Sorting Public Safety Decal Design Standards
What goes into designing quality public safety decals? What makes something “stick out” or “pop” to grab your attention? Why did we decide to use certain messaging over others? We asked our safety decal expert the most common questions about how and why we design our Safety Standards.
How did you choose the elements and messages that go into your safety decal package?
Early on we analyzed the messaging transit authorities around the country were using for their bus safety signage. From that, we started a list of essential messages meant to warn passengers, operators, and maintainers of rules and safety hazards. Then came the design. We researched a number of different design methods and landed on one developed by ANSI.
What is ANSI?
ANSI stands for the American National Standards Institute. It’s a private non-profit organization that oversees the development of voluntary consensus standards for products, services, processes, systems, and personnel in the United States. While ANSI is defined for the United States we have used our fleet safety decals for customers in Canada since it’s a standard that works for all!
Why choose to use ANSI for your design standard?
During our discussions with the customers, we discovered a need to move away from aesthetic-based design, which was often subjective, and move towards an objective design with purpose and reasoning.
We always get asked the question: “Why should I use your red and not my purple?” Now we have a reason that helping customers understand the purpose behind the public safety decal design decisions that went into developing Seifert’s Safety Standards.
We specifically follow the Z535 set. This set includes all of the design criteria for Seifert’s fleet safety decals.
Why use a standardized design?
There are a lot of reasons! My personal favorite is uniformity which a design standard creates! Walking on a customer’s bus and seeing the same fonts, colors, and symbols satisfies the design nerd in me.
Who was ANSI designed for?
For everyone! The Z535 committee defines their scope as the following: To develop standards for the design, application and use of signs, colors, and symbols intended to identify and warn against specific hazards and for other accident prevention purposes.
Can anyone design ANSI?
Sure can! The best thing about following a specific standard is that there are very detailed instructions on how to design so anyone can do it!
What happens if I want my own design?
No problem! We have some customers that mix and match. Some customers use our custom design services to redesign the decal using ANSI symbols, fonts, and colors to help keep the uniform look within the vehicle.
My message isn’t about safety, should I still use ANSI?
Absolutely! We always suggest designing in the ANSI standard to keep uniformity throughout your fleet. Uniformity is beautiful!
OK, why do some customers use a combination of ANSI and non-ANSI?
Personal preference. Some marketing departments want their marketing messages to match the look and colors of their brand identity!
Click the button below to get into part 2 covering the technical details of designing public safety decals!
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