wayfinding

Are The Odds In Your Favor?

I was hiking in the Hemingway Wilderness Area of Idaho a few days ago, and I came to the first trail junction just five minutes from the trailhead. The primary intersection is unmarked, and the decision point is crucial if one wants to head towards the proper drainage and the adventure they planned. For years a signpost existed here, and somebody or something removed it. Now the lack of clarity creates a moment of anxiety for those who have not previously traveled this route. There are signs further up both trails to direct users to the appropriate peak or alpine lake. 

We might think we have set up our fans for success, but sometimes we are so busy marking the summit and iconic features that we forget to check on the trailhead. We overlook the first few steps because they are so apparent to us. How might we learn from those encountering us for the first time? How might their experience help us be better wayfinders?

Crossing Obstacles

If those who go before reduce the number of barriers, those who follow are likely to continue on the route. From clearing a path to leaving key insights or providing context, the journey can be enhanced by those who show care and concern. That said, we might be selective about which obstacles we remove, as some are necessary for the path to be remarkable.

Abandoned or Well-Used

What is the difference between abandoned and well-used? It isn’t easy to decipher if an object represents a previous generation’s work or a real-time activity. If we embrace an empathetic mindset towards the end-user we serve, we might help orient those who encounter our work. Abandoned and well-used tokens both have stories; the question is how we provide context for the narrative.

Context

Without context, pie charts, bar graphs, scatterplots, histograms, and gauge charts are more like artwork than representative of data that informs their creation. The challenge to us is to present the graphs with accessible context. There is a story within each, an opportunity to take the viewer on a journey. How might we employ graphs to support our efforts and avoid confusing those looking for meaning? 

Switchbacks

I find switchbacks essential to the journey. They allow me to continue at my cadence while gaining (or losing) the elevation I need to reach my objective. They also provide perspective and an opportunity to contemplate what comes next. Even when we travel away from the summit, there is a sense of certainty that we are on course.

How might we see bends in the pathway as confirmation of our progress and wayfinding? How might we embrace directional change as intentional instead of failure? How might we celebrate that the greater the difficulty, the less likely we can move directly between the departure and arrival point?

OMAHA

Do you have a way of alerting the team when encountering an obstacle or situation that might significantly disrupt the journey? American football teams use a code word to change plays at the line of scrimmage. One board I served used the word “Omaha” in the email’s subject line, a phrase borrowed from former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning. Board members understood an Omaha communication required immediate attention and response. This technique was used cautiously, but it was reassuring to the Executive Director and Board Chair that the board would be responsive as quickly as possible when needed.