The sophisticated design behind a simple coronavirus sign

As businesses reopen, signs can choreograph pedestrian flow, remind customers to keep six feet apart, and help coworkers navigate new social greetings. For a seemingly simple analog device, a lot goes into designing a good sign. Coronavirus signs typically suggest a change in behavior—discarding old habits for safer practices—and that’s never an easy thing, explains Tim Fendley, creative director of the London-based consultancy Applied Wayfinding.