The best wayfinding might be the part of an event nobody remembers.
People remember getting lost.
They remember arriving at the wrong entrance.
They remember standing at a junction, searching for a sign while everyone behind them becomes increasingly impatient.
But when the journey works?
They rarely mention it.
They simply arrive.
That creates a strange problem.
We often judge visual communication by how noticeable it is.
Was the sign big enough?
Was the branding bold enough?
Did the graphics make an impression?
But perhaps wayfinding has a different job.
Its success is not always measured by how many people see it.
Sometimes it is measured by how few people need to stop and think.
A good sign answers the question just before someone becomes conscious of asking it.
Where do I enter?
Which floor do I need?
Is this queue for me?
Where are the toilets?
What happens next?
The branding can still be distinctive.
The production can still be beautiful.
But the real achievement is reducing a small moment of uncertainty.
Confusion is remembered.
Good guidance disappears.
What is the best example of wayfinding you barely noticed?
Completely unrelated...
How much impact is your next event actually designed to create?
The Event Impact Score gives you a quick way to assess it:
