Celebrating The Art of Direction: International Wayfinding Month
January is recognized as International Wayfinding Month, and each year it offers a moment to reflect on a design discipline that has become essential to our shared environments. Wayfinding is not just about signage or directions—it’s about empowering people to navigate the world with confidence, dignity, and connection. From parks to airports, campuses to cultural institutions, great wayfinding brings clarity to complexity, guiding us through intricate spaces while celebrating the identity and purpose of a place.
For decades, the practice of wayfinding has been shaped by visionaries and SEGD Fellows who transformed this functional necessity into an art form. Icons like Massimo Vignelli, whose NYC Subway Map remains a benchmark of modernist clarity, and Lance Wyman, whose Mexico City Olympics identity redefined cultural storytelling through symbols, laid the groundwork for wayfinding as a celebrated design discipline. Paula Scher’s groundbreaking environmental graphics for the High Line and Ronald Shakespear’s transformative systems in Argentina remind us that wayfinding is not just a tool but a cultural and emotional experience.
Today, this legacy is carried forward by some of the most innovative firms and design minds in the world, many of whom have deep ties to the SEGD community through leadership at events and recognition in our annual awards. Their projects integrate evolving technologies with enduring principles of accessibility, creating systems that guide while inspiring. These leaders demonstrate that wayfinding is not merely about ‘getting there;’ it’s about creating emotional memories and visceral connections to place, leveraging their keen expertise and a lifetime dedicated to refining the craft of environmental graphics and wayfinding design.
The Practical Art of Wayfinding
At its heart, wayfinding solves problems. Whether helping patients navigate a hospital, guiding travelers through an airport, or ensuring safety in emergencies, wayfinding systems reduce stress and make spaces more accessible for everyone. The stakes are high—the “Cost of Lost” can result in confusion, frustration, or even compromised safety. That’s why wayfinding professionals are meticulous in their approach, considering everything from ADA compliance to universal symbols, legibility, and typography.
One of the most impactful contributions to accessibility came in 2010 with the introduction of the Universal Healthcare Symbols, a collaboration between SEGD and Hablamos Juntos. This set of 56 graphic symbols transformed how healthcare facilities communicate, offering clear navigation solutions for patients with limited English proficiency or reading abilities. This milestone exemplifies how wayfinding design can break down barriers, creating environments that are equitable and inclusive for all.
Yet wayfinding is more than practical. It is an art form that elevates function into experience. The designs recognized each year by the SEGD Global Design Awards illustrate this duality. Bespoke storytelling, meticulous attention to spatial relationships, and creative use of materials transform navigation into an opportunity for discovery and delight. Whether in museums, universities, or entertainment venues, wayfinding becomes the bridge between clarity and inspiration.
A partnership between Hablamos Juntos and SEGD, with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Read more about the project here.
A Profession Defined by Collaboration and Innovation
Wayfinding’s evolution into a recognized profession has been fueled by collaboration and shared knowledge. Designers, educators, and fabricators have worked together to define standards and best practices that ensure consistency and excellence. Scholarship like Signage and Wayfinding Design by Chris Calori and David Vanden-Eynden and Archigraphia Redux by Richard Poulin offers a foundation for practitioners at every level, while Environmental Graphic Design programs at universities continue to nurture the next generation of talent.
As the practice evolves, firms and professionals have embraced new technologies, from digital kiosks to augmented reality, pushing the boundaries of what wayfinding can achieve. These innovations amplify the core values of the discipline: accessibility, clarity, and connection. Through shared efforts, wayfinding professionals continue to redefine how people experience and navigate the world around them.
SEGD’s Professional Practice Group for Wayfinding and Experiential Graphic Design continues to champion this legacy by fostering collaboration and dialogue among members. We invite you to participate by attending a monthly meeting to share your passion, exchange expertise, and contribute to the evolution of this vital field of design.
Looking Ahead: The Wayfinding and Placemaking Event
This April 22–24, 2025, in Las Vegas, NV, SEGD Wayfinding + Placemaking will convene leaders in the field to explore the latest innovations and challenges in navigation and experiential design. This gathering represents the collaborative spirit of the profession—a space where new ideas are born, connections are made, and the future of wayfinding is charted.
Registration information for this event will be available soon!
The Unseen Impact of Wayfinding Design
Wayfinding design shapes the way we interact with the world, transforming complex spaces into places of clarity, connection, and meaning. Practitioners across the globe dedicate their expertise to creating systems that guide, inspire, and empower, often without recognition for the profound impact their work has on our daily lives. As Massimo Vignelli once said, “The life of a designer is a life of fight: fight against the ugliness.” Through their commitment to accessibility and beauty, wayfinding designers ensure that even the most functional elements of our built environments are meaningful and human-centered. The return on investment (ROI) or return on experience (ROE) for wayfinding is far-reaching—it improves navigation, enhances safety, and creates lasting emotional connections to place. As we celebrate International Wayfinding Month, let us honor the practitioners who make our world more navigable, equitable, and dignified, enriching every journey with their thoughtful design.