The Science of Wayfinding
Psychology, Strategy, and Navigation in Large-Scale Environments
$75.19
- Paperback
350 pages
- Release Date
21 August 2026
Summary
The Science of Wayfinding is the first comprehensive book to focus on the planning, psychology, and strategic development of wayfinding systems, revealing the underlying framework that makes navigation truly intuitive in today’s most complex environments. Drawing on over three decades of global project experience, from Olympic stadiums and Super Bowl venues to convention centers and entertainment districts, the author offers a tested methodology that blends human-centered design, behavioral analysis, and operational planning. The book outlines how to guide millions of people through high-volume spaces using principles grounded in environmental psychology, inclusive design, and real-world observation. Written for architects, designers, planners, and venue operators, this book provides a step-by-step process for creating systems that are not only legible, but empathetic, equitable, and aligned with user behavior. Readers will learn how to name, organize, and communicate space across scales through diagrams, case studies, and proven planning tools. At its core, this book argues for a cultural shift: from treating wayfinding as a signage afterthought to recognizing it as an integral and critical part of user experience, crowd safety, and place-making. Whether you’re planning a global event or improving a campus, this book equips professionals to create environments that welcome, orient, and empower everyone who enters.
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781041239413 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1041239416 |
| Author: | Jonathan Mugmon |
| Publisher: | Taylor & Francis Ltd |
| Imprint: | Routledge |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 350 |
| Release Date: | 21 August 2026 |
| Weight: | 1.01kg |
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Critics Review
“At last—a comprehensive guide that spans the fundamentals through advanced practice, grounded in behavioral insight and the design process. Mugmon has created a rigorous and much-needed resource that will serve designers and clients for generations to come.”
Cybelle Jones, CEO, Society for Experiential Graphic Design (SEGD)
“An essential resource for designers and planners taking the serious leap into wayfinding, and for architects, venue operators, and end users striving to deliver intuitive, seamless navigation in their projects.”
Craig Berger, Professor and Chair, Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design, Fashion Institute of Technology
“Jonathan Mugmon brings a level of insight into stadium navigation that is unmatched in our industry. His wayfinding strategies have transformed how our fans experience SoFi Stadium, from parking lots to premium areas, by creating clarity and confidence. The Science of Wayfinding captures that same thoughtful, strategic approach, showing how design and behavior come together to create seamless experiences in complex environments.”
Otto Benedict, Senior Vice President, Facility and Campus Operations at SoFi Stadium
“A superb, much-needed guide on how to leverage our intuitive navigation to design holistic wayfinding in vast spaces. Referencing architecture, interior design, psychology, and culture, grounded in practiced experience within real-world haptic environments, Mugmon offers a coherent, clear-eyed treasure trove of insight and knowledge worthy of a graduate-level curriculum and a professional manual.”
Annie Chu, FAIA, IIDA, Founding Principal, Chu-Gooding
Jonathan Mugmon
Jonathan Mugmon is a wayfinding strategist and user experience planner with more than 30 years of international design experience in cities, universities, stadiums, sporting events, and large-scale public environments.
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