5 Ways Mapping Enhances Wayfinding.

With over 20 years of experience designing for places and spaces, our ECD and Founder Paul Tabouré of THERE believes that mapping plays a crucial role in wayfinding design.

A well thought-out graphic map has the potential to provide intuitive navigation alongside contextual insight, offering an engaging experience for people trying to find their way. Mapping can empower users to understand their surroundings, fostering a deeper connection with the spaces they interact with.

Integrated mapping often plays an important role in the wayfinding strategies we deliver for our projects. In this article, we will explore 5 ways in which effective mapping can enhance our understanding and appreciation of a space, transforming the way we explore and experience our surroundings.

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01 Nifty Navigation

Well-designed graphic maps provide intuitive navigation, allowing users to easily navigate and explore a location. By highlighting key landmarks, paths, and points of interest, graphic maps help users orient themselves and find their way with confidence. The use of clear symbols and colour-coded elements enables quick comprehension, making the navigation experience more effortless and enjoyable.

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02 Cue the Context

Maps can offer a contextual overview of a place, presenting a wealth of information in a visually concise manner. By strategically highlighting elements such as buildings, roads and natural features, maps can provide a comprehensive snapshot of the environment. Users gain valuable insights into the spatial relationships between different elements, enabling them to understand the layout, infrastructure and distance between key points of interest.

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3 Storytelling Surrounds

Mapping can go beyond mere functionality by starting to incorporate elements of storytelling. Through careful selection of colours, typography, and graphic styles, maps can begin to evoke emotions and capture the essence of a place, fostering a deeper connection and enriching the overall user experience. Illustrations and imagery can provide further interpretation of a site, creating more engaging and relatable representations of our surroundings.

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4 Ace Accessibility

Well considered maps have the ability to overcome language barriers by utilising pictograms and graphic assets that transcend linguistic differences. Unlike traditional text-&-arrow-based directions, maps can be understood by individuals regardless of their language or literacy level. This ensures that everyone, including international visitors or individuals with limited language proficiency, can navigate, comprehend and connect with a place.

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5 Activation of Experiences

With the advent of augmented reality (AR) technology, maps have taken on a new dimension of interactivity. By integrating AR features into mapping applications, users can access real-time data overlays, historical information, and interactive elements. AR activation opens up a realm of possibilities, enabling users to explore a space in a more engaging and dynamic manner. Whether providing turn-by-turn interactive navigation or overlaying historical landmarks on a city street, AR integration adds activation and engagement to the user experience.

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As one of Australia’s leading wayfinding agencies, THERE has over two decades of expert knowledge in wayfinding strategy and design.

Next time your project requires a specialist wayfinding consultant – bring THERE into the conversation.

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