Looking at my daughter jumping from tile to tile in my kitchen the other night struck me with both nostalgia and humor. We’ve all done it – be sure to only step on the big tiles and don’t step on the cracks or the mortar between the tiles.

That simple action made me think about an old method of guiding people through hospitals by following colored tape strips on the floor. You know what I’m talking about – telling people “follow the red line on the floor to radiology” in an older hospital.

We’ve seen how that simple solution has grown more sophisticated over the years and has engrained itself into the world of environmental graphics and interior design to help people find their way. But there is something logical and intuitive about jumping from tile to tile to get across a kitchen or down a hospital hallway or college building.

Consider an environmental graphic design for wayfinding solutions that jump off the wall and gets right under your feet.  (click the view a great post with excellent examples) Advances in direct to panel digital graphic processes are making it possible to print directional information on the floor as you walk the path and go far beyond the capabilities of printing technologies from the 60’s and 70’s.

Carpet colors and patterns and LED lighting can also serve as intuitive wayfinding mechanisms. Check out this post on a carpet solution that combines all three.