Design Tips for Creating Intuitive Digital Wayfinding Experiences

You finally decided to use Vicinia’s digital wayfinding software, congratulations. Now it’s time to figure out how to design it. Vicinia lets you choose how your digital wayfinding interface will look and feel. 

The abundance of choice can be overwhelming. But if you use a few design principles, your user experience can become intuitive. Essentially, your wayfinding solution needs to quickly and easily answer a few questions for the user, namely;

• Where am I?
• What is the best way to get to where I am going?
• What resources are at my disposal?

Use basic principles of mapping and navigation

Digital maps may be new, but mapping and wayfinding have been around for centuries. There’s a lot that your digital map can take from traditional practices. Intuitive design starts with understanding how people process information. 

The principles of communication in the physical world apply in the digital, such as;

• Font color and size are important for readability and accessibility. For example, larger fonts, bold text, and italics can highlight important information.
• The font styles must be simple and easy to read while matching your brand kit.
• Color contrast is a visual hierarchy that makes it easier to point out important information and navigate the environment. 
• High contrast between text and the background makes it easier to read for people with visual impairments. 
• Symbols and pictograms are a universal means of communication, regardless of language or cultural background. For example, the symbols for toilets, stairs, food, exits, and directions.

Consistent branding

Your brand is unique to your organization, and your digital wayfinding solution must fit into that brand. This includes naming, coloring, and media. Ultimately, you want your physical space to match your digital one. The top 20% of consistent brands are better at generating awareness, differentiation, fame, and attitude change.

Our platform enables you to color-code your solution to match your brand. You can also add media that matches your unique brand voice. So your users can seamlessly experience your brand through the platform.

Intuitive platform journey

It’s important to get the user experience right. The digital mapping solution must meet the user’s expectations, whether they are a tech novice or expert. Intuitive design enables users to quickly survey the map, understand their options, and effortlessly decide where to go next. You can use tools such as menus, search bars, and page links to improve the user’s journey.

Build an accessible digital wayfinding software solution

Accessibility refers to how users with disabilities, specific needs, or preferences can use your platform. The key to a solution design is how it will fit into the user experience. The digital wayfinding solution must be available at key points in the user experience.  That may be digital (on mobile devices or the web) or physical (information kiosks). It may also need additional features like voice prompts and responses for a hands-free experience.

Services and products are only as good as their use. For more information on how to make your digital wayfinding software more intuitive, contact us.