Designing for Safety: Best Practices for Emergency Alert Content on Digital Displays

How to Ensure Emergency Messaging is Clear, Actionable, and Accessible

In emergency situations, delivering information isn’t enough—it must be instantly understood, visually compelling, and accessible to everyone in the building. Digital displays powered by signage software like Navigo^® offer the ideal medium for real-time emergency alerts, but their effectiveness hinges on thoughtful content and design. Poorly formatted or confusing messages can create panic or be ignored entirely.

This article explores best practices for designing emergency alert content on digital signage that is clear, ADA-compliant, multilingual, and ready to guide people to safety.

1. ADA-Compliant Message Formatting

Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) isn't just a legal requirement—it's a moral imperative for inclusive safety. Emergency messages on digital signage should follow these key accessibility guidelines:

• High contrast colors: Use light text on a dark background or vice versa (e.g., white text on red for critical alerts).

• Font size: Headlines should be no smaller than 3 inches tall on large displays. Body text should be legible from common viewing distances (minimum 48 pt for most screens).

• Sans-serif fonts: Clean, readable typefaces like Arial, Helvetica, or Verdana improve readability.

• Clear placement: Center or top-third placement ensures visibility across room types and viewer positions.

Accessible formatting ensures that all individuals—including those with low vision or cognitive disabilities—can interpret alerts in real time.

2. Visual Signals: Color, Symbols, and Motion

Humans process visual cues faster than text, especially under stress. Incorporate design elements that help viewers quickly identify the nature of the alert:

• Color codes:

  • 🔴 Red – Imminent danger (e.g., Evacuate Now)

  • 🟡 Yellow – Caution or Shelter-in-Place

  • 🔵 Blue – Information or All Clear

• Symbols: Use universally recognized icons (e.g., an exclamation point inside a triangle, running figure for evacuation, door lock symbol for lockdown).

• Animations: Subtle motion like pulsing backgrounds or sliding banners can draw attention without overwhelming the screen. Avoid rapid flashing, which can trigger seizures.

Visual signaling reinforces message urgency and helps guide viewers to the correct course of action—even before reading the text.

3. Language Accessibility and Multilingual Support

In multicultural environments—especially in urban properties or transportation hubs—language inclusivity is vital. Best practices include:

• Dual-language formatting: Display English and the second most common language (e.g., Spanish, Mandarin, Tagalog) side by side.

• Pictograms: Supplement words with images for universal understanding.

• Pre-set templates: Navigo enables quick message switching between language sets via user preferences or property settings.

Multilingual alerts ensure no one is left behind during critical moments.

4. Emergency Message Templates

Standardized templates speed up deployment and reduce confusion. Use pre-configured layouts for various emergency types:

Shelter-in-Place

• Red/yellow banner with instructions to remain indoors

• Include timestamp and instructions for securing doors and windows

Evacuate Immediately

• Flashing red background, directional arrows, and exit maps

• Optional audible tone or chime paired with the message

Lockdown

• Lock icon, simple instructions to lock/barricade and stay silent

• Hide building maps and floor plans to avoid giving information to potential threats

All Clear

• Green or blue background, calming tone

• Resume normal operations notice with a timestamp

Templates eliminate guesswork and provide consistency across all displays, improving occupant response.

5. Real-Time Updates and Expiration Controls

In rapidly evolving emergencies, outdated information can be dangerous. Digital signage systems like Navigo enable:

• Live updates via cloud-based CMS access

• Auto-expiration settings to remove alerts after a specified duration

• Manual override options to edit or cancel messages as situations change

Real-time content management ensures emergency messaging stays accurate, relevant, and trustworthy.

The Key Takeaway

Emergency digital signage is not just a feature—it’s a life-saving communication tool. By combining accessibility principles, visual clarity, and real-time technology, building managers can deliver messages that mobilize people, reduce confusion, and protect lives.

With the right content design strategies and cloud-based tools like Navigo, safety messaging becomes more than reactive—it becomes proactive, inclusive, and effective.

Ready to enhance your property’s emergency communication strategy?

Explore itouchinc.com for more information on our solutions or contact us for needs unique to your property or project.