Digital signage is a great tool for almost any company to communicate with its employees,customers,or guests. But it’s not just supposed to look good-it should be functional and serve a real purpose.
Wayfinding can be an excellent use of digital signage,especially in large buildings with various departments,where people are always getting lost or asking for directions.
When people are in a hurry and can’t find their destination,they can grow frustrated-some may even abandon the mission altogether and leave after a couple failed attempts at finding the right place. Or they’ll have to stop and ask every employee where the cardiac wing is located.
Rather than simply playing live TV in the lobby,your digital signage can help visitors navigate through the building from the second they walk in the door.
Wayfinding can be integrated into a digital signage system in a variety of forms-turn-by-turn directions,a visual illustration via path-drawing,a simple static map of the building,or intricate floor plans complete with a staff directory.
Interactive wayfinding on a touchscreen kiosk allows visitors to personalize the information to exactly what they want or need-even if they don’t know what that is just yet (for example,the ability to search for a restaurant on a college campus by cuisine and then locating it on the map).
Because digital signage allows you to post content with immediacy,maps can quickly be updated to reflect any changes in office locations or updated floor plans after building renovations. And if the staff meeting changes to another room last minute,that information can quickly be changed.
Signs don’t have to be solely dedicated to wayfinding. They can also contain the weather,news ticker,and a company advertisement; this is especially true of interactive signs,where users can move to completely different pages with one touch.
If people can quickly and easily navigate through your facility and have a positive experience,they will be more likely to return than if they were left frustrated trying to find Room 12B for an hour.
Some of the most common and successful applications of digital wayfinding include:
- Leading visitors through hospitals to locate departments,patient rooms,and cafeteria
- Guiding visitors throughout a corporate facility to the correct office
- Helping students,staff,and visitors navigate a college campus
- Directing guests to a meeting or event room in conference centers and hotels
So if visitors are constantly getting lost in your building,keep your digital signage system on the right path with wayfinding.
