WAYFINDING & DESIGN
Good wayfinding doesn’t just tell people where to go. It reduces confusion, builds confidence and helps people move naturally through a space.
Most wayfinding projects fail before the first sign is ever manufactured.
After decades of building wayfinding systems across Canada, I’ve learned that wayfinding has very little to do with signs themselves. It has everything to do with people.
Whether someone is entering a hospital, campus, downtown district, corporate property or tourism destination, they should feel guided rather than overwhelmed.
The best compliment a wayfinding system can receive? Nobody notices it. People simply arrive where they intended to go.
The goal isn’t to install more signs. The goal is to eliminate confusion.
01 / PLAN EARLY
Wayfinding Should Never Be an Afterthought
One of the biggest misconceptions I encounter is that signage can be addressed near the end of construction.
Too often, the building is nearly complete before someone asks, “What are we doing for signage?” By then, many opportunities to improve the visitor experience have disappeared.
Wayfinding should be considered much earlier. A well-designed system can reduce confusion, improve traffic flow, strengthen first impressions and reduce staff interruptions from people asking for directions.
Like good architecture, good wayfinding solves problems before they occur. Explore Hi Signs Planning & Design →
02 / UNDERSTAND MOVEMENT
Wayfinding Is About Understanding Human Movement
One of the most rewarding projects our team has worked on is Calgary’s +15 pedestrian network, which connects more than 100 downtown buildings through enclosed elevated walkways.
The challenge wasn’t simply replacing outdated signage. It was helping people navigate an environment that traditional navigation technology doesn’t fully understand.
Digital mapping tools can get someone to a building entrance, but navigating interconnected interiors, different levels and elevated walkways requires physical wayfinding to fill the gaps.
Hi Signs helped modernize the +15 system with updated directories, improved mapping, access identification and a consistent family of interior and exterior signs.
Good wayfinding doesn’t replace digital navigation. It complements it.
Calgary +15 City Wayfinding — Updated directories, mapping and access identification created a clearer navigation system throughout Calgary’s interconnected downtown pedestrian network.
03 / DESIGN FOR EVERYONE
Design for Everyone, Not Just English Speakers
Canada’s public spaces welcome people from countless linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Wayfinding needs to reflect that.
Universally recognized pictograms and icons can communicate information instantly, often faster than words.
When paired with clear typography, consistent naming and logical information hierarchy, navigation becomes easier regardless of someone’s first language.
Good wayfinding doesn’t make people read more. It helps them understand faster.
O-day’min Park Wayfinding — Maps, transit information, walk times and amenity pictograms help visitors orient themselves quickly within downtown Edmonton.
04 / BUILD CONSISTENCY
Consistency Is More Important Than Creativity
Wayfinding isn’t a collection of individual graphic-design pieces. It’s one system.
If destination names change, arrows move, colours mean different things or typography varies between signs, visitors begin questioning whether they’re still following the right route.
Every moment of uncertainty creates friction.
Consistency creates confidence.
Visitors should learn the visual language of a wayfinding system once and be able to rely on it throughout their journey.
Town of Okotoks Municipal Wayfinding — Consistent typography, colours and directional elements create a predictable navigation system from one decision point to the next.
05 / CONNECT DESIGN & FABRICATION
The Biggest Mistake I See
One of the biggest mistakes in wayfinding is separating design from manufacturing.
A concept may look great on paper without fully accounting for fabrication, materials, installation or budget. When pricing arrives later, the project is often forced into reactive cost cutting.
That’s why I strongly believe in the design-build approach.
When designers, fabricators, project managers and installers collaborate from the beginning, creativity can be balanced with construction knowledge, durability, budget and manufacturing efficiency.
The result isn’t simply a less expensive project. It’s a better project.
06 / MEASURE THE EXPERIENCE
Measure Success by What Doesn’t Happen
Great wayfinding can be difficult to measure because, when it’s working properly, it almost disappears.
Instead of focusing only on the signs, watch how people interact with the space.
- Are visitors moving confidently toward their destinations?
- Are staff spending less time giving directions?
- Do people hesitate at decision points?
- Can first-time visitors navigate without assistance?
- Does the experience feel calm and intuitive?
Successful wayfinding isn’t measured by how many signs you install.
It’s measured by how much confusion you eliminate.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Wayfinding Should Be Part of the Architecture
Wayfinding influences first impressions, accessibility, operational efficiency and how comfortable people feel in unfamiliar spaces.
That’s why I believe it deserves a seat at the table much earlier in every project.
When considered during planning instead of after construction, wayfinding becomes more than signage. It becomes part of the architecture.
At Hi Signs, we’ve seen thoughtful wayfinding transform hospitals, downtown districts, corporate campuses, educational institutions and tourism destinations across Canada.
When that happens, nobody talks about the signs. They simply enjoy the experience.
START A PROJECT
Planning a Wayfinding Project?
From early planning and system design through fabrication and installation, Hi Signs can help create a wayfinding program that’s clear, practical and built for the people who use it.