidly growing 1970s urban
landscapes and the subsequent greater demand for
efficient movement of ever-increasing numbers of
people; a new era in wayfinding perhaps best exemplified at the time by the establishment of the
Society for Environmental Graphic Design (SEGD).
The essence of wayfinding, or the act of finding
one's way to a particular place, has a long and colorful history-from the primitive use of "Cairns"
or mounds of stones placed along a particular
route, to the Roman Empire era development of
metal stamps and stenciling, to the printing press
and movable type, followed by the Industrial

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* Master plan: develop a detailed

Revolution's electricity and the introduction of
motor vehicles and freeways in the 20th century.
And now in the 21st century, the Technology
Revolution is driving developments in mobile
phones, GPS, social media and Wi-Fi, all of which
are rapidly transforming wayfinding as we know
it. Digital signage has ushered in a new era of
illumination and animation. Touchscreens are
commonplace for interactive customer information kiosks. Mobile integration via apps, sensors,
beacons and Wi-Fi are allowing for customized
dialogue with customers via their mobile devices
while navigating through the store.
Dynamic data integrations, real-time inventory
accuracy and enhanced mapping capabilities are
also allowing a more seamless flow of information between customers, retailers and suppliers.
And with advances in augmented reality (AR) and
autostereoscopy, the integration of 3-D imagery
into commercial settings, without the need for
special glasses, is already gaining interest.
Not all wayfinding involves complex technology. Advances in high-res color printing and
adhesive vinyls continue to expand the use of
"static" environmental graphics, creating dramatic
imagery and text. And suppliers of basic wayfinding and safety/security-related signs continue
to provide a full range of eye-catching, effective,
easy-to-use collateral. Consider the following tips
on how to ensure successful wayfinding:
* Research: walk the site, observe and talk
to customers.

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layout for best placement of
essential wayfinding "layers"
of information.
* Easy to read: use a consistent style,
uncluttered fonts and graphics,
and edited information.
* Strategic placement: position wayfinding for maximum impact; it's
oftentimes not where you first think
it should go.
* Seamless: ensure consistent alignment between all communication
platforms online and in-store.
* Zones and levels: incorporate design details and
color variation to define department zones or
shopping levels.
Multilingual:
include additional languages and/
*
or international ISO symbols to serve a global customer base.
* Fun and humor: incorporate humor without
compromising the information for a more memorable wayfinding experience.
* Monitor and maintain: keep wayfinding fresh,
well lit and current.
So, what does the future hold for wayfinding? With the growth of urban retail centers and
Megacities, it would seem likely that there would
be a continued demand for wayfinding plans and
visual collateral. However, with the increased
availability and usage of mobile apps and satellite
navigation (GPS), there is discussion on how this
is influencing the need for (physical) wayfinding.
But let's hope that's not the case right away. For
if it did, that would undoubtedly be the one day
your phone's battery dies, and it becomes that
story you tell of how you got lost and didn't know
how to move forward.
PETER-TOLIN BAKER IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED WITH RETAIL
DESIGN AND VISUAL MERCHANDISING VIA P-T B DESIGN
SERVICES (OWNER), AND AS A REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR TO
DESIGN:RETAIL.

Photo by PINKBADGER/ISTOCK/THINKSTOCK

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