What Does Your Building Say? Part 3: Signage
This week Cindy and I visited the College our oldest daughter will be attending in the fall. John Abbott College is home to 5700 full time students and 2000 part time students. When we went in for the parents meeting we really had no idea of where we were going until we walked through the front doors. Once inside there were temporary signs posted everywhere giving instructions on how to get to where we needed to be. Along with that the administration had posted students at each intersection to give further details and to keep us moving in the right direction. Due to their foresight we had an easy time of it even if it seemed like we had to walk a couple of miles.
Most of our church buildings are fairly simple and to our minds self-explanatory. Since we and our church members are in the building so frequently we all become very familiar with the various nooks and crannies of the church building and from long habit know where everything is.
Not so with the visitor who walks through the doors for the first time. Even a simple church building is new and unexplored territory with its own set of customs and laws. The visitor usually wants to make a good impression when they walk through the door, they want to be comfortable, they want to feel like they are in the loop. If they have children they want to know where they are supposed to go, they want to know where the washrooms are (even if it is just in case). One way to facilitate this is to make sure that we have enough signage and that it is simple, clear and easily viewed.
It may be as simple as a directional sign that lists the facilities on each level. It may be a panel with a schematic of the church and a "you are here" notation. It may be simple paper signs on the wall by each room or it may be elaborately engraved signs. The important thing is neatness, clarity and visibility.
Things to think about:
- Are there signs outside the Sunday School classrooms identifying the class?
- Are the washrooms clearly marked?
- Is there a sign outside the nursery?
- Is there a directory or schematic posted giving the layout of the building for guests when they walk in?
- Are there directional signs pointing to the sanctuary? The washrooms?
Any additions?
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