Wayfinding app: advantages & recommendations

Have you ever gotten frustrated and stressed about being late because you couldn’t locate the meeting room where your next team gathering was supposed to happen? Most of us did, and there is nothing more annoying. This is when office wayfinding becomes very useful, especially for businesses with large facilities or campuses that need a flawless office planning system. Wayfinding apps are one of the many technologies that help improve the workplace experience and boost efficiency, collaboration, and productivity. People can focus on their work and prepare for their next meeting instead of wasting time wandering around the office looking for a specific room or someone. Let’s discover the purpose of digital wayfinding solutions, which core features you should consider, and how deskbird can support you.

What are “office wayfinding,” a “wayfinding system,” and a “wayfinding app”?

Definition of office wayfinding

Office wayfinding is designed to help people find their way around a workplace. It is usually used for large work environments spread over multiple floors and buildings. Instead of wandering around looking for a specific room, it makes navigating vast or complex office spaces simple and efficient. It also removes the stress and frustration of arriving late because of searching for the meeting place. Its clear and easy-to-follow guidance enhances the overall experience in your facilities for your team members as much as for your visitors.

A wayfinding system and its multiple signage

A wayfinding system is based on a combination of visual cues such as directional signage, room naming, maps, symbols, color codes, and so on. It also sometimes includes digital elements like interactive kiosks or mobile apps to guide people through physical spaces. It works with clear communication and intuitive design strategically placed to provide step-by-step navigation. Users follow these cues to reach their desired location. Good wayfinding minimizes confusion and improves the accessibility of a building. The system ensures employees and guests can get to their destination without hassle or need for directions. 

Purpose of a wayfinding app

Now, what does a wayfinding app do? Utilizing GPS or indoor positioning technology, it provides real-time directions and interactive maps that adapt as a user moves. It points out landmarks, turns, and areas of interest along the way directly on the users’ phones and tablets’ screens. Some apps also offer searchable directories, event schedules, and accessibility options to enhance users' experience by delivering efficient, customized routes to their destinations. Your staff no longer waste time looking for the meeting room where their colleagues are. They can easily find their teammates and their location by simply tapping the place they are searching for on their mobile devices.

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Why should you implement a digital wayfinding system in your workplace?

For easier and faster orientation in large offices

First, the primary purpose of a wayfinding app is to simplify navigation in vast offices by transforming employees’ and guests’ smartphones into insightful digital guides. It uses real-time location data and interactive maps to provide personalized directions directly to their intended destination. They no longer have to wander searching for a conference room or colleague’s desk. With just a few taps, the tool shows a quick and straightforward path, considering obstacles such as closed pathways or ongoing construction. Its intuitive interface can even save frequently visited spots. Ultimately, the app reduces the time spent meandering and boosts efficiency to let them focus on the work that matters instead.

For a real-time view of the office floor plan and use

Having a real-time view of the office floor plan is invaluable for facility and office managers as it reveals the core aspects of workplace utilization. This dynamic visualization enables them to monitor the flow of employees, track the occupancy of different spaces, and identify usage patterns, all in real-time. Such insights are critical for optimizing space allocation, ensuring that the real estate is used efficiently, and supporting agile work environments. Ultimately, it helps make informed decisions about necessary adjustments or improvements and enhances day-to-day effective planning for maintenance. Lastly, it encourages the development of a flexible and productive workplace environment.

For greater efficiency and time management

Employees have much better to do than waste time looking for this new meeting room they’ve never heard of. With clear, turn-by-turn directions to conference rooms, offices, or amenities available, staff members spend less time navigating the labyrinth of workspaces and more time on their core duties. The wayfinding app eliminates guesswork and reduces late arrivals to meetings, fostering punctuality and a smoother schedule flow. Additionally, the tool’s capacity to quickly locate colleagues or crucial work areas reduces disruptions. Therefore, it also facilitates a more focused and productive environment that maximizes every minute of the workday.

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For a better office experience for visitors

This technology also significantly uplifts the visitor experience in an office by providing a clear, interactive guide through unfamiliar settings, much like a personal GPS. For instance, when potential customers or partners come for a meeting, they can open the app instead of pausing to ask for directions or studying static signage. It can lead them from the reception desk to the meeting room via the fastest route, even offering a virtual view of their path. This simplifies their journey, eliminates the anxiety of being lost, and allows for a punctual and relaxed arrival. Plus, it leaves a lasting positive impression of an efficiently managed and tech-savvy workplace for your guests.

For stronger collaboration and team bonding

A wayfinding app can also play a key part in boosting collaboration and team bonding by effortlessly connecting workmates across large offices. For example, consider an employee who needs to quickly gather his colleagues from different departments for an impromptu brainstorming session. Rather than wasting precious minutes navigating corridors or sending a flurry of messages for directions, they can use the tool to pinpoint each other’s locations and the nearest available meeting space. This efficiency not only smooths the logistical hurdles of teamwork but also creates more opportunities for spontaneous face-to-face interactions. It encourages a more cohesive and collaborative office culture.

For a safer and more secure work environment

Lastly, using this type of technology contributes to safety and security in the workplace by offering clear, well-directed pathways to emergency exits and safety zones, especially crucial during an unexpected incident. In an emergency, for example, the wayfinding app can direct employees and visitors along the safest route out of the building, away from hazards, and towards designated assembly points. Furthermore, by tracking the flow of people throughout the facility, this digital solution can ensure everyone is accounted for once safety has been established. With this targeted guidance, you minimize chaos and confusion while helping maintain order and protect individuals when it matters most.

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What are the key features to look for in an office wayfinding app?

When searching for new technologies to help you leverage your workplace, there is one essential rule: analyze your needs first. A tool that works perfectly for your competitor might not work for your company. Your office space is different, your workforce size might be smaller or bigger, and your employees’ profiles and expectations are probably distinct. Eventually, there are still some key features you should look at when studying the wayfinding app market. Here are the main characteristics that it should provide:

• User-friendliness;
• integrations;
• accessibility options;
• scalability;
• updates and notifications;
• data analytics;
• security standards.

How does deskbird help your employees find their way?

deskbird is first a desk and room booking solution. Yet, according to your needs and the size of your workplace, numerous features can be used for office wayfinding.

Interactive floor plan to locate colleagues and accessible workspaces

Our interactive floor plan allows employees to see where their colleagues are in the office and which workspaces (desks, meeting rooms, huddle rooms, etc.) are still available. They no longer have to wander around to search for their coworkers or for a desk to settle for the day. In the blink of an eye, they can quickly overview the office floor map and find the needed space. For example, your new teammate, Mark, can discover his reserved desk, book collaboration spaces, or identify the nearest printer by viewing the interactive map on their device. This saves time, reduces stress, and boosts productivity. The system’s real-time updates and intuitive interface help staff easily navigate office layouts.

Desk and room booking system to find and get the ideal workspace

Where is the closest meeting room with videoconference technology? Where is the nearest desk available with a window view? Finding the ideal workspace can be challenging. But thanks to our booking system, interactive floor plan, and desk filters, you ensure your staff can get the work environment they need to thrive. You remove the frustration for your hybrid team of arriving at the office and being disappointed and annoyed because their favorite workspace is already taken.

Car spot booking to park smartly

Some wayfinding solutions can help your staff find the nearest car park before arriving on-site. The deskbird app includes a parking booking system. Before heading to work, your employees can choose the parking lot that matches their needs more and book it to be sure this spot is waiting for them when they go to the office. For example, if your facilities are divided into several buildings, they can park their car near where they must spend the day. It’s a time gain and removes the stress of finding a car park.

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Office analytics to constantly improve your workplace

Lastly, data is essential to understand how your team members use the office space. How many people are coming on-site daily? Which areas of your workplace are the most used? Do you have any unused spaces to reinvent to improve your workspace and your employee experience? You can get answers to all these questions by using the deskbird app and its office analytics feature. Collecting and analyzing this data can transform your office facilities into work environments that meet your workforce’s needs and make them thrive.

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Depending on the size and complexity of your office, using a wayfinding app can be a game changer for your team members and visitors. It is more than just helping people to find their way into the workplace. It also improves their experience in your facilities while removing frustration and reducing unnecessary waste of time looking for a specific space. We mentioned a few deskbird features that can also play their part. Yet, there are plenty of other functionalities that you would love and could enhance your office space. 

Request a free demo of the deskbird app to discover how we can help leverage your employee experience on-site while enabling you to save costs.