Digital Signage Solutions and interactive wayfinders are a great tool for almost all kinds of companies, cities, employees, customers or guests. But it is not supposed to look good- it must be functional and should serve the real purpose. Digital Wayfinding systems are typically comprised of three parts:
- A screen to display wayfinding information to passers-by
- A control box or ‘player’ for each sign
- Central management system to control each sign
Digital Wayfinders are an excellent element to be used with digital signage, especially in large sized buildings with different departments, especially where people keep on getting lost or need to ask for direction. When people are in a hurry and are unable to find their destination, they can get frustrated- some might even abandon the mission altogether, and leave after a few attempts at finding the right place. Or they’ll have to stop and ask every employee where the cardiac wing is located.
Rather than playing live TV in the lobby, the Digital Wayfinders will help the visitors to navigate through the buildings from the second they walk into the door. Way-finding displays can also be integrated into Digital Signage Systems in different of forms, through turn-to-turn directions, and visual illustrations through path drawing. Path drawing is a simple static map of the building, or intricate floor plans completed with staff directory.
Interactive wayfinding machines are just like touchscreen kiosk allowing the visitors to personalize the information to exactly refining what they need and want, even if they don’t know what is just yet (for example, the ability to search a college campus, library, restaurant based on preferences and then locating it on the map.)
Since these machines allow you to post content in urgency, maps can be used updated quickly to reflect any kind of changes in office locations, through updated floor plans after building renovations. And in case the staff meeting changes to another room last minute, the information can be changed quickly.
Signs do not have to be solely dedicated to wayfinding only. They can also contain news, ticker, weather, company advertisements and others. It is especially true for interactive signage were in a user can move to different pages entirely with a single touch.
If people can easily and quickly navigate through a facility and still have a positive experience, they are more likely to return to your place, even if they are left frustrated to find a single room for a house. Some of the most common and successful applications of digital wayfinding include:
- Guiding the visitors through hospitals, corporate facility etc to correct room
- Leading the visitors to locate patients’ rooms, cafeterias, locate departments, etc.
- Helping new students or staff to navigate the college campus
- Directing the guests to a meeting room, audit room or conference hall in a hotel
So, if your visitors are getting lost constantly then it’s time to install some Digital Wayfinders and lead them to the right path of wayfinding.
