Wayfinding is one of those things you only notice when it is bad. I remember going to a medical clinic where I had to ask three different people where to check in, even though there were signs everywhere. The signs were not technically missing, they were just inconsistent, placed too high, and written in a way that made sense to staff, not patients. That experience made me a bit obsessed with wayfinding, because confusion is stressful and it quietly damages trust.
When I help businesses think about wayfinding, I start with a simple principle: signs should reduce questions, not add them. The best way to do that is to design signage from the decision points, not from the rooms. A decision point is where a person naturally pauses and thinks, “Do I go left or right?” or “What do I do next?”
Here is a step-by-step method I like, and you can do it in an hour with a notepad:
1) Walk the route as if you are a first-time visitor. Start from the car park or footpath, not from your front desk.
2) Write down every moment you are unsure. Those are your sign locations.
3) For each location, write the shortest possible instruction. I aim for under seven words if I can.
4) Choose a consistent visual language: same arrow style, same type style, same colour coding for categories like “Reception,” “Pick-up,” “Toilets,” “Exit.”
5) Use reassurance signs. These are underrated. A small “Reception this way” after a turn reduces anxiety because people know they are still on track.
6) Test it with someone unfamiliar. If they ask you a question, that is a sign you need a sign.
A distinctive insight: avoid insider language. Staff love terms like “Collections” or “Dispatch,” but customers understand “Pick-up” and “Orders.” Also, place signs at the height people actually look, usually around eye level, and make sure nothing like plants, door swings, or posters will block them later.
For more details you could check out Signwave.
On a related note, good wayfinding is also a customer service strategy, because every question your signage answers is time you and your team get back during busy periods.
