YEAR:
2024
CLIENT:
Personal
SERVICES:
Signage Design
EXPERIENCE:
Brand Strategist // Visual & Production Designer // User Experience Researcher // Information & Engagement Designer
Arty Navigation!
background.
Meet Arty: Navigation is a playful wayfinding project designed for UCA’s Open Days, where getting around campus becomes part of the experience, not a headache. This wasn’t about flat arrows on a wall. It was about building a system that felt friendly, fun, and functional, from physical signage to digital touchpoints. At the center of it all? Arty, a cheerful triangular mascot guiding the way like your creative best mate. This project aimed to make orientation intuitive and interactive, all while complementing the campus’s contemporary architecture.
core problem.
Campus navigation often falls into two extremes: either it's too subtle to notice or aggressively utilitarian. And on Open Days, when first impressions matter most, the last thing visitors want is confusion. The challenge? Create an integrated wayfinding experience that reduces stress, boosts engagement, and turns information into interaction. It had to feel fresh and inviting, accessible without being clinical, creative without being chaotic.
my process.
Research & User Journey Mapping: I began by mapping out the common struggles new visitors face, from not knowing where to start, to missing out on key events. These insights shaped every design decision moving forward.
Character-Driven Design: Arty, our geometry-loving mascot (designed by my teammate Anastasia), became the voice of the navigation system, appearing in various poses and moods depending on the location. Think of them as the face of campus hospitality.
Typography & Color Choices: I went with a clear, sans-serif typeface to prioritize legibility, and paired it with a lively palette of hot pink and lime green, bold enough to catch the eye, friendly enough to feel approachable.
Signage Interaction: Beyond pointing directions, signs invited action: spinning elements for playful word combinations, photo-op cutouts for social sharing, and QR codes for deeper info.
Environmental Integration: Every sign and map was designed to complement (not compete with) the architectural surroundings, like visual punctuation that adds clarity and character.
Prototyping & Testing: From physical mockups to on-campus trials, I tested usability and visibility to ensure each piece worked in real-life scenarios.
key actions.
Multi-Touch Wayfinding System: Developed a layered navigation experience blending physical signage, digital maps, and interactive elements to guide users seamlessly.
Arty, the Mascot Guide: Brought Arty to life across signage, flyers, and maps, reinforcing brand personality while giving users a friendly visual anchor.
Interactive Signage Moments: Designed touchpoints that invited users to engage, whether scanning, spinning, or snapping a quick pic.
Clean, Legible Design System: Prioritized clarity and accessibility through thoughtful font pairing, scalable icons, and intuitive layout across all platforms.
Site-Specific Mapping: Reimagined the campus map to highlight essential zones (car parks, toilets, event spaces) without overwhelming the viewer.
Event-Integrated Graphics: Designed flyers and schedules tied directly to the navigation system, making sure no guest missed the good stuff.
outcomes.
Stress-Free Visitor Experience: First-time guests felt more confident navigating the campus thanks to clear signage and intuitive cues.
Human-Focused Design: The Arty character and interactive elements turned what could have been sterile signage into an engaging experience.
Increased Engagement: Visitors interacted with signs, taking photos, spinning installations, and scanning QR codes, proving that functional can also be fun.
Architecturally Seamless: The signage enhanced the built environment, adding clarity without clashing with UCA’s modern design.
Accessible & Inclusive: Clear visual hierarchy and smart design choices made the system readable and usable for a diverse audience.
Proved Practical ≠ Boring: From typography to mascot to interactivity, this project showed how wayfinding can be both helpful and full of heart.
