A robust wayfinding software – including digital signage and wayfinding kiosks – can help any corporate enterprise or higher education facility:
- Remain people-centric
- Ease the stress on visitors
- Enable seamless navigation of a property
It can even help you keep visitors informed about meeting updates, traffic updates, local news and more.
What is a wayfinding app?
A wayfinding app can be used in tandem with a space and meeting room reservation application to help people at work and on campus:
- Schedule meetings
- Add or remove participants
- Update calendars
- Find their way to meeting locations
What is a wayfinding kiosk?
A wayfinding kiosk is essentially a modern informational sign. Normally a tablet, these kiosks should be used primarily in atriums and entryways, and the right wayfinding kiosk software should provide information about the:
- Floor map
- Building
- Staff directory
- Directional information
What are common wayfinding challenges that a robust wayfinding software can help with?
Many places – like school campuses, healthcare facilities and airports – are large, complex places that are difficult to navigate. Additionally, people at these locations are often rushing or under stress, both of which can make effective navigation even more difficult. An effective wayfinding system can help, providing easy-to-follow signage and clear directions that make navigating these places a breeze.
What are features of a strong wayfinding software?
There are many features of a wayfinding software that can help visitors and employees effectively navigate their physical spaces. Both end users and facility managers should look for features like:
- Mobile capabilities: This refers to both mobile tools – like wayfinding kiosks and desk signs – and mobile wayfinding applications with tools like point-to-point navigation or SMS notifications. Overall, the right mobile support can improve usability and ensure both that wayfinding is effective and that people can access their navigational information directly at their point of need.
- Point-by-point directions: When it comes to wayfinding, the most important thing is that users can effectively and clearly navigate from point A to point B. Having this clear in the software using a tool like a smart pathway algorithm will help shorten travel time and improve ease of accessibility.
- SaaS applications: We live a multi-site, multi-device world, particularly in the wake of COVID-19. Having a cloud-based wayfinding application can help meet mobile needs. That way, users can easily access their information and navigate on-the-go.
- User-friendly interface: Consumers today expect to interact with intuitive, user-friendly interfaces – and this is certainly the case with wayfinding tools as well. That’s why it’s important to find a tool with features like 2D or 3D mapping, interactive directions, pinch and zoom functionalities, a “you are here” indicator and more. These software features can create a positive wayfinding experience and happy long-term users.
- Analytics and intelligence: Real-time intelligence can help you better understand your space utilization, make fast decisions and improve the experience on your campus or office space.
- Additional tools: Wayfinding “extras” like social media, news, weather and transit can help provide users with the all-in-one experience they’ve often become accustomed to.
- Pushed updates: On the technical side, you also want a wayfinding tool that will update automatically to avoid out-of-date or incorrect maps. This includes software updates and information updates like changing office names, changing area names, etc.
- Enhanced 3D map views: 3D design can help bring any wayfinding system to life, helping users navigate a multi-floor destination, providing 360-degree controls and more.
- Interactivity: The digital signage wayfinding software that you choose will have a user-friendly front-end component, including point-to-point navigation, a pop-up directory and interactive maps.
- Dynamic positioning: Dynamic positioning tools help capture a user’s exact location and display it on the wayfinding map, which can simplify navigation and orientation within the wayfinding software.
Want to learn more about Accruent’s EMS wayfinding software and how it can work in your environment? Schedule a demo today.
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