Wayfinding: More than just signage

Katie Osborn, founder and principal wayfinding strategist at Via Collective, argues wayfinding is more than mere plaques or arrows. Instead, she argues, it requires empathy, foresight and a deep understanding of human needs and perception.

Too often, when people hear the word ‘wayfinding,’ they immediately picture signs – arrows pointing to exits, restroom placards or street and subway names. While signage is both visible and important, it represents only the surface. True wayfinding is about creating an intuitive journey through the built environment, one that helps people feel oriented, safe and confident as they move through it. Signs alone cannot achieve this; they are the punctuation at the end of a much larger story.

Wayfinding operates on multiple levels. At a foundational level, it creates the framework for how visitors flow through different environments, acting as a critical navigation guide. Superlative wayfinding, however, elevates this experience, ensuring that movement through their environment is intuitive, frictionless and enjoyable. It supports a diverse range of people, allowing them to navigate with clarity, ease and delight.

The holistic journey

The appointment. The vacation booked. The invitation in the mail. These moments can mark the beginning of a visitor’s journey – long before any physical signage is encountered – yet our work rarely begins here. Wayfinding projects are often constrained by architectural boundaries, budgets or site limitations. Buildings, lot lines and street grids neatly divide space on paper, but visitors experience the world in continuity, crossing invisible borders without hesitation. One of the challenges is connecting wayfinding systems across buildings, streets or even digital platforms to create a seamless experience. Our role as wayfinders is to advocate for the user, connecting these spaces and proposing creative solutions that transcend these limitations.

The not-so-secret technique for exceptional wayfinding begins with visitor research. To create something truly effective, designers must start with a blank slate, stepping back from assumptions and connecting directly with visitors to understand their needs and perspective. When tight schedules, cognitive biases and organisational blind spots minimise visitor research, opportunities are missed to maximise site specific solutions. Projects that begin with visitor insight – rather than assumptions – are more likely to deliver clarity, comfort and joy.

Consistency and equity

Wayfinding starts at home. Many journeys begin online, when visitors map a destination on their phone or explore a website. Consistent nomenclature and graphic language across digital and physical touchpoints are critical. When designing wayfinding systems, drawing from existing branding and visual assets can create strong entry moments. Visitors who recognise the brand that they’ve seen online before feel immediately oriented upon arrival.

Consistency also unifies experience across complex systems. Travellers moving between connected spaces benefit from aligned color coding, destination names and icons, creating a seamless and reassuring journey. Equally important is equity: signs must serve everyone, including speakers of non-native languages and people with vision or mobility impairments. Inclusive design is a fundamental principle, not an afterthought.

The return on thoughtful navigation

Wayfinding brings people back. In our work with Randall’s Island Park, our visitor research showed that they often found the experience confusing, discouraging return trips. Through comprehensive wayfinding improvements and park programming, visitation increased dramatically. This illustrates the power of thoughtful navigation: people return to spaces where they feel confident, comfortable and welcomed.

Wayfinding is more than plaques or arrows. It requires empathy, foresight and a deep understanding of human needs and perception. When approached holistically – with research, consistency, equity and creativity – it transforms navigation into a welcoming, intuitive and memorable experience. Signage plays a role, but the foundation is an environment designed to guide, connect and delight.