An experience library, part 2

In part 1, I introduced the Cerritos Library, billed as the world's first experience library. The building, designed by Charles Walton and Associates, does a great job of welcoming people in. In this post I'll talk about orientation, which is Step 3 of my 8 steps to better customer experiences.

The wayfinding at the entrance is clear, clean, and easy to read.

Areas inside also have eye-catching signs that clearly tell customers what they are.

The checkout area was designed to mimic a hotel's registration desk.

In the children's library, "reference desk" is replaced by this neon sign.

Tip of the day: Wayfinding and orientation are critical components of a great customer experience. If people feel lost or confused, they won't want to return. Use an environmental graphic designer with experience in wayfinding if you need to do this kind of signage, and ask if they are a "user experience" designer. If they say yes, they'll want to test signs with your visitors (or customers, or patrons) to make sure they work. If they say no, or haven't heard of user experience design, keep looking.

Technorati Tags: customer experience, user experience design, Cerritos Library, wayfinding, environmental graphic design