MapWell Studio Founder and Principal, Leslie Wolke has spent most of her career exploring the art and science of wayfinding — in the digital realm and in the physical world.

 

With an evidence-based approach starting with real people in real environments, she has designed, built, and evaluated tools to help visitors navigate unfamiliar places effortlessly and confidently. From websites and apps, to touchscreens and digital signs, Leslie has conceived, produced, and most importantly tested wayfinding technology, all with the goal of easing visitors’ confusion.

 

in 2016, MapWell launched the MapWell Platform, a simple SaaS website add-on to provide useful wayfinding information for large educational and medical campuses.

 

With a varied client list ranging from gaming company Niantic to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, MapWell Studio is a leader in wayfinding strategy and usability. Collaborating in innovative ways with actual visitors can reveal illuminating insights about how to make an environment more welcoming and legible to first-time visitors.

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Prior to founding MapWell, Leslie served as Associate Principal and co-owner at fd2s where she collaborated with a talented team to build innovative interactive wayfinding tools for major academic medical centers.

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During her 25 years in the technology and design sectors, she has held leadership positions in the development, operations, and marketing of web-based portals and applications at frogdesign, Hoover’s Online, and Internet service provider SBC | Prodigy Communications. 

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Leslie serves as an advisor for SXSW. As a national board member for SEGD, Leslie co-founded the XLab conference. Read Leslie’s pieces for Communication Arts and other publications here.