If you have been working from home the past year or so, you are not alone!   As you know, since the Covid-19 pandemic erupted, remote working has started to become a norm (due to safe management measures to mitigate the risk of wide-spreading...

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In this article I’ve compiled a list of most important tools that I use to design, create and produce signage, wayfinding and other related design products.

Top 10 of most important tools

• The Fundamentals of Typography – A great book full of examples about designing with type.
• Stanley Tape Rule – Made of steel, one of the most important hand tools I use to quickly measure something.
• Stainless steel ruler – Excellent for measuring narrow size items, exact to the millimeter.
• Steel caliper – To measure the distance between two symmetrically opposing sides and to measure the thickness of materials.
• AcrySign color samples – Material color may differ from standard color systems like Pantone, therefore I use a sample chain to check the color.
• PANTONE Color Bridge Coated – Pantone Color Matching System (PMS) is the worlds standard color usage system, can’t live without it. Most design studios (graphic) work with PMS.
• Sikkens RAL – A color system mainly used used for paint colors. On of the most popular color is RAL 9010 (white).
• Black permanent Fineliner – Using it all day for writing, designing, quick scketches and more. Using dozens of them.
• Srewdriver – The small srewdriver represents a variety of machinery used to develop & create signage systems.
• Calculator – To use for design calculations, mathematic relations, finance and more.

More items on the list

To complete the manufacturing part at the company we use various machinery like: Vinyl cutter & plotter, laser engraving, laser cutting and CNC engraving machinery. The design elements are developed with the Adobe Design Suite CS3, we especially work with Adobe Illustrator which is the probably best professional drawing program (in my opinion) for creating vector based design & signage systems. Other programs like Autocad and specific engraving software are used to manufacture the products. We make use of 3rd parties for painting jobs and creating metal structures.

Orientation and navigation

Navigation from place to place is a fundamental human activity and an integral part of everyday life. Where are you? Where are you heading to? People use their knowledge and previous experiences to find their way in the built environment. The human perception of the built environment and information in a space comes down to balance and focus. What do you see? Why did you see it? What did you do with the information.

Wayfinding principles

Wayfinding has the function to inform people of the surroundings in the (unfamiliar) built environment, it is important to show information at strategic points to guide people into the right directions. Complex structures in the built environment are interpreted and stored by the human memory. Distances, locations and time may be remembered differently than as they appear to be in reality.

An effective wayfinding system is based on human behavior and consists of the following characteristics:

• Do not make them think
  Create a comprehensive, clear and consistent visual communication system with concise messaging.
• Show only what is needed
  Show information that is relevant to the space, location and / or navigation path.
• Remove excessive information
  Remove unnecessary elements to create a clear visual environment ahead.

How does wayfinding work?

How do people orientate, navigate or remember the built environment? Why will people recognize or understand one place easier than another? As shown in the images on the left, a geographical map versus cognitive (mental) map = reality versus human mental memory. When creating a wayfinding scheme the following characteristics influences the way we interpreted the built environment.

• Landmarks
  To create a legible environment it is necessary to mark specific spaces and / or locations. This reinforces the recognition of places and plays a part in overseeing a larger area. With the use of landmarks and marking elements an area will become more visible and will be understand better in the human memory. Landmarks can be art-objects, buildings, streetart, wayfinding signs or striking elements in a landscape. These elements combined will shape the identity of an (unknown) area as seen from your perspective.
• Orientation
  In order to navigate, you need to know where you are in the built environment and where other destinations are located. Preferable it is good to know the distance in time from one place to another. If you are able to orientate yourself within the built environment, it will be easier to understand destinations and to navigate by landmarks. In wayfinding, maps are common used to indicate your location. The usage of maps is a very powerful way of expressing and overseeing the built environment. Be sure to display the maps heads-up in the direction you are facing, this way you can easy relate yourself to the built environment.
• Navigation
  Navigating the physical reference to a particular area, setting or destination. With the usage of directional (static) signs people will be guided along their path towards destination(s).

Strategic wayfinding design

When creating a signage system for an area, building or architectural structure it is essential to develop a strategic wayfinding scheme. With this step you are able to build up a modular wayfinding system that will adapt to the built environment and the human expectations for orientation and navigation purposes. Research is an important step to understand the built environment and where information is needed to maximize legibility of the wayfinding system.

Signage design principles

There are four important type of signs: Information signs, for instance a signpole with locate a destination and / or to orientate yourself in the built environment.
Directional signs, where information is displayed to find destinations, located on several strategic points in the built environment.
Identification signs, where information about individual locations is displayed such as buildings, locations and public facilities.
Warning signs, to indicate safety procedures such as a fire escape routes, no smoking areas and other regulations that is, or is not allowed in a specific area.

To make a signage system work together a design grid is used to order information and to scale the signs to different sizes, as part of the sign family. With the example design I have used a base grid of 30 mm (milimeters) with a subdivision of 9. All the measurements of the example are based on the 9×9 division. Be careful not to show too much information into one sign, this will be easily overlooked, instead use multiple signs to get good wayfinding results.

Signage typeface

A signage typeface is usually a sans-serif type and available in various weights with a simple easy-to-read straightforward design. They have a good legibility with a large X-Height and wide letter proportions with prominent ascenders / descenders to ensure a good readability.

When using an easy-to-read font the typeface is recognizable for many people to read and to understand the message clearly. Therefore the choice of a signage typeface is one of the keyfactors in order to make a wayfinding system work. When selecting a typeface for a signage design / wayfinding project please use the following characteristics:

• A clear and straightforward type design, sans-serif
• Easy recognizable letterforms
• Positive letter spacing to enhance the visual appearance
• The Font Family includes a package of many different weights
• The typeface has a large X-height for good readability

Signage design

Be consistent in typography, type height, icons, grid design, color and material choice. The signs needs to be straight forward designed and in a consistent order to wayfinding scheme, always use the same order of displaying the information. Remember to make samples of the different sign types and check them in the built environment to ensure it becomes a best-practice design.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the difference between pictograms and icons?

• Icons are used in a broader sense that can have a free artistic look and feel. For example UI Material Icons represent the various functionalities of an App.
• Pictograms are usually a more simplified version of an icon, which represents for instance a common sense such as toilets, airplane, arrows etc.

The book Piktogramme und Icons is written in German. Don’t let this stop you, because this book is a full on guide on how to design pictograms and icons. Filled with countless examples the book represents everything to learn about pictograms and icons.

Visual language

A single pictogram or icon could represent a single form of communication. A set of pictograms and icons could represent a cross-cultural form of communication. Pictograms and icons are increasingly taking the place of national language communication or supplementing it.

As seen during Covid-19 pandemic, the use of pictograms have been critical to quickly understand what is required and how to navigate.

Design

The book explains on how to get started in pictogram design. Every step of the proces is described:

• Sketching, the rough outline of the pictogram/icon
• What are the characteristics and intention
• How to use a grid design
• About reading distance, line-width
• Positive and negative lines and shapes
• How to design meaningful visual elements universally understood

Examples

The books is filled with countless examples and inspiration designs.

• Vehicle, transport and road pictograms
• Airport pictograms, icons
• Healthcare pictograms
• Olympic games icons
• Universal used pictograms and icons
• and many more

The clear explanation on how to design a pictogram, combined with the many examples makes this book a must-have for any pictogram designer.

Availability

Rayan Abdullah and Roger Hübner lay the foundations for designing unambiguous and simple but not banal sign languages ​​with their standard work, which competently illuminates and consequently explores theory and practice, development and commercialization, the multifaceted nature and future of a language without words: from the toilet sign to the escape route, Prohibition sign to the guidance system, from waste separation to the Olympics. 2D, 3D and on the web.

Unfortunately the book is mostly out of stock. You can search Amazon and the secondary market to get your hands on this amazing book.

Microsoft’s SharePoint has been a hit with businesses large and small for its extensive capability and unmatched utility. According to AIIM, 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies use SharePoint to streamline their company operations. So by embracing SharePoint, it seems like you’re well on track for greatness. Frankly, SharePoint isn’t the easiest service to use, and there’s a bit of a learning curve to it. SharePoint for beginners could be a bit frustrating, but it’s nothing too difficult. Anyone in the IT department can handle it, but what if you don’t have an IT department or IT can’t simply handle

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Website owners can spend hundreds of dollars a month on web hosting alone! But if you operate a WordPress site, it is possible to spend $0 a month on hosting. That’s right: free WordPress hosting does exist, provided you know where to look. Of course, with anything that’s free, it’s essential to prioritize quality. Not all cheap WordPress hosts offer lightning-fast speeds and stellar service. In this post, we discuss tips for finding the best free WordPress hosting that doesn’t sacrifice quality! 1. Identify Your Hosting Needs What does a WordPress host actually do? Hosting services ensure that your website is

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Sixty-eight percent of adults edit their selfies before sharing them with anyone. Statistics show the growing importance of learning advanced editing skills. A photographer cannot publish a photo without altering it in some way. Photoshop, the industry standard, has plenty of tools to make your photos stand out. Learning those tools on your own can be difficult though. To help you learn, let’s take a quick look at 8 fantastic Photoshop tips and tricks. A Note About Photoshop Tips and Tricks Before we dive into the tips and tricks, remember a good photo is even more important than good editing.

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Your website can be two things: an asset, or just there. The difference between the two can be very subtle, but have an online asset can drive business like you’ve never imagined. So, how do you turn your website from a random property into an asset for your business? By focusing on two major factors: style and performance. Get a New Theme One of the easiest ways to upgrade the look and feel of your WordPress website is by picking a new theme. There are tons of themes out there to choose from, so you just have to find the

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Photographs are an incredible tool for preserving memories in tangible forms. Not only it captures your most treasured moments but also keeps the sentiment intact no matter when you look at it. PhotoBooks are where we maintain and keep our photographic collection. There are many reasons to make photo book in today’s technologically advancing world. They allow your loved ones and family to reminisce your special moments for years to come. When you create a PhotoBook you make sure your memorable moments stand the test of time. Since photo albums capture and preserve life’s moments, they make fantastic gifting options.

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Do you remember a time when there was only text on the internet? Or when the first images popped up in their glorious blocky low resolution? It seems like a lifetime ago.   Streaming services, social media, shops… Images and videos are all around the web today. It’s no wonder we see more and more imagery used for online advertisement as well.   There are always aspects to consider to decide the best fit for your project. When choosing your advertising strategy, it’s essential to know the good and the not-so-good about photography and videography for marketing. Advantages Look Sharp

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There’s nothing worse than spending hours searching for an image on your computer. Between old screenshots and blurry photos, your sentimental pictures can get buried amongst the clutter. Luckily, it’s extremely simple and accessible to sort, organize, and group your important photos together on Macbook computers. Not sure where to start when it comes to photo organization on your Macbook? Keep reading for some of the best tips and tricks to get your photos sorted and functional. Declutter Your Pictures When it comes to Macbook organization, a digital declutter is one of the best options. Though it can be time-consuming,

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Trevor Cole, an international travel photographer and tour leader from Donegal, Ireland, captures diverse cultures and landscapes with a focus on sustainability and human connection. Leading small-group photo tours across destinations like Scotland, Iceland, and Ethiopia, his work inspires reflection and encourages positive change. More: Instagram

Coté Escrivá, a Spanish artist, creates playful character designs inspired by nostalgic childhood themes, with notable collaborations with Thunder Mates on limited-edition resin toys. His standout collection includes dark twists on classic Disney icons like Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse, reimagined as spooky characters with eerie eyes, tattered clothes, and exposed skeletons, drawing influences from […]

Daniel Gulliver, known professionally as Gully, is a distinguished tattoo artist from London, UK, celebrated for his innovative “debossed” tattoo technique. This method creates the illusion of designs carved into the skin, offering a three-dimensional effect that captivates viewers. Gully’s repertoire extends beyond debossed tattoos; he also excels in ultra-realistic portraits and optical illusions, showcasing […]

Weather Photographer, Winner: Sprites Dancing in the Dark Night by Wang Xin The Royal Meteorological Society has announced the 2024 winners of the Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year Awards, featuring breathtaking images of weather phenomena worldwide. The top prize went to Wang Xin from Shanghai for the photograph “Sprites Dancing in the Dark […]

1st Place Winner: “Delicate” by Hilda Champion The 2024 Minimalist Photography Awards celebrated fine-art photographers who have redefined visual storytelling through simplicity, highlighting the profound beauty in minimalism. The award-winning works, from serene landscapes to striking abstractions, showcase how thoughtful use of negative space and single subjects can evoke deep emotional responses and reveal powerful […]

Grand Prize: “Bengal Tigers” by Mangesh Ratnakar Desai, India The 2024 Nature’s Best Photography International Awards highlighted breathtaking moments from around the globe, celebrating photographers who captured the beauty and power of Earth’s diverse ecosystems. From sweeping landscapes to intimate wildlife portraits, the award-winning images showcase nature’s grandeur and fragility, inspiring deeper appreciation and awareness […]

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Victorian Sussex showcased remarkable displays of engineering ingenuity, where inventors tackled various cycling challenges from bumpy unpaved roads to the impracticalities of woolen clothing with boundless enthusiasm and creativity. h/t: vintag.es Among these innovators was Horsham architect Edward Burstow, who in 1882 patented the ‘pentacycle,’ an ingenious machine featuring a large central wheel driven by […]

DAB Motors has crafted a unique DAB 1α electric motorcycle inspired by the DeLorean time machine from “Back to the Future.” This bespoke model features a stainless steel body, exposed wiring, and CNC-machined wheels reminiscent of the iconic car. Notable design elements include a speedometer capped at 88 mph and an illuminated flux capacitor, paying […]

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London-based creative duo Joseph Lattimer and Caitlin Derer, founders of Collectable Cities art toy studio and veterans of the creative agency Fancy Lamp, have channeled their love for travel and storytelling into creating figures that celebrate iconic moments in pop culture. Their latest project is a vibrant tribute to The Beatles, featuring two collections inspired […]

Have you been looking for the best WooCommerce WordPress theme to open an online store but you’re not sure what to look for? With a WooCommerce WordPress theme you can sell any digital or physical product and it can take very little time to setup your theme and place your products on sale.            Finding the […]

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In its role of an online presence for your business, your website needs to represent your brand with nothing short of perfection. It is a task that is not necessarily all that easy to bring about. The right WordPress theme can make achieving that task not only doable, but if used to its full potential, […]

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The beginning of a new year is typically a time when we plan to find ways to make life a little better. The same applies to web designers who look for new and better ways to make their designs more engaging and productive. In this post we will look into 5 web design trends that […]

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There is a huge variety of free and premium web design tools and resources to choose from to help you create stunning websites. They range from complete website design platforms to design frameworks and wireframing tools to plugins featuring “must have” functionalities. And, a whole lot of things in between. These design tools and resources […]

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Do you need a little inspiration to help you get started on a long-awaited online store design project. One of the best places to find it is a WordPress theme.  The problem is, there are so many themes to choose from. You’re going to have to sift through a number of them to find a […]

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Some people may tell you that anything worth inventing has already been invented. That is not true, it probably never will be, and it certainly will not be the case for the website design world, which just keeps growing and improving. Website requirements keep becoming more and more demanding. Website design has to correspondingly follow […]

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The good news is there is no shortage of awesome WordPress themes that can help you create an engaging and well-functioning website. The not-so-good news is that the options open to you can be overwhelming because of the thousands of great WordPress themes available. Finding one you can rely on to help you quickly create […]

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It’s 2024 and the number of web design resources and tools on the market seems overwhelming. That’s good news since you need the right tools and resources to come up with competitive designs. The bad news is, rather than sifting through thousands of products to get the ones that best meet your needs you might […]

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Learn how to use Template Part and Query Loop patterns to provide users with more design options.

Making Global Styles and the Customizer work together

The easy and compliant way that every theme developer should know.

Android recently unveiled their newest operating system, Android 6.0 Marshmallow. It doesn’t entirely overhaul the system, but it does bring some exciting new improvements for Android users to enjoy. Like every new operating system, it takes some getting used to, but knowing some of the tricks help to facilitate the process. Expect Changes with New […]

The post 4 Android 6.0 Marshmallow tricks to show to your friends first appeared on TECH Intelligence and is written by Drew Hendricks.

Before the turn of the new millennium, development teams could get away with supporting two platforms: Windows and the web. Today, there are dozens, with more created monthly. As a result, teams struggle to manage vendor, device, and platform fragmentation. To fully realize the potential of virtual reality, the Internet of Things, and other platforms […]

The post The future of software development Is automation first appeared on TECH Intelligence and is written by Aidan Cunniffe.

Online retail sales have been growing steadily in recent years, reaching record highs in 2015.  Shoppers spent a combined $4.33 billion on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday alone.  Customers are purchasing things like clothing and accessories more than anything else, despite the fact they can’t try it on before buying.  This is great for retailers […]

The post Why are your customers unhappy? first appeared on TECH Intelligence and is written by Brian Wallace.

In the last few years, the design of the UIs has shifted from flat 2D surfaces into the actual 3D environment and possibly progressing towards the creation of space interfaces. Such change is not only attributable to the evolution of motion design software but also to the changing ways of perceiving digital realities. Therefore, it...

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With over 5 billion internet users worldwide, businesses are now tapping into E-commerce to expand market reach, which was inaccessible through traditional brick-and-mortar stores. However, success doesn’t end with merely establishing an E-commerce website.  Tools are needed to do well in this competitive market. One tool is the Content Management System (CMS), which provides the...

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The Internet of Things (IoT) transforms industries, businesses, and daily life by connecting physical devices to the Internet, enabling real-time data exchange and automated operations. From smart homes to industrial automation, the applications of Internet of Things are vast, providing numerous advantages in terms of efficiency, convenience, and cost savings. This article explores the top...

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As eCommerce is evolving at an increased pace, staying ahead of the latest trends in the market is very important for Shopify store owners to keep their stores stand out from the competition. Staying updated with the latest eCommerce trends helps merchants sell their products uniquely and convert more customers. As with every industry, the...

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In the past few years, AI’s impact has increased daily. No industry that doesn’t involve AI technology in its business is left behind. Artificial intelligence certainly helps to make the job easy. Now, this revolution has also changed the marketing industry.  Nowadays, digital marketers can work smartly and effectively with AI. However, there are tons...

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As a creator, you know that you’ve got to be consistent to make it in the content game. But consistency isn’t enough on its own. In order to stand out from the crowd, your consistently produced content has to be quality. You’ve got to make stuff that your target audience will genuinely enjoy, find helpful,...

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When it comes to choosing AI SEO tools, the sheer variety of options can be overwhelming. The popular ones may not always be the best fit for your specific SEO workflow and processes. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for finding the perfect AI tool for SEO automation. The right choice depends on your unique objectives, budget,...

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If you have a profitable side hustle, you’ve probably considered taking your business full-time. However, before you take the leap and transition to life as a full-time entrepreneur, there are a few things you should do. Some tasks are simple, like opening a business bank account and setting concrete goals. Others, like building a professional...

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The requirement of safeguarding original presentation designs has never been more crucial as presentations get increasingly interactive, visually appealing, and indispensable in both corporate and creative domains. Your work is valuable, whether you are a tech entrepreneur creating software that changes the way presentations are done or a designer creating fresh slide decks for customers. ...

The post Protecting Your Unique Presentation Designs: IP Strategies for Creators appeared first on noupe.

Thomas Bohm rethinks technical illustrations and data visualizations, sharing interesting and uncommon examples of how to present data and information. Bar graphs and pie charts are great, but there’s so much more to explore!

Tooltips are used to provide simple text hints for UI controls. Think of them as tips for tools. They’re basically little bubbles of text content that pop up when you hover over an unnamed control (like the bell icon in Stripe).

Ask the search engine Ecosia about “Paris to Prague” and flight booking websites dominate the results. Ecosia’s CEO Christian Kroll would prefer to present more train options, which he considers better for the environment. But because its results are licensed from Google and Microsoft’s Bing, Ecosia has little control over what’s shown. Kroll is ready for that to change.

1. Low Cost to start with: Its open source and thus the platform itself is free to use and develop on – starting on WordPress is like less than half the cost of custom developing from scratch or using any other robust CMS. 2. Additional Functionality with Plugins: WordPress community is huge and developing everyday […]

There are a lot of Twitter widgets for WordPress but in my experience none of those utilize the powerful SimplePie PHP class that is in the WordPress core. SimplePie is a powerful RSS reader class that has very nice built-in caching system since as we all know the Twitter API is limited to only 150 […]