Accessible signage is crucial in any successful brand. Not only does it send a clear message about values, philosophies, and your position in the community, it opens your space to more audiences. Accessible signage can and should flow seamlessly with your brand statement. Here’s our guide on how to get it right.
The rules for accessible wayfinding signage are the same as any branding principles. Clear contrasts, simplicity, and balance are the key. Remember that accessible signage also means inclusivity, so avoid creating different narratives for different audiences. Integrate your colour scheme so that it is visible yet harmonious. As with all signage, opt for consistency and clarity, and accept every opportunity to reinforce the visual identity of your brand. This way, colour choice can enhance accessible wayfinding while supporting your overarching statement of intent.
All wayfaring signage requires careful graphic design. Fonts must be readable for any audience, and this is usually achieved by the ‘less is more’ principle. Information overload is impractical in any space and can be frustrating and confusing in all wayfinding scenarios, including accessible wayfinding. Instead, select simple, clear, concise words, and continue this message with a simple, clear, and concise font. To soften the tone, choose rounded corners, and be careful about the spacing. This applies to all audiences, as nobody enjoys being baffled by eccentric fonts or information overloads.
Pictures are the great, universal communicator. Whether your space is catering for an international audience, a multi-generational audience, or an audience with a range of unique needs, almost everyone can relate to symbols. In your accessible signage, you can use these to easily indicate key locations such as washroom facilities, cloakrooms, stairs, checkouts, and helpdesks. People are psychologically predisposed to look upwards for pictorial indicators of where things are, and at the floor for specific directions regarding how to get there. As such, consider digital graphic stickers to mark pathways, and the use of braille to truly enable accessible wayfinding.
All signage, whether it is related to wayfinding, advertising, or both, needs to be readable. One of the most common problems is glare from artificial light or sunlight. Not only can this cause damage to the sign, it can also make it impossible to read. Consider asking your design company for a non-glare finish or selecting matte wayfinding signage, and think carefully about where you position your signs. Raising or lowering overhead signs by a few centimetres can make a significant difference to their readability, and therefore to the comfort of your customers.
Wayfinding signage can help to guide audiences through the journey of your brand. As such, it helps to design signage that is accessible to everyone. To learn more about this, download our guide today or get in touch!