Installation
Any final installation issues should also be resolved before closing the fabrication contract, reviewing the completeness and quality of the installed signs, as well as any safety issues that may not have been foreseen at the planning and design phases.
Additional testing can inform further project development. It is important to check there are enough wayfinding elements for the entire city and the maintenance program will be adequate. The final review should be incorporated into guidelines for ongoing expansion, management and maintenance, ensuring any future design decisions are aligned with the actual fabricated, installed and tested signs.
System management
From regular cleaning to repairs and replacements, maintenance is an ongoing issue, with costs often ranging from seven to 15 per cent of total capital expenditures on a yearly basis.
With this in mind, sign shops should strive to make maintenance as easy as possible for their clients. Elements that will require ongoing management should be easy to open and take apart, while those receiving minimal maintenance should have few removable connections. Lighting will require more extensive maintenance than reflective, non-illuminated signs.
System management should also respond to area-specific hazards. A sign downtown might be vandalized, while one in an industrial area is more likely to suffer vehicular damage.
John Bosio is a partner at Merje, an environmental graphic design (EGD) firm; Craig Berger is associate chair of the visual presentation and exhibition design program for the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT); and Sapna Budev is director of strategic initiatives for the International Sign Association (ISA). This article is based on a seminar they recently presented at the Signage Foundation’s 2013 National Signage Research and Education Conference (NSREC), as well as on the Urban Wayfinding Planning and Implementation Manual, edited by Berger and developed by the Signage Foundation and ISA. For more information, visit www.thesignagefoundation.org and www.signs.org/wayfinding.
