HOK Digital Wayfinding Primer

Digital Wayfinding Primer

IntroWAYFINDING is innate to everyday life.

By understanding human behavior and the built environment, experience designers create vehicles to deliver information about orientation and navigation. These wayfinding tools may be signs, markers, numerals, graphics, art or simply color. Wayfinding should be considered the foundation of a well-designed experience.

Outdoors, GPS can help make a user’s journey easier. Indoors, where detailed building plans are not available, and satellite signals are unreliable, effective digital wayfinding is less common. Instead, static signage remains the dominant source of wayfinding information.

Static and digital elements can complement each other as part of the same wayfinding system. Our Digital Wayfinding Primer provides a quick guide to understanding the developments in digital technology and how it impacts wayfinding strategies.

Static and Digital elements can complement each other as part of the same wayfinding system.

When To Use Static

Static signs enhance the user experience when they are designed to match the interior architecture and positioned well to transmit information.

ABOUT STATIC SIGNAGE

Static signage hosts two primary functions: to inform audiences and express identities.

It has a long history steeped in best practices and a range of creative intepretations.

When developing the system, the wayfinding designer usually coordinates between the owner, architects, engineers and fabricators. It may have lower initial costs, but would require significant costs to replace messaging or update the entire system, in the case of a brand update, company merger, or reconfiguration or addition of programs and spaces.

Static signage can work in harmony and supplement digital wayfinding and vice versa.

WHEN TO USE STATIC SIGNAGE

► When no power/data coordination is needed or able

► When you want to reduce upfront cost

► When you want lower maintenance cost

► When you may not want to rely on people bringing or having their own device

► When you want no learning curve

► When you want something more reliable.

When To Use Digital

Digital

ABOUT DIGITAL SIGNAGE

Digital signage can host multiple functions in addition to wayfinding, such as displaying advertisements, announcments of events and other messages, and incorporating timesensitives updates. Additionally, it can change depending on the individual user and collect metrics to evaluate its effectiveness.

Here, the wayfinding designer’s collaborators expand to include hardware integrators, software developments and content creators. While in development, more client engagement over a longer period of time is required.

While the upfront costs are higher and the need of maintenance of messaging and content will remain continuous, the infrastructure of the system itself will have minimal long term costs.

► When you want to reduce costs over time

► When you potentially want fewer static signs

► When you want adaptability

► When you want a more engaged audience

► When you want a Brand awareness boost

► When you want to support sustainability initiatives

► When you want to personalize the user Journey

► Can be scalable in size and level of integration

DIGITAL SIGNAGE RESPONSIVE MOBILE WEBSITE or MOBILE APP

DIGITAL INTERACTIVE

Partners Needed to Execute Digital Systems

BRAND AND FACILITY EXPERTISE

The client will determine the initial budget which helps to define design and technology proposed by the other partners in a digital wayfinding program project. It’s also important for them to stay engaged in the project to set expectations.

Visioning/Strategy Stakeholder Liason Decision Maker

CLIENT Owner Stakeholders Facilities Manager Marketing

DESIGNER TEAM & CONTENT CREATORS

DESIGN LEADERSHIP EXPERTISE

Experiential graphic designers define the look and feel of the system, identify and locate all necessary sign types and messages, and document the design for fabrication and installation. They also lead project teams to ensure the intended execution and delivery. Content creators will develop the actual content that will be displayed on screen such as text, images and videos.

SOFTWARE PROVIDER

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT EXPERTISE

Software providers will develop the wireframe (or storyboard) of the digital content based on the capabilities of the CMS. They will take the layout and desired functionality from the design team and start to define it in their content management system bespoke to its use.

Visioning/Strategy Media Integration Experiential Graphics Digital Experiences Donor Recognition Wayfinding Content Production

Architecture Landscape Lighting Design Interior Design Planning + Urban Experience Design Sustainable Design

Strategy Brand Development Project Management Graphic Design

Spatial Design Interactive Design Software Development Systems Engineering

AV INTEGRATORS DIGITAL INTEGRATION EXPERTISE

AV integrators oversee the physical installation and management of your digital signage solution. They make sure technologies are integrated for maximum efficiency, run tests and monitor the system so everything runs smoothly. They also proved a Service Level Agreement for long term mainenance.

Systems Migration Support Services Preventative Maintenance Technology Training

Audio & Acoustics

Testing & Installation

BUILD EXPERTISE FABRICATORS

Fabricators produce the enclosures and install your final solution and work closely with the AV integrators.

AV & Experiential Integration Pre-Production Fabrication

Electrical Coordination

Immersive Technologies ICT & Networks Security Systems Content Managment Distribution & Deployment

Installation On-Going Support Estimating

Digital Wayfinding Trends

GEOFENCING INDOOR POSITIONING SYSTEMS

A geofence is a virtual boundary defined around a physical area. It uses Wi-Fi, GPS, IPS and Bluetooth beacons to trigger actions when a device enters or exits the predefined zone. These actions can be either visible or invisible to the user, like sending notifications or tracking behavior. Setting up a geofence requires no additional hardware, yet the user must have the suitable mobile app installed. For digital wayfinding, geofencing can recognize someone’s traveling speed to determine what content to display. It can also be used to greet customers, build user profiles, and provide personalized content.

MOBILE SIGNAGE INTEGRATION

While GPS is limited to outdoors and 2D movement, Indoor Positioning Systems (IPS), like the name suggests, assist people navigating indoors on multiple levels. Chips installed in smartphones that support IPS combine information from various sources— such as Wifi and Bluetooth with other sensors in your phone like the gyroscope, accelerometer, and altimeter—to map your position with detailed accuracy. Growth in IPS technology will most directly impact healthcare, museums, offices, shopping malls, and theme parks.

Smartphones are our own small, personalized digital displays. The interaction between smartphones and digital signage is providing new ways to reach and engage audiences. This integration also allows for more touchless experiences. For example, in airports, travelers can use their phones to interact with kiosks, view menu boards, and get alerted when their order is ready or it’s time to board their flight. This accessibility of information creates a more comprehensive wayfinding experience. People can decide where to go based on a fuller picture of what they want to know.

Things to Consider When Going Digital

What is the purpose for your digital signage?

How comfortable is your audience with digital technology?

Who will manage the system?

What kind of content do you want to show?

Do you have a budget in mind?

Do you have an AV integration partner?

Is there an interest or aversion in touchscreen technology?

We shared our story and we are ready to tell yours.

EMILY PAYNE

Director | Experience Design t +1 816.472.3219 emily.payne@hok.com

JEFF LANCASTER

Creative Director | Experience Design t +1 424 298 4633 jeff.lancaster@hok.com

STEVE WILLIAMS

Director of Operations | Experience Design t +1 713.407.7879 steve.williams@hok.com

DANNY SHERVINGTON

Project Manager Experience Design t +1 816.472.2017 danny.shervington@hok.com