Office Sign Guide

  • Directory sign hanging in a hallway within Bole Hall.

Office Sign Guide

Office sign guide: Consistency, clarity and legibility

Collaborative and compliant
A University-wide committee gathered nearly a decade ago to research best practices, ensure compliance with ADA requirements and set the sign standard for basic wayfinding and  room/office identification. Updates since then guide sign production now.

The priorities for identifying individual employees’ locations in Rowan facilities focus on helping people find each other, no matter which campus or building they occupy. By communicating the same information and presenting it consistently, we reduce the potential for confusion and misunderstanding.

The standard also ensures that we represent employees equitably and efficiently throughout the institution.

Ordering signs

Please submit your order through the Facilities & Operations work order portal. Contact Cathy Beardsley, Sign Shop, if you have questions: beardsley@rowan.edu or call 856-256-4976.

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Sample employee office sign.

Employee office signs

Wherever employees work, whether in single, enclosed offices or in spaces along common corridors, high-contrast, ADA-compliant signs ensure visibility in typical conditions and accessibility for those with visual impairments.

  • Signs include one’s name and title, the most essential elements for identifying employees.
  • Division, department, and other unit or group names appear on larger signs (see below) rather than individual employee signs.
  • Each employee in a shared office should have a separate placard.

Think of how you introduce yourself in conversation in the most concise way—this is the basic copy to include on the sign.

The guidance below explains how best to use the limited space on signs and how to help communicate critical information for people, their roles and locations. 

Specifications

Employee name

  • Each line designated for one’s name allows for 13 characters.
  • Use first and last name only. Use initials only if you use a middle name as a first name (e.g., J. Mark Smith might prefer to be known as “J”).
  • Use your proper legal name, not a nickname, unless you don’t use your given name (e.g., Thomas Brown vs. Tom Brown).
  • Don’t include courtesy titles, (e.g., Mr., Mrs., Miss, Ms., Rev., Hon., Fr., etc.) before a name.
  • Instead of using “Professor” or “Dr.” before your name, use the highest degree earned (e.g. PhD, EdD, MD, DO, MFA, MBA, etc.) after your name and without punctuation (to conserve the limited character spaces).
  • If you hold professional credentials in psychology, marriage and family counseling, social work or health care and perform clinical work in your employment with the University, state law requires you to post your credentials (e.g. MD, RN, PsyD, etc.).

Employee title

  • Each line designated for one’s title allows for 21 characters.
  • Use working titles, not state titles (e.g., Program Coordinator, not program specialist II).
  • Professional staff members whose primary responsibility is academic advising may use the title “Academic Advisor” or “Graduate Program Advisor.”
  • Don’t use descriptors that are unrelated to your employment at the University (e.g., military ranks or professional credentials irrelevant to your role at Rowan).
Sample departmental office sign.

Departmental signs

Departmental signs identify a single administrative area or the main office in a multi-office suite. They are sized to be seen from greater distance than individual employee office signs.

Directory signs

Directory signs list the main departments and destinations in large facilities. Building managers can order these signs as a whole or updates to individual entries.

Additional signs

More products available from the Sign Shop include:
  • Desk signs 
  • Metal and wooden outdoor signs (parking, trespassing, etc.)
  • Vinyl (window clings, department and suite lettering, frosted panels for privacy and safety)
  • Emergency signs (unexpected hazardous conditions)
  • Environmental health and safety signs
  • Vehicle decals (Rowan logo and unit identification)
  • Campus street signs
  • Lawn signs (temporary corrugated plastic signs with stakes)
  • Building, vehicular and pedestrian wayfinding signs 

For these types of signs, please submit a request through the Facilities & Operations work order portal. (Facilities may coordinate purchases and services with vendors to fulfill some requests.)

Print Center products

  • Banners (with grommets or other fasteners for hanging)
  • Retractable banners (freestanding tabletop, standard 33-in. and oversize)
  • Printed panels for freestanding frames (typically used for events)
  • Adhesive vinyl (Walk&Wall and other options with a range of durability for short-term indoor and outdoor use)

For these types of items, please submit a request through the Print Center order form. For more information, please call the Print Center: 856-256-4623.