signage

The sign, just to the south of the Las Vegas Strip, welcoming visitors to Las Vegas

Signage is any kind of visual graphics created to display information to a particular audience. This is typically manifested in the form of wayfinding information in places such as streets or inside/outside of buildings.

Types of signage:

• Oil Stock sign - massive signage for Oil Stockage.
• Street signage - signs stamped out of metal with lettering embossed or printed (or both).
• Neon signage - Electric lighting
• Modular signage - A signage system that consists of pre designed elementary units.
• Custom-made signage - Signs that are built from scratch to suit a specific requirement presented by a client or a specific project.
• MCFT (Modular Curved Frame Technology) — A contemporary fusion between custom-made signage and modular sign systems that features a curved profile.
• LED sign (light-emitting diodes technology) — LED lighting
• Architectural Signage/Wayfinding Systems - A unified system of signs for a single facility that aid in wayfinding and identification of specific destinations within the facility. Signs include building and room identification signs, directional and informational signs and regulatory signs. In the US, all such systems must comply with the ADA. * ADA Signs

Statutory signage

In signage a pictogram is the image used to convey the message of the sign. In statutory signage pictograms follow a very specific set of colour, shape and sizing rules. In UK and EU signs the width of a sign's pictogram is set at 80% the height of the area it is printed to. In the US, a pictogram that identifies a room or space (such as the gender pictogram on a restroom signs), must follow specific rules. Other pictograms that must comply with rules are the four "Symbols of Accessibility" specified in the ADA Accessibility Guidelines. See the article *ADA Signs

For example : On an A4 Portrait UK / EU statutory sign (210 x 297mm) using 2/3s of its area to display the pictogram 210 w x 198 H (mm) and 1/3rd for its text display, the pictogram would be 158.4 mm wide. (80% of 198 mm).

In the US, the pictogram described above would have to be located within a six inch high clear field, with raised characters and braille located beneath the field.

For a pictogram to work it must be instantly recognizable and understood by all. For this to work the image must be kept consistent. In its purest form a pictogram on a sign should be understood even if there is no text present. Following the standard color and shape rules increase the likelihood of a universally understood pictogram and therefore sign.

According to the book "Discovery-Based Retail," signage falls into three groups: decorative, adding eye-pleasing color; informational; or directional, providing guidance.

Use of shape

Stop sign used in English-speaking countries, as well as in the European Union

Signs have very specific shapes. These shapes on signs send messages to the audience and form a set of rules that should be followed when developing signage. The particular shapes may vary among different parts of the world.

Rectangular signs are used to portray information to an audience. This is found in safe condition signs, public information signs, and fire equipment signs. These signs provide information to an audience. They tell where something is, what something is, and similar information.

In contrast, a circular sign is an instruction that must be followed. Both the mandatory and the prohibition signs provide instructions that cannot be ignored.

Finally, there is the triangle or the warning sign. This is used to convey danger. It can also provide information but its primary purpose it to quickly tell you to be aware and careful.

See also

Look up signage in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Information sign
• Sign frame
• Commercial signage
• Signboard
• Brand implementation
• ADA Signs
• Signage Systems

References

• Transport for London Pictogram standard
• United Nations, Recommendations on the transport of dangerous goods. United Nations publication: 2005 (ISBN 978-92-1-139106-0)
• Wenzel, Patrick. Signage Planning Manual. Huenstetten, 2005. ISBN 1411618998.