Hiking is an arduous event. Really it's exercise in its, uh, natural form. The unknown. The physicality. The mental and emotional exercise. That is, if you are hiking an unknown, a first-time hike. Versus a hike you do every Saturday with the 'gang'. When you walk a hike you are more familiar with or has a path that has been shaped for you then the mental and emotional stress lessons. Like most things we do casually, it's not mentally or physically stressful. Driving the same way home from work, making your famous spaghetti sauce, or tossing up your go to shot from the top of the key (she had to do it). These are rote and programmed into our brains.

But what if there's construction work on the road you typically drive home from work. Now you have to reconsider alternatives - you have to think. Your favorite mushrooms aren't available for your sauce. You actually enlist someone who plays HORSE and can also shoot from the top of the key. New strategies all around.

Isn't that true with design. Once a brand new OS comes out or even a small refresh to some website and all of a sudden the mental and emotional stress heightens. Especially if you are not a nerd. Uhh, techie. Uhh, comfortable with technology. Not afraid to "push or click" something.

Way finding is interesting. Hints along the way to make you feel comfortable on your path. "Wayfinding encompasses all of the ways in which people and animals orient themselves in physical space and navigate from place to place. -Google"There are so many studies and articles on wayfinding. I never knew how isolated I was until I didn't know which way to turn. It's amazing how a single bit of communication allows the mental anguish to relax.

But why isn't wayfinding more sought after in design? And not just navigational and signage design. This is something that can be applied to all design. I was so excited to run across this article "Information Wayfinding". I love to randomly find designers who contribute to this idea. The checkout process for many online purchases are somewhat a given but what about directions to a hotel in a town you have never been, a language you don't speak, or city transportation you have never used?

Bravo Booking.com and their mobile app. Keep me in the loop. Update me on changes. SHOW ME THE WAY! Let me feel I'm in control of the destination. My hike was pretty isolated at times in Portugal and Spain. We arrived in towns from 2200 to 10,000 inhabitants. Large enough to get lost and random folks may not know your hotel. Booking.com's mobile app asked me if I'd like directions FROM my current location. (Or another location ) Out in the sticks even. I never really felt lost. It's only flaw was it didn't ask if you were on foot. :/ so I had to redo the directions each time to foot, but still... Very pleasant to know if I was 1km or 12kms away and the directions to get there. Comforting.

And boo to "myATT". Serious boo. This is an app that claims to allow you to find free AT&T hotspots anywhere in the world. And it does. iF you already have a wifi connection. Yes, really. If you open the app and ask for it to find you a free wifi hotspot it will tell you that you need to be connected to the internet. Massive fail. It's not like I didn't have bars. I had telephone service and AT&T could show me the hotspots. Not a pleasant path at all. In fact, it made me feel alone, stupid and unable to find a resolution.

Way finding (eh, wayfinding) allows 1 to many people to find the path they need. And what happens when a path is continually walked? It is shaped. Grass stops growing. Carpet gets worn down. Patina begins to happen. Love, love, love patina. How awesome is that favorite chair that fits your rump?

Or how amazing is that freaking marble staircase that has had so many visitors it is worn down. Seriously beautiful. Patina is the ultimate goal. Kind of a human ultimate, ultimate goal... You want the path to be formed and shined. The easy entrance. The quick exit. No thought. No emotion unless it's glee. Effortless. Bliss.

Wayfinding in all design. It's nice. We should try and think past the use case, past the goal, and think how to create patina and delight in whatever we are showcasing.

PS. LOVE GUERRILLA Wayfinding! Guerrilla Subway NY Guerrilla Street Signs Raleigh Unless we get some rogue wannabe placing incorrect information...(though that could be kinda fun).