Wayfinding
The design term describing how one orients themselves and navigates within a space, which could refer to compasses and maps as well as graphic design, tactile elements, and architecture.
EverydayConcepts.io
Origin
Kevin Lynch coined "wayfinding" in his 1960 book The Image of the City, published by MIT Press. An urban planner and MIT professor, Lynch had spent five years studying how residents of Boston, Jersey City, and Los Angeles mentally mapped their surroundings. He defined wayfinding as "a consistent use and organisation of definite sensory cues from the external environment," identifying five cognitive mapping elements — paths, edges, districts, nodes, and landmarks.
Updated February 22, 2026