Sign Board.

SIGNBOARD!

The purpose of sign boards are to guide and lead the people to their destination. There are lots of signboard along the road which some of them are use to give warning to the drivers. For example, this particular signboard is to let the drivers know that the next 15 miles, there will be a winding road which are dangerous. Normally, the signboard will be positioned in a suitable place where the drivers can see it clearly. By the way, this is a bad example for signboard.

Based on my own experiences, signboard in Malaysia is very bad. Some of them, even leads the drivers to different places. I still remembered clearly that I'm searching for the signboard to Dengkil from Cyberjaya. I only saw one of them which clear enough to tell me which way is should go but still I missed turn in the highway. This happen because the positioned the sign exactly right in front of the turn which being covered by trees. You can see the below picture that is located in Petaling Jaya. The signboard are just right in front of the turn which if you miss it, you will be going to have a long 'U' turn to do.

Purpose of Pylons

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF PYLONS?

First of all, I wanted to share some of my opinion and let the others know about what is Pylon and what is the purpose of it. Based on my own opinion, pylons are a huge and tall sign which normally use for malls, hotels, companies, petrol stations, and etc-etc. The purpose of the pylon is to help people get to their destination correctly. For example, the pylon below (GREEN VILLE), this particular pylon is position right in front of the Green Ville mall which allow people to know from far. When the customers saw that sign, they know the Green Ville Mall is just around that area.

GREEN VILLE MALL's PYLON

Besides, some of the pylon might not be very big or very tall, but somehow it lead or guide people to the place. For example, like this pylon below, Smithsonian Station. Other than just design and simplicity, some of the pylons also use display of advert or speakers that promote the place itself. It's depends on how the designer wanted to communicate with the audiences (customers).

SMITHSONIAN STATION's PYLON

(This is the normal pylon which attached with speakers.)

MCDONALD's PYLON

Just like the McDonald's pylon below. They light it up at night so the customers can see it clearly and head towards them. Their concepts are simple and attractive because people already know that the yellow "M" resemblance McDonald.

However, no matter how nice is the design of the pylons, if it can't communicate with the audiences than its consider failed. Normally, the people will only look for the pylons just for a few second and they will know which route they should use to go to the destination. If the pylon leads the audiences to the wrong direction or destination, means that there is no reason for the pylon to be there.

Navigational Sign

WHAT IS NAVIGATIONAL SIGN?

Navigational Sign is to lead people from a place to another.

I've chosen Empire shopping mall as an example for the Navigational Sign. The Empire is a 4 in 1 concept which consist of :-

•Empire Tower – Office Tower
•Empire Soho – Small Office, Home Office
•Empire Hotel Suite
•Empire Shopping Gallery

The below is the main entrance of the Empire Mall. By the way, there are lots of entrances and exits where allow the customers come and go smoothly. Even you can reach the hotel from inside of the mall. It is a very convenient mall where the customers can find everything they want there.

Main Entrance

Other doors for exit and entrance.

There many signs where navigate the customers to the shop they want. For example, the picture below is a navigational sign which stick out of the wall where lead the customers to the phone booth, toilet,lift, parking and the auto pay machines. This particular sign is everywhere around the mall. Based on my own experiences, I kind of like the way they guide people. There is once where I'm searching for a toilet and I just need to follow the sign. It takes around 2 minutes for me to reach the toilet. It is because of the clear and simple signage. The signage is way better compared to the one in Sunway Shopping Mall. For the very first time, I get lost in Sunway which I can't find the parking lots where is park my car but I never get lost in the Empire Mall because of the clear and simple navigation.

This yellow sign board here is position exactly right in front of the escalator. People that using the escalator will easily see this board. Besides, it also attract people to look at it because of its bright colors. However, this board is to promote the specialty of Empire Mall which have a 4 stories high slide and to let the customers know which floor should they head towards if they want to go to these shops.

Moreover, this is a reception table where can be found on the G floor. You can see it once you are in front of the main entrance.

In addition, there are also sign like this picture on every single floors just to remind the people 'NOT TO DO' during the escalator.

This is my favourite directory ever. It is a touch screen monitor where allow you to select your destination. After you insert the shop's name, it will direct you to the shop. There are also each of every map of the mall from LG to 3rd floor. For me, it is a very good device or directory.

Besides, maybe you just remember the code of the shop like shown in the picture below, "G20 BUTIK". Still, you can just insert the code on the directory machine and it will do its job.

So, based on the experiences throughout the EMPIRE MALL, I think the navigational sign is good enough to guide you to the shops you wanted to go. Somehow, it still can be improve in the sense of direction and distances.