DEFINE THE PURPOSE
Name the decision, audience and environment before choosing a sign type.
SIGNAGE PLANNING · MATERIALS · LEGIBILITYA SIGN IS
A SIGN IS
A DECISION
AT A DISTANCE
Effective signage reduces ambiguity and earns trust. We examine the choices behind readable, maintainable sign systems—without selling a product or reviving a former business.
Explore the process →
LEGIBILITY GUIDE
●PEDESTRIAN5–30 ft1.5–9 m
→◆DRIVER30–100 ft9–30 m
→▲ROADWAY500–1,000+ ft150–300+ m
Distance, speed, angle and contrast shape legibility.
→A clear process leads to a clear outcome. Start with the decisions that matter most.
View the planning guide →MAP THE JOURNEY
Record approaches, decision points, destinations and return paths.
CHOOSE THE SYSTEM
Align message, material, mounting and maintenance with the setting.
PLAN TO VERIFY
Review scale, contrast, accessibility, fabrication and field conditions.
WHY THIS GUIDE EXISTS
Specify the communication before the object
A sign is an interface between a place and a person in motion. Its success depends on what someone must notice, understand and do—at a particular distance, angle, speed and lighting condition. This field guide turns those conditions into a practical brief for conversations with qualified designers, fabricators, accessibility specialists, code officials and installers.
Our independent method →