Welcome to the Sign Design Society

The Sign Design Society (SDS) is for anyone interested in information and graphic communication within buildings and public spaces, including:

As well as raising the profile of our disciplines, we offer members a programme of events, resources and initiatives to help them:

To join choose a membership plan that suits you and sign up!

Our events

Example of printed typeface (in Polish) in a brochure on mid-blue coloured pages.

Thursday 18 June 2026 (1pm BST) What really makes text easy to read, and why does it sometimes fail us? Legibility may seem straightforward, but research shows it’s shaped by a surprisingly complex mix of design decisions, human perception, and real-world conditions. In this seminar, Robert Jarzec brings together cutting-edge legibility research and the lived […]

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Five open mouths excitedly sharing awesome ideas and accompanying hands 'exclaiming' to promote the SDS & SEGD London 17 September symposium (Postive Places) at London Design Festival 2026.

Discover what’s positive and exciting in the world right now for wayfinding and placemaking, from bold, people-first design to smart new tech.

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News

Third party events

LSE Festival 2026: How to Save the Planet

Start date: 15 June 2026
End date: 20 June 2026
lse2026

Existential threats including the climate crisis, conflict and AI are affecting all parts of the world, transforming the way and where we live, and how our societies function. What can we be doing to save the Earth, its people and environment? LSE Festival 2026: How to save the planet explores the impact of these global challenges, and how individuals, communities, organisations, corporations, and those with political power should be tackling them.

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Typography at Reading: Typo26

Start date: 15 June 2026
End date: 20 June 2026
Multi-coloured 'Typo26' promotional image for the Typography at Reading University 2026 degree show taking place this June.

We will be celebrating the class of 2026 through the building blocks of our typographic craft – the 26 letters of the alphabet.

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Image to promote the 16 June LSE Festival talk: Place Matters, showing a young man and woman picking up litter to put into a black bin bag.

With climate politics at the national and international level so often deadlocked, could action at the community level offer a way forward? This workshop explores how local neighbourhoods can become powerful drivers of climate action and social wellbeing when top-down approaches fall short. The discussion will examine what motivates people to get involved in climate activism and how grassroots initiatives can help reduce local carbon impacts, while addressing wider challenges such as deprivation and inequality. By looking at real examples of community-led action and campaigning, the event will highlight how local collaboration can build both environmental sustainability and stronger, more resilient neighbourhoods.

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Orange overlay hero image for 'The Importance of Gender Within National Planning Policy' with an outdoor playground behind the overlay

A presentation and open conversation with Make Space for Girls. We will discuss why the inclusion of gender within planning policy is important for unlocking truly inclusive public parks and spaces, and how it can benefit everyone. The talk will include Make Space for Girls’ consultation response to the draft NPPF, the vision for public spaces from the perspective of teenage girls, and the barriers to achieving that vision.

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Woman standing looking at a very large white screen with data infographics on it

Giorgia Lupi uses data to tell human stories. Her practice centers people, recognizing that even the most technical datasets are rooted in human stories, actions, and decisions. In this talk, she shares her process for communicating data through designs that embrace context, qualitative narratives, and even imperfections or missing information. By highlighting these uncountable details, data becomes something that helps us learn about ourselves. Lupi believes that data, when humanized, deepens connections to our lives and communities as a material for telling stories that represent real life.

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