What do you think?
Rate this book
The Wayfinding Handbook: Information Design for Public Places
Where am I? What can I do here? Where can I go from here? How do I get out of here?
Consciously or not, we ask such questions every day as we navigate the places and spaces of our lives. Whether we find ourselves in a museum, hospital, airport, mall, or street in an unfamiliar city, we depend on systems of visual, audible, and tactile cues not only to lead the way, but also to keep us safe. They are the fundamental questions of wayfindinga process that encompasses both the experience of choosing a path within a built environment and the set of design elements that aid in such a decision. A decade ago, the professional practice of wayfinding design simply involved devising sign systems. Today, the field is much broader and continues to expand to address technological developmentskinetic media, GPS systems, web connectivity, smart materialsas well as cultural changes in areas such as branding and environmental awareness. Similarly, a cross-disciplinary familiarity with graphic, architectural, landscape, interior, industrial, and information design has become an essential requirement of twenty-first-century wayfinding design.
The Wayfinding Handbook is an exciting new volume in our acclaimed Design Briefs series. Professional wayfinding designer David Gibson draws on more than thirty years of experience collaborating with architects, planners, developers, managers, and civic leaders to offer an insider's view of this rapidly evolving discipline. Using real-life examples, Gibson illustrates the way type, color, mapmaking, dimensional forms, material selection, and new media are used to create effective wayfinding systems.
The Wayfinding Handbook is a complete guide to the discipline, from planning and design to practical considerations, such as setting up teams and managing projects. "Other Voices" sidebars, presentedthroughout the book, reveal the opinions of experts who plan, manage, and shape wayfinding projects. A comprehensive bibliography and gallery of resources round out what is likely to become the go-to resource for students, professionals, or anyone charged with designing people-friendly, universally accessible environments.
Consciously or not, we ask such questions every day as we navigate the places and spaces of our lives. Whether we find ourselves in a museum, hospital, airport, mall, or street in an unfamiliar city, we depend on systems of visual, audible, and tactile cues not only to lead the way, but also to keep us safe. They are the fundamental questions of wayfindinga process that encompasses both the experience of choosing a path within a built environment and the set of design elements that aid in such a decision. A decade ago, the professional practice of wayfinding design simply involved devising sign systems. Today, the field is much broader and continues to expand to address technological developmentskinetic media, GPS systems, web connectivity, smart materialsas well as cultural changes in areas such as branding and environmental awareness. Similarly, a cross-disciplinary familiarity with graphic, architectural, landscape, interior, industrial, and information design has become an essential requirement of twenty-first-century wayfinding design.
The Wayfinding Handbook is an exciting new volume in our acclaimed Design Briefs series. Professional wayfinding designer David Gibson draws on more than thirty years of experience collaborating with architects, planners, developers, managers, and civic leaders to offer an insider's view of this rapidly evolving discipline. Using real-life examples, Gibson illustrates the way type, color, mapmaking, dimensional forms, material selection, and new media are used to create effective wayfinding systems.
The Wayfinding Handbook is a complete guide to the discipline, from planning and design to practical considerations, such as setting up teams and managing projects. "Other Voices" sidebars, presentedthroughout the book, reveal the opinions of experts who plan, manage, and shape wayfinding projects. A comprehensive bibliography and gallery of resources round out what is likely to become the go-to resource for students, professionals, or anyone charged with designing people-friendly, universally accessible environments.
152 pages, Paperback
First published February 4, 2009
14 people are currently reading
206 people want to read
About the author
David Gibson
146 books18 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 4, 2017
Solid, brief overview of wayfinding. Good for a design student needing a primer on the industry, perhaps; I, however, was hoping for a little bit more the psychology and sociology behind the decisions people make when getting around. What directions or heights do people look at? What about that area of design that subconsciously steers people, like a patterned floor that angles towards the route most people need? That sort of thing.
The book starts with a little historical context for this niche industry and some notes on education and training to work in this field. The middle chunk looks at colors and typography and such considerations, providing numerous photographic examples, though not often with the amount of explanation I would have liked. The last fourth of the book really drifted away from my interests, getting fabrication concepts and materials, notes on supervising construction of signage, etc.
Ironically, for a book on wayfinding that even starts with a comparison to the legibility and meaning of written language, some pages could stand to be reworked for better flow. The worst was a page that discusses Shea Stadium signage: I missed the first 5 lines of text on that page because they were tucked away at the bottom-left column under 2 large photographs! Others were just placed distractingly, and not all images are captioned.
The book starts with a little historical context for this niche industry and some notes on education and training to work in this field. The middle chunk looks at colors and typography and such considerations, providing numerous photographic examples, though not often with the amount of explanation I would have liked. The last fourth of the book really drifted away from my interests, getting fabrication concepts and materials, notes on supervising construction of signage, etc.
Ironically, for a book on wayfinding that even starts with a comparison to the legibility and meaning of written language, some pages could stand to be reworked for better flow. The worst was a page that discusses Shea Stadium signage: I missed the first 5 lines of text on that page because they were tucked away at the bottom-left column under 2 large photographs! Others were just placed distractingly, and not all images are captioned.
August 22, 2018
This book gives great insights into the wayfinding profession. It describes lots of different wayfinding aspects - from beginning to end - that are illustrated by examples across several industries.
However, I think a few important things are missing. First, the book lacks much of the reasoning behind design decisions. That the designer should 'plan accordingly' is mentioned often, but unfortunately the author doesn't really describe what this actually means. The given wayfinding examples/scenarios from several cities, hospitals, and university campuses never gave a great in-depth explanation of design decisions. Why are signs in Case X actually made this way? What are limitations? Why did they choose a specific type? Did they encounter any unexpected problems? I would have loved to see more of the wayfinding psychology in this book.
Also, the book doesn't describe much about actual users. It mentions government and CEO viewpoints, but it never goes into detail about how the user is involved in this all, how crowd movements are mapped, how successful working of the wayfinding system is actually measured, and how the users' wayfinding abilities have changed.
I think this book gives great insight in the step-by-step wayfinding process, but it stays superficial and lacks in-depth reasoning and use-cases.
However, I think a few important things are missing. First, the book lacks much of the reasoning behind design decisions. That the designer should 'plan accordingly' is mentioned often, but unfortunately the author doesn't really describe what this actually means. The given wayfinding examples/scenarios from several cities, hospitals, and university campuses never gave a great in-depth explanation of design decisions. Why are signs in Case X actually made this way? What are limitations? Why did they choose a specific type? Did they encounter any unexpected problems? I would have loved to see more of the wayfinding psychology in this book.
Also, the book doesn't describe much about actual users. It mentions government and CEO viewpoints, but it never goes into detail about how the user is involved in this all, how crowd movements are mapped, how successful working of the wayfinding system is actually measured, and how the users' wayfinding abilities have changed.
I think this book gives great insight in the step-by-step wayfinding process, but it stays superficial and lacks in-depth reasoning and use-cases.
February 3, 2020
Good to understand the methodology and steps in wayfinding projects. But it offers fairly little guidelines on how to make 'good wayfinding'. Some learnings from the field of psychology or more examples would make this a way better book.
March 31, 2009
Where am I? What can I do here? Where can I go from here? How do I get out of here?
Consciously or not, we ask such questions every day as we navigate the places and spaces of our lives. Whether we find ourselves in a museum, hospital, airport, mall, or street in an unfamiliar city, we depend on systems of visual, audible, and tactile cues not only to lead the way, but also to keep us safe. They are the fundamental questions of wayfinding—a process that encompasses both the experience of choosing a path within a built environment and the set of design elements that aid in such a decision. A decade ago, the professional practice of wayfinding design simply involved devising sign systems. Today, the field is much broader and continues to expand to address technological developments—kinetic media, GPS systems, web connectivity, smart materials—as well as cultural changes in areas such as branding and environmental awareness. Similarly, a cross-disciplinary familiarity with graphic, architectural, landscape, interior, industrial, and information design has become an essential requirement of twenty-first-century wayfinding design.
The Wayfinding Handbook is an exciting new volume in our acclaimed Design Briefs series. Professional wayfinding designer David Gibson draws on more than thirty years of experience collaborating with architects, planners, developers, managers, and civic leaders to offer an insider's view of this rapidly evolving discipline. Using real-life examples, Gibson illustrates the way type, color, mapmaking, dimensional forms, material selection, and new media are used to create effective wayfinding systems
The Wayfinding Handbook is a complete guide to the discipline, from planning and design to practical considerations, such as setting up teams and managing projects. "Other Voices" sidebars, presented throughout the book, reveal the opinions of experts who plan, manage, and shape wayfinding projects. A comprehensive bibliography and gallery of resources round out what is likely to become the go-to resource for students, professionals, or anyone charged with designing people-friendly, universally accessible environments.
David Gibson is co-founder and managing principal of Two Twelve. His dedication to delivering thoughtful, user-centered design established the firm's reputation as the first advocate of public information design, the planning and presentation of complex information to diverse audiences.
Instrumental in developing Two Twelve's strength in environmental graphics, Gibson is responsible for some of the firm's highest profile projects including signage and wayfinding for Hartford, Downtown Baltimore, Downtown Brooklyn, and Yale University; signage and graphics for the historic Radio City Music Hall and New Amsterdam Theatre; and master planning and environmental graphic design for Harvard Medical School affiliates, Children's Hospital Boston, and Massachusetts General Hospital. He is currently creating wayfinding programs for the Princeton University and The Johns Hopkins Hospital, and a city-wide signage program for the Durham Parks and Recreation Department in North Carolina.
Gibson studied architecture at Cornell University, attended the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, and received an MFA in graphic design from the Yale University School of Art. He began his career as a project designer for the Ontario Ministry of National Resources.
Consciously or not, we ask such questions every day as we navigate the places and spaces of our lives. Whether we find ourselves in a museum, hospital, airport, mall, or street in an unfamiliar city, we depend on systems of visual, audible, and tactile cues not only to lead the way, but also to keep us safe. They are the fundamental questions of wayfinding—a process that encompasses both the experience of choosing a path within a built environment and the set of design elements that aid in such a decision. A decade ago, the professional practice of wayfinding design simply involved devising sign systems. Today, the field is much broader and continues to expand to address technological developments—kinetic media, GPS systems, web connectivity, smart materials—as well as cultural changes in areas such as branding and environmental awareness. Similarly, a cross-disciplinary familiarity with graphic, architectural, landscape, interior, industrial, and information design has become an essential requirement of twenty-first-century wayfinding design.
The Wayfinding Handbook is an exciting new volume in our acclaimed Design Briefs series. Professional wayfinding designer David Gibson draws on more than thirty years of experience collaborating with architects, planners, developers, managers, and civic leaders to offer an insider's view of this rapidly evolving discipline. Using real-life examples, Gibson illustrates the way type, color, mapmaking, dimensional forms, material selection, and new media are used to create effective wayfinding systems
The Wayfinding Handbook is a complete guide to the discipline, from planning and design to practical considerations, such as setting up teams and managing projects. "Other Voices" sidebars, presented throughout the book, reveal the opinions of experts who plan, manage, and shape wayfinding projects. A comprehensive bibliography and gallery of resources round out what is likely to become the go-to resource for students, professionals, or anyone charged with designing people-friendly, universally accessible environments.
David Gibson is co-founder and managing principal of Two Twelve. His dedication to delivering thoughtful, user-centered design established the firm's reputation as the first advocate of public information design, the planning and presentation of complex information to diverse audiences.
Instrumental in developing Two Twelve's strength in environmental graphics, Gibson is responsible for some of the firm's highest profile projects including signage and wayfinding for Hartford, Downtown Baltimore, Downtown Brooklyn, and Yale University; signage and graphics for the historic Radio City Music Hall and New Amsterdam Theatre; and master planning and environmental graphic design for Harvard Medical School affiliates, Children's Hospital Boston, and Massachusetts General Hospital. He is currently creating wayfinding programs for the Princeton University and The Johns Hopkins Hospital, and a city-wide signage program for the Durham Parks and Recreation Department in North Carolina.
Gibson studied architecture at Cornell University, attended the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, and received an MFA in graphic design from the Yale University School of Art. He began his career as a project designer for the Ontario Ministry of National Resources.
March 26, 2009
Editorial Reviews
Design Notes :
"The content is quite strong, starting with a breakdown of the design process and where each of the chapters falls into the different categories. After seeing this incorporated here Im not sure why more books dont do something similar by showing the content in a logical way. Talking out loud here, I think theres a great opportunity to incorporate a table of contents in a related way Along with the process and content, the design of the book is quite strong. I enjoyed reading it, not just because of the content but how it was laid out." — Michael Surtees (March 2, 2009)
Design Magazine (South Africa):
"The Wayfinding Handbook is a complete guide to the discipline, from planning and design to practical considerations, such as setting up teams and managing projects." (February, 2009)
Design Notes :
"The content is quite strong, starting with a breakdown of the design process and where each of the chapters falls into the different categories. After seeing this incorporated here Im not sure why more books dont do something similar by showing the content in a logical way. Talking out loud here, I think theres a great opportunity to incorporate a table of contents in a related way Along with the process and content, the design of the book is quite strong. I enjoyed reading it, not just because of the content but how it was laid out." — Michael Surtees (March 2, 2009)
Design Magazine (South Africa):
"The Wayfinding Handbook is a complete guide to the discipline, from planning and design to practical considerations, such as setting up teams and managing projects." (February, 2009)
March 27, 2010
belajar banyak tentang sistem pemanduan atau wayfinding,hal-hal esensial tentang sistem pemanduan, mulai tipografi sampai kasus nyata.
referensi yang tepat bagi yang ingin belajar sistem pemanduan ataupun grafis lingkungan.
referensi yang tepat bagi yang ingin belajar sistem pemanduan ataupun grafis lingkungan.
June 19, 2013
doesn't capture much of my attention, most information here is already known and doesn't really excite me.. but it does cover a substantial amount of relevant information that is needed for effective way-finding though!
2 stars.
2 stars.
January 24, 2011
Good introduction to information design for public places and buildings. Kind of a primer for environmental design.
May 10, 2012
This is definitely a beginners book, but it offers a good overview of wayfinding along with some of its history and what is involved in working in the industry.
September 26, 2014
This was not what I wanted it to be, it was more of a career-guide type book. Maybe for college students.
March 3, 2015
Concise and approachable breakdown of what the field of Wayfinding entails.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews