Herding Cats Made Easier With Tech
Sounds funny doesn’t it? But Wayfinding AKA Cat herding - the act of collecting masses of attendees and gathering them at different points of the venue is not one person’s job for sure! This is where technology jumps in. Let’s take a better look at some of the technical wayfinding methods.
AR Wayfinding
Wayfinding signage is a navigation tool but in addition to that, within the events ecosystem, digitized wayfinding plays the major role of boosting engagement. This year,
Google I/O, Google’s annual developer conference had a keynote session in which they introduced AR wayfinding feature in their event app.
There are various ways in which AR can be leveraged for wayfinding. A few of them are listed below:
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To invite the sponsors by pitching creative sponsorship ideas like wayfinding signage
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Leading and engaging your attendees with gamification (think Pokémon Go) and more!
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Through digital wayfinding of any kind including the AR powered event apps, we save a lot of paper and other material – taking a sustainable approach towards it!
Now that we know how digital wayfinding adds to the environmental balance, let’s get an in-depth understanding of the process.
Digital Wayfinding
Digital wayfinding can be configured with the event’s existing digital infrastructure, like integrating it with digital walls at the venue. It is highly personalized and the attendees love it! Especially at massively crowded events digital wayfinding is a saviour. Here are a few more ways in which it is beneficial for the entire events ecosystem.
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It enhances flexibility
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It is targeted and has a customized approach
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It has dynamic navigation and is easily manageable
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It has automatic updates
Since it is a location, can in-built GPS and Geo-targeting in event apps not be a great solution for wayfinding?
Off-site Wayfinding
Adding GPS and local maps to your event’s application can be of immense help to the attendees as they can load the map and find their way around the event and the city where it is occurring!
Recent marketing trend of holograms and projection mapping has made us think if wayfinding can also have an immersive experience, and it sure can!
Projection Wayfinding
Projection mapping, lighting and gobos are an excellent way to indulge the attendees and lead them through neon lit passages and more. “Un Truc De Ouf” (a crazy thing), isn’t it?
Although we are a growing digital economy, there is a reason so many attendees still prefer experiential in-person events over virtual events! Insert our wayfinding ambassadors!
Wayfinding Ambassadors
People smiling and cheering you up guiding you through the right path sounds like a scene right out of the 80’s when internet and phones weren’t big games and people relied on locals for directions! Ambassadors portray the event’s hustle-bustle energy and they add to the overall experience.
The
Vista System has an entire code of ethics for the ambassadors like avoiding crisis, honest appraisal and confidentiality. But are there more creative means of wayfinding?
Creative Ways Of Optimizing Wayfinding
Make your event signage an experience of grandeur that your attendees remember and your sponsors subsidize. Here are a few interesting ways in which you can put forth state-of-the-art wayfinding signage:
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Display a musical experience – Musical wayfinding is an excellent opportunity for you to leverage your sponsors product or the cultural music of the place your venue is located at. Your attendees don’t necessarily need to hear – they can listen and follow.
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Fitness Is The Key – If your attendees love a good game, present them with an interesting mix of calorie-burn based puzzle as wayfinding! You can get it sponsored and then delivered through mobile phones.
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Stay True To The Nature – Create nature-based biophilic designs for the signage and attract a larger environment-friendly crowd. You can mix lights, eco-friendly and reusable material along with some urbane designs for an attractive signage strategy.