Proposal for Signage at First Baptist Church,
presented under the authority of the Facilities Vision Team
Presented to the Facilities Vision Team at the request of Lloyd Jenkins
on February 17, 2003.
Authors:
David Mullaney
Janine Homan
Wilton Lyles
Contributors:
Ron Forseth
Bill Templeton
Lloyd Jenkins
Sections:
1)Project statement
2)Scope the project
3)Schedule/Budget/Scope
4)Problems that need to be addressed
5)Reviewing what has already been done
6)Highlights of the church vision
7)Notes about the structure of the proposal
8)In support of a solution
9)Estimate timing and cost ranges for elements of proposal
10)Wording to move acceptance of this proposal
11)Appendices
1)Project statement
The FBC Signage Task Force will recommend immediate
steps to the Facilities Vision Team regarding needs and
solutions related to "better signage for the church"
for implementation before Easter 2003 for no more than $3,000.
2)Scope the project
2.a) This project focuses on
- improved navigation
- making people feel comfortable and welcome
- a short-term solution
- a place to document related needs
- a bridge to the future
2.b) Areas outside the scope of this project also exist. This project is:
- not architecture (raised ceilings, moving walls)
- not in competition with the renovation committee
- not a complete, long-term solution for interior and exterior signage
- not limited by existing architecture
3)Schedule/Budget/Scope
In any project, the schedule, budget and scope may have to be
negotiated. We expect that the prioritization puts budget concerns
at the top, followed by schedule and then scope. The budget was
established as one that would be significant enough to allow
for a formal wayfinding evaluation and yet limited enough to
be approved as an expense that fits within the existing budget.
The dollar value is also appropriate to the amount of work
and impact desired to be in place within the schedule specified.
4)Problems that need to be addressed
4.a) Visitors to First Baptist Church feel disoriented due to a
confusing environment; existing signs are
neither visible nor adequate to encourage guests in their
search for ministries and services offered throughout the
building. The FBC leadership and congregation are
challenged by this need to use our opportunities and
resources wisely while living out our goal of
”inviting and equipping people to become fully devoted
followers of Jesus Christ.”
4.b) The following list is built from observations of the
congregation, representatives from different ministries and
direct feedback from recent visitors. These are the lessons
which are considered in the development of this proposal:
- Bathrooms are difficult to find.
After 6 months, still only knew of one.
- Foyer is dead end … where to go after worship …
felt best just following the crowd
- Areas (Preschool, youth, SS Classes) are not defined
- Has noticed and taken advantage of current signs
- Access to church other than Sunday morning is confusing
- Front doors are locked during the week
- "Church Office located at East Door" sign is hard to find and follow
- Having a person guide them is even better than a sign
- Visually challenged visitors need big signs up high
- Visually challenged visitors need raised letters or
deeply engraved letters on lower (more detailed) signs
- Exterior sign in front has wrong time for evening services
- No natural navigational flow
- Need occurs at acute times
- Many people occupy the halls with limited space
- Exit sanctuary by 4 rear doors (decision points without direction)
- Low ceilings limit overhead options
- "Areas" are hard to find (such as
YOUTH, WORSHIP, OFFICE, PRESCHOOL, HERITAGE)
- Old-fashioned impression
- Visitor disorientation is a risk -- wonder where everybody went
- Knowing which room has your event; finding that specific room
- Many people are not map readers; do guests use maps?
- No orientation centers for each building entrance
- Informational/promotional/temporary navigation signs lacking
- Lacking "Bride's Room" and "Groom's Room" signs
- Lacking Awana signage to direct newcomers
- Celebrate Recovery uses taped-up signs
- Disorientation makes people feel unwelcome
- Confusion over Sunday School vs. Heritage room assignments
- Incomplete solution for fire evacuation plan
- Outside lighting - "Is an event happening or not?"
- Inside lighting: foyer is dark after sunset
- Interior signs are not identified by a light
- Vision team input from open "town hall" meeting (see G. Motley
notes)
- Computer file version of map is not designed and available for
use as a tool to meet different needs
- Key destination areas are not defined/identified
- Within a room, people in church do not know which storage to access
5)Reviewing what has already been done
The facility was first built in 1962 with the current sanctuary and
office area added in 1966. The two story wing was added around 1973, and the interior was redecorated in 1987-88. A few room identification signs were added along the way until about 1998 when a first cut was taken to add some wall mounted directional signs to help visitors.
In 2000, when changes had accumulated and a lot of signs had to be
replaced, a changeable sign system replaced the wall mounted
directionals. At the same time room identification was expanded to
accommodate church-specific functions. With church attendance
increasing, the narrow hallways experience a crush of people obscuring
the visibility of the few wall mounted signs that do exist. In addition,
critical decision points are not signed at all, specifically the exits from
the sanctuary.
6)Highlights of the church vision
6.a) We envision a church where everyone who steps through the
doors, whether for the first time or the thousandth time,
feels a sense of comfort and belonging. The atmosphere is warm,
welcoming and accepting. The love of our people motivated by the
Holy Spirit creates this feeling, but our facility is “user friendly”
and reinforces this message. The comfortable feeling felt in this place
causes people to want to stay and explore more. It is easy to navigate
to various locations and activities with signs that not only direct people
but interest and inspire them to become involved.
People feel safe here; they are comfortable, confident and assured.
It is natural and easy for people to “check us out”,
explore our ministries, and eventually commit to joining us as we
“invite and equip people to become fully devoted followers
of Jesus Christ”.
6.b) Key destination areas will be most appropriately defined during
the development of a final architectural plan. To support that process
and to gain a sense of what identifying such areas is worth, the following
key areas will be used in this first phase of navigational improvement
(locations are described after the terse identifier; the architectural plan
should also define all rooms included in the area -- rather than simply
the location of a key area banner):
- WORSHIP, the foyer in front of the sanctuary
- PRESCHOOL, the nursery wing near room 102
- OFFICE, the intersection at the library and church office
- HERITAGE, at intersection near room 130
- YOUTH, at intersection near Gym and Underground
6.c) Here are specific items that are included in the church vision as
defined outside of this project. These items are influenced by this
project:
- Warm, welcoming environment
- Parents are reassured
- The leaders of our church wisely handle the challenges
that come from a growing, vibrant church.
- Equipped to minister
- Confidence that God is in control of this church
- Character, competence
- Anticipate growth and modify our facilities as necessary
- Ministry Analysis - assess the resources of the church (and their use)
- Values Discovery - documenting values and guiding
principles of operations
- Environmental Scan - understand expectations of visitors,
members and area churches
- Vision Development - is there room to improve Stuff Management?
- Strategy Development - organizing people, resources, policies
and measures to move forward
- Strategy Implementation - how can we leverage existing
organization and encourage workers
- Ministry Contingencies - how can changing requirements be handled?
- Ministry Evaluation - elevate visibility of Stuff Management
as area to be measured
7)Notes about the structure of the proposal
This proposal is formatted to contain all of the necessary information
for consideration of the high level design and recommendation to
continue with the specific design and implementation within the
guidelines proposed here. The context and people involved are
identified at the beginning of the document; the sections are listed
sequentially at the beginning to help the reader know where to find
different parts of the proposal. Each section is then given a sub-heading
and is described in detail; sections with more than one paragraph
include subsection numbering (such as 2.a, 2.b, etc.) for ease of reference
during any discussion of the proposal. The Appendices are included
as a means of documenting requirements considered during the
development of this proposal.
8)In support of a solution
8.a) "Decision points" are those locations within the church where
a person must choose to go left, right, ahead or back in order to reach
a specific destination. Those areas need to include resources to help
the person decide accurately and confidently which way to go.
8.b) The details of the solution are dependent on a professional analysis
of existing needs and resources at decision points, identification of key
areas, and a reasonable use of materials and services to address the
requirements identified in sections 4 and 6 (Problems that need to be
addressed and Highlights of the church vision). The following
paragraphs provide a framework for a subsequent specific design as well
as impart a vision of how the different elements will combine into a
comprehensive solution.
8.c) Depending on the context of conversation, a person may want to
address the tactical strategies in different orders. This section (8.c)
includes ordinal identification of each element, defined by the order
in which they happen to appear below. That order does not represent
priority, cost or schedule; it is essentially random. Use or discussion of
this section can certainly place the elements in whichever order makes
most sense for the moment. For sake of clarity, the elements of the
solution are listed here and described in turn:
- mobile displays for miscellaneous use (8.c.1)
- correction of misinformation on exterior sign (8.c.2)
- identification of storage enclosures, starting with 3-year-olds' room (8.c.3)
- orientation stations (8.c.4)
- banners to identify key areas (8.c.5)
- wayfinding signs visible at decision points (8.c.6)
- easily seen and easily changed navigational indicators (8.c.7)
- Heritage signs (8.c.8)
8.c.1) Mobile displays for miscellaneous use will be self-supporting
signs that allow standard, legal-sized paper to be inserted and visible
from in front of and behind the sign (requiring two sheets of paper to
be inserted back to back against a filler that keeps them in place).
The signs will be made of wood and stained with a finish to match
the oak color of the new doors throughout the church. The size and
weight will allow for virtually any church staff member or volunteer
to carry each sign wherever it needs to be. The quality will be such to
remind the observer that First Baptist Church works "as unto the
Lord". The use of the signs will be coordinated through the church
office. The intention of the signs is to provide information, welcome,
identification and navigation throughout the hallways at times when
traffic is not at a maximum. For example, the Bride's Room and
Groom's Room can be identified as such and include the guest of
honor's name. These signs can also be used to complement the
"easily seen and easily changed navigational indicators" (described
below in section 8.c.7). Initially, a total of four such signs are
recommended.
8.c.2) We have a need of correction of misinformation on an exterior
sign. Evening services on Sunday and Wednesday are described that
do not exist. Visitors have come to the church expecting a service only
to find that the sign was never updated to reflect the current schedule.
A low-cost effort to correct the sign will prevent further such
disappointment, and it will allow for the exterior signage to be
addressed in coordination with developments to support the new
architectural vision of the church.
8.c.3) The identification of storage enclosures, starting with the
three-year-olds' room (#105), is part of an effort called "Stuff
Management." The intention is to make better use of existing
storage resources throughout the church for good stewardship and
to empower the positive ministry experience associated with each
of the rooms throughout the church. The storage enclosure
identifiers are designed in accordance with a series of meetings
and designs developed by the "Stuff Management" participants.
This first installation of labels will consist of 32 2-ply plastic
labels to identify 16 storage enclosures. Each enclosure will have
a numeric identifier that is not likely to change and a ministry
identifier (such as "Child Care" or "MOPS"). Temporary versions
of these signs are already in place in Room 105 and have led to
several positive remarks about how much more organized the
room is. The 2-ply plastic signs will look professional, resist
wear and tear, and are still cheap enough to make new ones when
ministry assignments per storage enclosure change. Four other
rooms in the nursery wing are nearly ready for similar signs.
8.c.4) Orientation stations have been requested by leadership for
outreach ministries. Each entry to the building (eight distinct
areas given the current architecture) could have an appropriately
sized kiosk with information like you would find in a mall or an
airport. Depending on the location, the kiosk could be mounted
against a wall or free-standing. The key elements would be a
professionally textured rendition of the key areas of the church;
the size would be at least 9x12 inches. Supporting lists, such as
current Sunday School options, would be available on paper
flyers or brochures, displayed in professional looking racks.
Creation of the orientation stations will be dependent upon
the initial creation of a complete literature solution (content,
appropriate paper, strategy for printing, electronic format
of the content for updating and printing, ownership for
maintaining ongoing updates and standards of excellence).
A paper version of the map would also be available for map-oriented
guests and for church members who wish to draw a route to help
a newcomer. The mounted map should include an indication of
the present location ("you are here"), indicated with a symbol such
as a gold star. The visitor should leave the station with the impression
"I know where I am and where to go."
8.c.5) Banners to identify key areas will provide highly visible
identification of each section of the building. The material and
colors chosen will provide an early recommendation as to identity
and "personality" of different areas within the building; such a
recommendation will aid the architectural committee with the
eventual selection of a more thorough design which emphasizes how
different parts of the building are used and what visitors can expect
to find in each key area. By establishing and identifying key areas,
the navigation of the church can be one of confidence, since the
visitor will be reminded of exactly where he or she is passing
en route to the desired location. The material should connote
professionalism and good taste as well as clarity of content and
intention. The banners will be attached at ceiling level to allow
crowds of people to see them above the crowd and from a distance;
the soft material reduces any risk of injury if a tall visitor were to
bump into one hanging from one of the lower ceilings.
Signworks has a design concept for review which may be seen at
linked from
Cloth signs do soften the appearance within the church and
substantially solves the low headroom dilemma
-- minimizing the potential for head trauma with overhead signs.
8.c.6) Wayfinding signs visible at decision points will complement
existing directional signs and room identifiers. Precise
recommendations for the placement and content of these signs will
be determined by a wayfinding investigation to be subcontracted to
Signworks (and performed by Wilton Lyles of the Board of Trustees
and a contributing member to this proposal).
8.c.7) Easily seen and easily changed navigational indicators are
required throughout the building. The intention is to render obsolete
the temporary signs that some ministries have to place throughout
the building on a regular basis. Some of these ministries include
Celebrate Recovery, Awana, ISI and Bible Study Fellowship. Each
ministry could create medium-sized signs that would be easily
posted with an air of professionalism and care. At the conclusion of
each recurring event, the signs could be quickly removed and stored
until needed again. Taping up signs will be nearly eliminated.
The two leading ideas for implementation include foam-core signs
to be hung near the ceiling from small posts (spaced consistently
at 6 inches to allow for standardization of holes in the foam-core)
and small-to-medium-sized banners that would hang perpendicular
to the walls with small mounts available on the walls throughout
the building.
8.c.8) Heritage signs are essentially permanent where they exist,
and the combination of room uses makes for a very confusing and
complex experience for any users of the building. First Baptist
Church has claimed use of the burgundy rectangular signs throughout
the building; those signs should have an FBC logo or byline added to
remind visitors that the sign pertains to FBC use of the room.
Similarly, a formal request should be made to Heritage to have their