Good wayfinding answers a question just before someone asks it. Great wayfinding makes them forget they had a question at all.
Designing the signage for the Museum of Light & Matter, we spent more time watching visitors than drawing signs. We followed school groups, families and people on their own, noting every hesitation.
Decision points, not destinations
Visitors rarely need to know where everything is. They need to know which way to turn right now. So we designed for the moments of hesitation: the top of a stair, the end of a corridor, the door out of a dark gallery.
Say less, more often
A single sign with ten destinations is a map, and nobody reads maps while walking. Three small signs with one clear answer each are better than one large sign that answers everything.
- Place signs where people pause, not where walls are convenient.
- Use the same words on signs, maps, tickets and the website.
- Test with children: if they can follow it, everyone can.