Frequently asked questions
What places is the Toolkit designed for?

The Toolkit implements social distancing and the necessary COVID-19 safety measures in all environments: high streets, public spaces, transport stations, carriages, retail stores, museums, galleries, theatres and cinemas, campuses and offices.

Does the Toolkit determine the Government's policy towards COVID-19?

The Toolkit is devised to communicate the prevailing policy as determined by national and local governments. They do not determine these policies – such as when to wear a face covering. They tackle how to get the public to adopt a policy when it is made. They are designed to adjust as rules change.

Can I have a custom set of signs and icons created?

The templates have been created so that they can respond to changes in the Government guidance for individual countries. They can be adjusted accordingly. Your logo and message can be added. If you need a more custom design, Applied are leading experts in the field of wayfinding and information design and can create bespoke solutions tailored to any special needs. If you require any further assistance on the design and implementation, please get in touch. advisory@appliedinformation.group

Is the Toolkit free?

The Toolkit was created by Applied in response to the global pandemic. The Guidelines are published for free as we believe this is an emergency and this is the right thing to do. Everyone is wanting to get the world back to normal, and we are sharing knowledge and practical help with anyone who wants to make their environment COVID-19 ready. We want to encourage the use of the system to create a universally recognised visual language that is easier for the public to use.

We are charging a nominal amount for the sign templates + icons to cover publishing and distribution costs.

Will the Toolkit be updated?

We will be designing and updating the Guidelines as rules and restrictions change, and as further requests for different situations appear. Please sign up to updates when you download.

I need the templates and icons in a different file format. Can you supply those?

Please get in touch with us if you have any specific requirements and we will do our best to meet your needs. We will be designing and updating the Guidelines as rules and restrictions change, and as further requests for different situations appear. Please sign up to updates when you download.

What icons are included in the library?

The set includes 100 icons in total. Get in touch if you need icons outside of this set.

Is the Toolkit available in other languages?

We will translate and publish alternative language versions as requests come through to us. Please contact us and request what you need. advisory@appliedinformation.group

Does the Toolkit guarantee compliance?

The Toolkit cannot guarantee 100% compliance or success. Venues can expect some visitors to ignore signage and advice. This may be because the scientific understanding of the virus has changed but people are not yet aware, or the science may be understood but people do not like or agree with the conclusions on how to change behaviour, and some people simply do not believe the science and therefore ignore the signs.

There are also people who want to follow the advice but for medical reasons cannot, and there are people who use the medical excuse as a reason to ignore house rules.

What these guidelines can do is advise where to locate signs and messages for maximum impact, to reinforce messages, and to encourage people to behave responsibly for the benefit of everyone.

Will the Toolkit work in the event of other pandemics?

The Toolkit is designed by Applied based on the science of preventing the spread of COVID-19. We are recommending the guidelines and designs to minimize the spread of infectious diseases, but acknowledge that other pandemics might demand different measurements and actions to prevent a spread.

Who is Applied?

Applied is a global design practice at the forefront of the field of physical UX. We help people avoid getting lost. Our passion is to help people move through busy places easily, productively and with certainty. We make journeys effortless by better explaining environments and making them more intuitive and memorable – more legible. And to help the people who run these places make best use of investments, optimise flow, and integrate systems.

We are trusted by the managers of some of the world’s most important places: London, Paris, New York, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, Seattle and Sentosa Island; transport systems for Dublin, Toronto and Vancouver; and systems for global companies and institutions such as NYC’s The Met, London’s National Gallery, Westfield, Princeton University and Google.

Get in touch

Please send us your questions to advisory@appliedinformation.group

We will endeavour to respond to everyone as soon as possible.