Summer is over and we have already had one early autumn snowstorm here in the Northeast. Last week, I traveled throughout New England and the mid-Atlantic region, talking to sign companies and designers about the needs of their companies and how Identia can help.

We have been working hard on our blog, and have started using social media to connect with customers. I encourage you to take a look at our blog, leave your comments, and follow Identia through your favorite social network.

- Travis Veigas

5 sign schedule pitfalls to avoid

Sign projects rarely fail because of poor type kerning, but I know from hard experience that they routinely self-destruct as a result of poor documentation and ineffective communication. At the heart of an effective signage documentation package is the Sign Message Schedule. Here are 5 pitfalls to avoid when compiling your sign schedule.

1. Too much or too little data.

You want to be like Goldilocks here and get it "just right". Some sign schedules don't contain enough information to be useful, while others contain far too much. The sign schedule is part of a package of information that also includes sign location plans, sign type specifications, and drawings. Use the various components of the package to your benefit.

Unique sign type identifiers can act as a reference between sign specifications and the sign schedule, and unique sign numbers link between the sign schedule and the sign location plan. In this way all the pieces of documentation work together, and you can avoid cramming sign type specifications onto the sign schedule, or displaying the entire sign message on your location plan. Too much data on any given piece of the documentation generally results in confusion, not clarity.

Conversely, too little information in your sign schedule does a disservice to the fabricator, installer, and most importantly, the client. At a minimum, an effective sign schedule should contain:

• Sign Number: differentiates individual signs and can be used to identify specific installation locations.
• Sign Type designation: references the constructions specifications for each individual sign.
• Quantity: defines the quantity for identical signs.
• Sign Message section: contains the actual text, and other graphic content that is to appear on each individual sign.
• Notes section: provides special instructions or information that pertains to an individual sign.

Sign message schedules for complex and large projects can also incorporate additional types of information such as level designations, building names, or project phase indicators. This additional data can be helpful in managing large sign message schedules.

» Click here to read about the other four pitfalls to avoid.

Identia at Sign World USA   Visit us at booth #319 at USSC's Sign World USA 2009. This show takes place in Atlantic City, NJ, December 3-5.

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From our blog There have been lots of new posts on the Identia blog over the past few months. Recent posts have touched on topics as varied as the IKEA typeface uproar, selecting colors for signage, using Identia Online for presentations and donor recognition programs, the impact of IPD on our industry, road signs in Europe, and a profile of designer Dieter Rams.   Also, at the end of every month we present a roundup of interesting blog posts and news items about EGD and architectural signage.

Recent Subscribers

We are pleased to announce the following new subscribers to Identia Online:

• Designer Sign Systems, Carlstadt, NJ; www.dss-nj.com
• Favermann Design, Boston, MA; www.favermanndesign.com
• Hackley Architectural Signage, Hayward, CA; www.hackley.net

Questions? Contact Us!

To find out more about Identia Online or the Identia Sign System, please contact Travis Veigas directly at 781-449-1351 or tveigas@whitneyveigas.com