Maps and colour systems are two of the most common tools used in wayfinding, and they can be useful in the right circumstances. The problem is that they are often used in situations where they do more harm than good.

Colour can be very effective when the environment is simple, the zones are genuinely different, and the system is used consistently throughout the building. When people know about the colour structure before they arrive, it can make decisions faster and easier.

But most places cannot offer that. In many buildings the colours appear without explanation, or there are too many variations, or the colours clash or fade in different lighting conditions. People with colour vision differences may not see them at all. And when colours start appearing on maps, on signs and on doors with small differences in shade or contrast, the system quickly becomes confusing.

Maps have their own challenges. They are great for planning a visit in a calm moment when someone has time to stop and look. Universities and leisure venues benefit from this. But most people are not in planning mode. They are moving. They are late. They are stressed. They are anxious. They are already dealing with enough before confronting a large, detailed diagram that needs decoding.

The biggest problem with maps is orientation. If the map does not face the same direction the person is facing, the brain has to flip and rotate the information. That alone is enough to lose many users. Add in small text, crowded information, 3D illustrations or inconsistent symbols, and the map becomes more of an obstacle than a help.

None of this means maps or colours are bad. It simply means they need to be used honestly. They are supporting tools, not the foundation of a wayfinding system. If the communication trail is clear, maps feel helpful. If the communication trail is confused, maps feel like a last resort. The same is true of colour.

The best environments use these tools sparingly and thoughtfully. Clarity comes from structure, behaviour and timing. Colours and maps are there to reinforce the journey, not to replace it.’t.