Sign systems should be flexible in their applications. The design should accommodate a wide range of needs and abilities. It should also be intuitive to navigate through and able to correct individuals who have lost their way. Finally, the design should require as little physical effort as possible.
Some aspects of wayfinding design require special considerations. These include arrival and departure points, restrooms, elevators and graphic communication. Arrival points require clear identification of the facility; paths to restrooms should be unobstructed; elevators should be placed near reception desks; and graphic communications should be employed to complement textual information.
Effective wayfinding systems must include legible signs. While word choice and phrasing are important factors, the most important feature of an effective sign is typeface. Easy-to-read typefaces are typically sans serif, meaning without fancy curls and accents.