Wayfinding and digital signage: enhancing navigation in complex spaces

Wayfinding – personal navigation within buildings – encompasses all the elements people use to move from place to place by determining where they are and where they need to go. Sounds simple, right?

Large and complex locations such as hospitals, museums, and shopping malls can be difficult to navigate, especially for visitors unfamiliar with the space or those visiting for the first time. So how can digital signage help?

Wayfinding and digital signage

When people enter a space with a specific purpose, digital signage serves as a tool to help them navigate more smoothly. Unlike traditional static signage, digital signage can be easily adapted to upcoming events, such as a temporary art exhibition, or modified to display alternative routes to avoid congestion or bottlenecks in a building.

It can also be useful when certain areas are closed and visitors need to be redirected. With everything displayed digitally, there’s no need for additional, costly physical signs that might only be required for a short period.

When in an unfamiliar place, people instinctively look for signs and landmarks to guide them. The versatility of digital signage means that when things change – such as department relocations in a department store – visitor information can be updated quickly and effortlessly with minimal cost or complexity.

Interactive visitor maps are another valuable wayfinding tool, particularly in shopping malls where visitors may be looking for a specific store. Digital maps displayed on signage screens, leveraging the latest mapping technology, allow visitors to navigate from their current location to their desired destination.

Combining digital signage with sensors also creates a powerful tool for delivering relevant, personalized content to individuals in a specific location.

Event-triggered content

This technology isn’t limited to static, physical locations. It can also be used in moving vehicles, such as buses. By harnessing the power of geofencing – using GPS to display information based on a user’s location – it’s possible to tailor on-screen content to a particular area.

Take digital signage in a taxi, for example. When paired with GPS, it can display information about the local area or feature advertisements for nearby businesses. This could include special offers at restaurants or stores, or engaging content highlighting interesting locations that passengers are passing by.

The same technology and methodology can be applied to office environments. A stationary digital sign within a building, combined with geofencing and/or sensors, can provide visitors or employees with essential wayfinding information based on nearby data sources, such as restaurants and public transportation.

This could include directions to the correct building from the visitor’s current location or details like operating hours and departure times. In the not-too-distant future, smartphones with NFC (Near Field Communication) could be used to trigger more personalized content on digital signs, opening up even more creative ways to engage passersby.

Intelligent signage solutions

When digital signage is combined with sensors and geofencing, it becomes a powerful wayfinding tool with vast creative possibilities. However, the right strategy is also essential – and this strategy will vary from business to business.

A potential pitfall is relying too much on the novelty of new technology to capture attention, as interest in technological innovations tends to fade over time. While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, the primary focus should always be on the end user.

After all, what’s the point of all this technology if it doesn’t add value to the user experience?

Ultimately, technology must provide long-term benefits to the audience as part of an intelligent signage solution.