Proper Wayfinding Key Element of Customer Service and Satisfaction

American Architect Kevin Lynch coined the term wayfinding in the 1960s.It was derived from the word wayfaring (traveling or journeying by road) and has gained much popularity in the past decade as companies of all sizes have recognized the need for ease of pedestrian flow within their buildings. The in₄mation division of GBBN Architects has been working with organizations since 2003 to establish and implement wayfinding standards.

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center is a world leader in healthcare, known for its state-of-the-art childcare and leading advanced research. As their physical facilities continue to grow, so do the needs of the hospital and its patrons. A few years ago Cincinnati Children's realized this and established a campus wide signage and wayfinding system. in₄mation was engaged to help implement their new signage standards and also to develop a numbering system to be used throughout the individual departments and floors. The process of implementing sign standards includes designating individual sign types such as room, elevator, restroom, and department. Complementing the new overhead directional signs in concourse areas, was the placing of wall-mounted directionals in key locations in the secondary circulation corridors. Additional signage includes regulatory and informational signs where needed, and overhead pin mounted lettering at departmental destinations. New sign types may need to be created to meet the needs of specific departments when existing sign types do not.

The updated numbering system reflects the specific hospital building or “location”, with all room numbers arranged into a flowing pattern that mimics the American standard for numbering residential houses. For instance, room numbers are assigned with the odd-numbered rooms on one side of the corridor and the even numbers on the other side. In addition, all room numbers were changed from a 4-digit facility number to a 3-digit number proceeded by the building letter and floor number. For example, Fetal Care Center room 415, in Location A, on the seventh floor would be referenced as A7.415.

in₄mation has applied these wayfinding standards within other building types including ambulatory care centers like the Mayfield Clinic and even a parking structure on the campus of Northern Kentucky University.

The NKU project dealt with their newest parking structure. This project involved designating what types of signs would be needed to direct the flow of vehicular and pedestrian traffic in a manner to keep traffic flowing within the garage and ensure the safety of those going to and from their cars. This 3.5 level garage, containing two vehicular exits on the lower and upper floors is situated near the new NKU arena. The major goal of the project, as in all wayfinding, was to have any person (in vehicle or walking) able to get themselves out of the structure with little difficulty and without the excessive use of signs. This project included all sign types, individual, directional, regulatory and informational signage.

For organizations of all sizes, a structured wayfinding program offers benefits beyond the simple direction of pedestrian traffic. An effective wayfinding strategy is an important component of organizational branding, ultimately influencing the visitor and employee's experience. in₄mation helps clients by guiding the project through manufacturing and installation to ensure that signage is properly placed, meets design standards, and achieves the objective of directing staff and visitors to their desired destinations.