Signage

That’s a good sign

Signage can bring real reward to your organisation and it is a very cost-efficient way to do so. GB looks at the benefits of good signage

There are many different types of sign that your organisation may need: external to highlight where you are located, wayfinding signs to direct people to where they need to be, health and safety information, fire exits etc.

Signage is one of the first things people see when they visit your organisation. It is important for your signs to be clear, as this gives a good impression of your organisation. Clear and concise signage makes your organisation look trustworthy and legitimate, whereas misleading or unclear signage can be confusing and produce a negative impression. Good signage shows you care about your staff and visitors and as the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. An easier visit Signs make it easy for people to visit, clear and concise signage makes the visitor experience easier. In government, visitors from the general public maybe be unfamiliar or, depending on the nature of your organisation, already uncomfortable visiting your office or location and a good sign can help reduce some of this stress. If the signs are easy to follow, visitors

will feel more relaxed. If you are already stressed, difficulty navigating an unfamiliar building is not helpful. Signs are important for the smooth running of an organisation – if people know where to go, they are unlikely to go the wrong way, stand in the wrong queue, cause crowding in a lobby or need to ask for help. Signs can also help people get the help they need more quickly, once they are where they need to be – signs near a queue or in a waiting room can provide people with the information of what they need when it is their turn to be seen – for example if they need photo ID. Of course, signs are designed to be helpful, so don’t provide too many. Think about what information a visitor would need and where the best place to display it would be. It is important not to overload your visitors. It is important not to provide too many signs, but it is also important not to provide too much information on your signs, as visitors need to be able to pick out what they need to know quickly. Don’t put any information that isn’t necessary on your signs. Advertising Good signage shows you care about your staff and visitors Signage helps in advertising, if visitors and service users know where you are located ahead of their needs, this can help them E

 should they ever need to visit. Depending on the nature of your organisation, signs that display your services can bring potential users towards you ahead of a competitor.

Good signage with a recognisable brand can differentiate you from the competition. Branding is important as it shows what you are about. Pay attention to your branding including logo, font size and style and colour. To provide information, generally, the simpler the better. There’s no point using a fancy font you think looks good, if it is not easy to read.

The signs you use must be appropriate for your audience as well, don’t use small fonts in areas frequented by elderly visitors and don’t use complicated language where there are children.

Be alert to the colours you are using – for example, we know that a yellow sign is warning us to be careful or watch out for a hazard.

Consistency is also important, to provide a seamless experience to your visitors and

Signage isn’t just about advertising, it is also important to keep people safe

avoid confusion. It also creates a uniform idea, that visitors will come to recognise.

Safety Signage isn’t just about advertising, it is also important to keep people safe. It is crucial to indicate fire exits and safety equipment to keep staff and visitors safe and provide assistance in an emergency.

Signage should always be part of health and safety strategies, and can protect against accidents like trips or falls. As well as keeping people safe, it can protect against lawsuits in the event an accident should happen.

Signage relating to health and safety should be more prominent and clear than any other signage you have on display.

Health and safety signage for example on fire escapes or Covid can reassure staff and visitors that their safety is taken seriously.

A safety sign should be up-to-date and compliant with regulations (for example fire exit signs should be green with white text). As with any signs, they should be clear and readable and in a good state of repair.

Cost benefits One of the major benefits of signage is that it is a cost-effective and long-term way to achieve all of the above. Once a sign is installed, it is yours to keep, requires no maintenance and lasts a long time. Particularly from an advertising and health and safety perspective, signage is one of the most cost-effective things you can do.

Good signage provides a better experience for staff and visitors and is a very simple and cost-efficient way to do this. L

Old tech, new tricks: why public services should modernise, not scrap outdated apps

App modernisation offers an abundance of advantages, which are not yet widely appreciated. In the current climate, renovating existing software applications can save a considerable amount of time and money, in terms of procurement, on-boarding and training

Legacy IT is becoming an ever-bigger headache for public services across the UK. Given the breakneck pace of digital advancement, yesterday’s technology trailblazers can very quickly become today’s vintage systems. From local parish halls to Whitehall, this pattern is constantly repeating itself, leading to both cost and security implications. Breaking out of this legacy IT ‘cycle’ will require a completely different way of thinking.

Old tech, new problems Ageing apps create a litany of problems for public servants and these will only grow worse as momentum builds to make services more digitalised, automated and integrated. As highlighted in the Government’s recent Digital, Data and Technology Playbook, obsolete software is particularly vulnerable to cyber-attacks, placing vital public services at serious risk. We’ve already seen numerous examples of this both at home and around the world, including denial-of service attacks on the NHS and local councils. In the current global climate, we can almost certainly expect more complex forms of cyber-crime to become the norm.

Legacy apps often require niche skills to maintain them which can be difficult to source. Switching from an older application to a newer one can incur significant costs for a public body, both in terms of new skills and training required. Then of course, there’s the time and costs associated with maintaining on-premises infrastructure for applications which are not cloud-based.

Don’t scrap it, modernise it In the face of all these challenges, it’s easy to understand why public bodies are constantly procuring new software applications to replace older ones. But there is a better – smarter – approach. Rather than scrapping old apps, public bodies should instead look to modernise them.

App modernisation offers an abundance of advantages, which are not yet widely appreciated. In the current climate, with our public finances under enormous strain, renovating existing software applications can save a considerable amount of time and money, in terms of procurement, on-boarding and training. Modernising an existing app also minimises the risk of disruption to services and valuable hours lost as a result of lengthy procurement and on-boarding of new solutions. This could deliver tangible benefits for both officials and service users alike. In the longer-term, modernised apps are also easier to maintain, ensuring a level of futureproofing and scalability.

Ageing software can be modernised and moved to the Cloud, offering improved reliability and resilience, as well as security and performance. Moving to the Cloud negates the need for on-site infrastructure and the costs and security implications involved. Crucially, modernised apps ensure easier and more secure sharing of data across public services, ensuring a higher quality of service for citizens, particularly those most in need.

For overburdened public bodies, app modernisation might at first seem like a more complex, arduous option than simply starting from scratch with a newer solution. However, with the right software supplier working in lockstep on every step of the journey, our public services can ensure their existing tech is operating more efficiently, at lower cost, demanding less resources. This will result in far better outcomes for both public services and citizens alike. L Civica is the UK’s largest software company focused on the public sector. With over 30 years of proven expertise, we hold an undisputed leadership position in our markets around the world.

FURTHER INFORMATION

www.civica.com

Ian Holden is managing director (central government) at Civica