Wall Street Journal discusses how stressful wayfinding can be – This article sheds light on why static signs are inefficient

I recently read another article in the Wall Street Journal, which discussed how stressful – and even sometimes emotional – wayfinding can be. Especially in an environment as busy and sprawling as the European Parliament buildings.

The article goes on to describe just how intimidating the building is, even for employees and members. One member of the parliament, representing Germany’s left wing is even quoted as saying wayfinding there has drawn him close to tears on different occasions; siting back to back meetings and deadlines to meet being disrupted and missed after getting lost.

The article also explains wayfinding as sometimes being calling co-workers and assistants and explaining the surroundings, such as the colors of the walls, just for directions. This is inefficient and frustrating navigation at its core.

The entry goes further to explain how new static signage should address and alleviate this issue; but looking at the sample images of the proposed signage speaks volumes. The signs themselves are incoherent, confusing and prove to be little assistance in navigation.

This alone sheds light on how interactive wayfinding is a much more useful and effective aid. Additionally, with the investment that will be put forth to install the static signage, the same investment or even less would provide interactive implementation. Kiosks, mobile and web in multiple languages.

If a visitor, lobbyist, journalist, politician and so forth could visit kiosks on the floors and near entrances, and scan QR codes to take the directions with them on their smart phones or even access the full mobile site, the frustration with navigating would be eradicated.

Simply put, why pay for an inefficient and near extinct solution when you can purchase an effective answer to your wayfinding problems for the same or even less of a monetary investment?

See the full Wall Street article here – http://www.wsj.com/articles/a-visit-to-the-european-parliament-leaves-many-amazed-1419804008?mod=WSJ_hp_EditorsPicks

Advertisement