What is Digital Wayfinding and Is it the Right Solution?

Organizations and facilities everywhere are replacing their traditional wayfinding signs with modern digital wayfinding signage. This is becoming more common as organizations realize the benefits that come with upgrading their signage.

 

Digital wayfinding offers a modern form of wayfinding that enhances the overall visitor experience and provides many opportunities for organizations to meet their organizational goals.  

 

But is it the right solution to meet your facility’s goals? Understanding the uses, benefits, and types of solutions available can help you decide.

 

The information we have provided here will provide a foundational understanding of digital wayfinding. If you have additional questions feel free to reach out to us directly. 

 

What is Digital Wayfinding

As you are likely aware, traditional wayfinding is the process of navigating within a location or around several locations. Facilities and campuses of all sizes and industries have used wayfinding signagenerge to direct visitors and customers where to go. Digital wayfinding has the same essential objective but does so in a more engaging and modern way.

 

Digital wayfinding is the process of navigating spaces with the use of digital technology such as video displays, or smartphones. This can be accomplished through interactive maps, digital directories, smartphone integrations and other digital technologies. 

 

With digital wayfinding, organizations make navigating their facility easier while creating an interactive experience. This not only modernizes a building or campus, but it also provides the organization with a number of benefits. 

 

Top Benefits of Digital Wayfinding

Digital wayfinding has the same essential goal as traditional wayfinding signage but because of the digital capabilities, it provides many additional benefits. These benefits are why so many facilities and campuses decide it makes for a smart investment. 

 

Can your commercial property benefit from digital wayfinding? We have highlighted some of the most common benefits below. Explore them and consider the impact they would make on your property.

 

Enhances the Visitor Experience

When visitors have a good experience they tend to spend more and are more likely to return. If visitors are confused or frustrated while navigating your property they will not return and will discourage others from visiting. 

 

Additionally, facilities with a better visitor experience are more attractive to tenants and businesses looking to rent a space.

 

Cost efficiency when making updates

Updating maps, paper brochures, and physical signs as rental spaces or as exhibits change can be costly. With digital wayfinding technology, maps and directories can be changed nearly instantly without the need to reprint or manually update signs.

 

Creates Greener Processes

For companies serious about their green initiatives, digital signage is a must. We mentioned above that printing maps and brochures are costly, but it is also not the most environmentally friendly practice. Facilities now have the opportunity to get rid of paper maps and go digital with the use of digital signage and integrated smartphone maps. 

 

Aids in inclusivity 

More organizations look to be more inclusive for those with disabilities. With digital technology, your wayfinding signs can aid in these efforts. Quality digital wayfinding systems provide many accessibility options such as audio cues to help those with visual impairments, and the ability to highlight wheelchair-accessible routes. Additionally, other enhancements such as language toggling are also available.    

 

Modernizes the look of a property

From college campuses to corporate facilities, the aesthetics of a property is important. Having a modern look can help impress visitors but it also aids in the overall visitor experience. Digital signage and digital wayfinding are good options for doing so. For facilities that want to attract tenants or impress their clients, installing a digital wayfinding system is an easy and functional way to improve and modernize the look of any property. 

 

Offers branding and promotional opportunities

Digital wayfinding systems can incorporate branding elements and promotional content on their navigational windows. With this capability, organizations can showcase their brand, advertise special events or promotions, or provide relevant information to users through strategically placed digital displays.

 

Offers analytics and insights for data-driven site enhancements

One of the greatest benefits of using digital technologies is the ability to access analytics and insights. Digital signage and wayfinding are no different. Digital wayfinding systems capture data on user behavior, including popular routes, frequently visited areas and navigation patterns. This data can be analyzed to gain insights into user preferences, traffic flow, and overall facility usage, enabling organizations to make data-driven decisions and optimize their spaces.

 

When implemented with purpose, digital wayfinding can help fulfill a number of organizational goals. Many of which positively impact an organization’s bottom line.  

 

Types of Digital Wayfinding Signage to Choose From

Traditional wayfinding signage is very limited in how it can be used. However, because digital wayfinding signage uses digital technology, there are a number of different use cases and customization options.  

 

Every facility or campus will utilize it differently, but to provide insight, we wanted to highlight some of the common ways you will see it used. 

 

Static Digital Signage

Even though digital wayfinding offers a number of capabilities, some choose to utilize it as static signage. Having a digital display, however, makes the sign much more visible, and appealing and it allows the content to be easily switched out.  

 

Interactive Displays

With the utilization of touchscreen technology, wayfinding signage can become a functional interactive experience. Just like with a smartphone, digital wayfinding signage can allow users to interact with the display, change settings, and move through various pieces of content. 

 

This is helpful for zooming in on a map, identifying the necessary location, finding the best routes, or creating an all-in-one digital signage system by combining a directory, wayfinding system, and any other content that could add value.

 

Navigational wayfinding

Most people are familiar with navigational apps on smartphones like Google Maps, All Trails or Mapquest. Similar technology is also available for digital signage. With an interactive display, users can navigate directly on the display and find their way. But with smartphone integrations, users can follow the route on their smartphones and avoid getting lost between signs.

Understanding the types of digital wayfinding is important in understanding the capabilities at your disposal. But, there are even more ways to enhance it. With customizable content, various display options and other customizable features, digital wayfinding can be used in a number of unique ways. 

 

Industries that benefit from Digital Wayfinding

When thinking about digital wayfinding, some might only be familiar with it within an airport or other transportation hub, but the truth is, that a number of organizations big and small can benefit. When one stops to think about all the many benefits and various use cases it’s easy to see why.

 

As a digital signage provider, we get a front-row seat to understand the unique reasons for adopting digital wayfinding. From museums and local government buildings that want to offer easier navigation for a number of different people groups, to retail facilities and rental properties that want to stand out and make their properties attractive. There are so many industries that are using digital wayfinding and for good reasons. 

 

• Museums
• Tourist Destinations
• Entertainment venues
• College Campuses
• Corporate Facilities
• Healthcare facilities
• Transit stations
• Shopping malls
• Business incubator or serviced office
• Government facilities
• Manufacturing facilities

 

These are just a handful of places that benefit from the adoption of digital wayfinding technology. 

 

If you’re interested in digital wayfinding but not sure how it applies to your industry, take some time to explore use cases in your industry. Seeing how others utilize it might provide inspiration and ideas on how to use it to meet your organizational goals. 

 

Creating a Custom Digital Wayfinding Solution

Now that you have a foundational understanding of what digital wayfinding is and how it can be used, you can begin exploring the various features, and functions. Knowing the benefits it offers, you can also identify if it would be a worthwhile investment to consider. 

 

If you believe it could aid your organization in achieving its goals then speak with a digital signage supplier to discuss the options and implementation steps.  They will be able to walk you through the process and help you to create a custom solution designed to meet your unique goals. 
 

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