Routefinding refers to choosing and traveling a route – from among options – to reach your destination. It’s easily confused with a bearing, or with shooting a bearing, which is also part of Wayfinding.
A bearing is the straight line between a current and future location. Bearings are typically labled as degrees or clock positions, such as 90o or a 3:00 position or direction. Routefinding is needed because terrain can require one to depart from their straight line to traverse mall concourses and floors, or to hike around a ravine too steep to descend. Routefinding is the act of continuously re-orienting to reach your destination.
At work, routefinding involves all the who, what, where, when, how, why needed to accomplish your objective. A customer need emerges, a team member challenges the plan, a deadline moves, leadership changes. Your destination might remain, but your route moves.
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