In many ways, wayfinding is more than just guiding people through the optimal route to their destination. There are many factors on the periphery that can have a large effect on the overall wayfinding experience. So, while you might immediately question where the link between wayfinding and health is, it’s actually something that ends up having a significant impact on the overall user experience. This applies to both mental and physical health, which in turn both feed into each-other. How do you strike this balance, then, between successful wayfinding and the health of your visitors?
Directing your users towards the right route is of course integral to all successful wayfinding strategies, but how this ties into health may not immediately be clear. For example, a sustainable alternative to transport can help to reduce emissions, which promotes better physical and mental health. However, if this leads to more inconvenience and causes the user to be late, it can lead to stress. This is a risk that all inefficient wayfinding carries, and can lead to and complicate existing health conditions.
It’s important to consider forms of transport that are more physically active, too. Allowing enough time for walking to a destination provides significant health benefits. Cycling, too, is great for your health and can get you to a location more quickly than just your feet. However, while some cities like Amsterdam are very bike-friendly, others lack infrastructure for it, making it a more difficult choice. This is something important to consider when designing a wayfinding strategy – as much as cycling is theoretically preferable, there are situations where it’s not be the best choice in practice.
Taking routes through the right area can also be a significant contribution to mental health. If it’s possible to arrange directions to be taken through a park or another green space, this can positively influence someone’s health. In some cases, these areas may have fallen into disuse, and so they might need to be pushed into being reopened. The same applies to railway stations; the train is a much more sustainable form of travel than the car and so encouraging its use is helpful in combating pollution. It’s much easier to encourage, however, if it goes to and from a convenient place to catch it.
One issue in prioritising health concerns in wayfinding, is that it trades some convenience for an experience that is overall more positive. To combat this, offering integrated incentives alongside a great strategy is a solid approach. For example, cycling schemes and discounted train tickets can encourage the use of more environmentally-friendly transport. Likewise, offering a reward for walking to school and work accomplishes a similar goal.
All wayfinding strategies should keep the health of its users in mind. When designing for a health-focused strategy, however, different priorities need to be considered from the auditing process and beyond. The benefits of doing so are clear, however, especially as mental and physical intertwine and impact each-other. It allows for the cutting of traffic stress and emissions as well as the increase of exercise. With these aspects combined, it can have a significant impact on the health of everyone.
If you need a wayfinding strategy designed that takes health into account and prioritises it, then get in contact, we’d love to help!