Ask The Right Questions Before You Design Wayfinding

A mother of a pediatric patient once asked our hospital design team for direction and diversion: &#;Get me to where I have to go, and make me forget why I&#;m going there.&#; It&#;s a simple request, but in reality, a very tall order.

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Visitors to healthcare facilities, our most complex building type, often roam, becoming lost either approaching or navigating these spaces. The traveler&#;s intuitive faculties are typically challenged because of a combination of things, from elevated levels of anxiety to confusion resulting from a cryptic set of directions, which are often exacerbated by a once thoughtfully placed signage system that&#;s been degraded over time with additions of irrelevant information. Hansel and Gretel thought to leave behind reflective stones to navigate their escape from a confusing forest&#;should patients have to do this, too?

Let&#;s first consider why it&#;s important for a facility (and its designers) to understand and manage a wayfinding system.

Is an effort being made to brand a facility as a patient-friendly service provider? Is money being spent on marketing specialty services? If so, how are those expectations met once someone approaches the building? Are the front doors clearly marked? Are there clear directional markers?

Upon entering, what clues are given about the quality of service being delivered? Is there immediate direction and distraction? Are guests greeted or left on their own, met only by a security guard asking for an ID? A discount store like Walmart sees value in a greeter system. Left without personal guidance, customers may not have the intended shopping experience in the comprehensive yet complex facilities.

After entry, healthcare patients and visitors traditionally head toward an elevator bank, often named by building or department. Have they been given a proper set of directions that allow for a simple cognitive map of the unfamiliar space? Can staff easily direct them to a department using fewer than four basic landmarks? Are there clear markers that are understandable and memorable? Is signage the only cue, or is there a hierarchy of memorable landmarks, describable works of art, consistently designed visitor portals, and moments of respite to reduce stress?

If long and complex travel distances can&#;t be avoided, stage the patient journey with personal and/or digital interventions.

As health reform changes the rules for medical care reimbursement, the patient experience will become a significant driver for design-related research. Using an evidence-based methodology, design teams will require additional data to fully understand the anatomy of the entire healthcare experience. Should we consider the impact of wayfinding in influencing the patient&#;s responses for environmental or performance evaluations? To put this question in context, Center for Health Design researcher Upali Nanda noted at a recent &#;Pebble in Practice&#; workshop how a patient&#;s perception of care delivery may influence the patient experience more than the actual recovery resulting from the delivery of care. Wayfinding might very well be a subtle but important first impression in the visitor&#;s perceived experience.

I urge you to give the complete concept of wayfinding its due, not only during new building programs but in ongoing facility audits, as well. Then, the next time Hansel and Gretel show up at your front door, have security relieve them of their pebbles, informing them that the pathway out will be as simple as the pathway in and that they will be met not only by clear direction but also pleasant diversion. Then track their satisfaction scores and report in.

 

Rosalyn Cama, FASID, EDAC, is president and principal interior designer of Cama Inc., in New Haven, Conn.She can be reached at [ protected]. For more information on The Center for Health Design, please visit www.healthdesign.org.

How to Cut Costs With Wayfinding Software?

November 16,

It is obvious that the economy is currently in a downward trend. More and more questions rise in this regard. How can we save money and energy? Globally, more and more people are talking about saving energy. This is definitely one place where different service companies could save. In addition to energy savings, financial savings are also important. By using the 3D Wayfinder software, it is also possible to save money quite realistically.

We have previously introduced you how to earn revenue with wayfinder software, in this post we will talk about how to save through the wayfinding software.

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Certainly, many shopping center managers notice that purchasing power is decreasing. The global economic recession is mainly to blame for this. When the economy is booming, people shop more and spend more money. When the economy is down, people think more carefully about where they spend their money. Might be that some people even deliberately distance themselves from shopping malls so as not to make reckless spending.

Save on labor costs

The biggest cost savings comes from labor costs. Have you thought that there is an employee in your company or institution whose work could be done by some software? For example, there are often information workers in various office buildings, shopping centers or airports. What role do the employees at the information desk mainly play? Most of the time they guide people. People use information boards to find a way to store or special room. By using the 3D Wayfinder, it would be possible to save on the salary costs of one or even several information/help workers. This is probably one big and thought-provoking place where you can cut costs with wayfinding software.

Save money by reducing printed signs

In public buildings one of the administrative expenses is certainly different signs. Business signs must be changed when someone moves out or joins. 3D Wayfinder can also help here. Using wayfinding software reduces needs for different signs and printed floorplans. Building directories and maps can be digital and can be changed without the need for printing and changing physical signs. It is even possible to install digital screens in elevators.

Using digital wayfinding also helps to save on administrative costs. In addition, it is easier for the administrative manager of the building to change tenant or rental information in one place digitally than replacing installed physical signs.

Less energy with sleep mode

One of the ways to save energy is forcing wayfinding kiosks to go to sleep mode. Sleep mode is a widely known term and probably everyone who uses a computer or smartphone is familiar with it. It is possible that many 3D wayfinder customers may not know that sleep mode can also be set for wayfinding kiosks. When there is no activity in the building and the doors are locked, the wayfinding kiosk can also be in sleep mode.

Sleep mode can also be used when the building is open. The kiosk can be set in such a way that the screen is completely dark or, for example, with the text &#;Click here for building map&#; etc. when no one is using the kiosk. When a person touches the screen, the screen becomes active and can be used.

Save with dark mode

How else would it be possible to save with wayfinder software? One of the ways to save energy could also be using dark mode. At wayfinding kiosks, it is possible to set the screen light to be brighter and darker. Darker screen use less energy.

Landscape template normal bright versionLandscape template dark mode

The difference between the two images is quite large and can be startling when compared like this. In addition to saving energy, it is also better for the eyes. In any case, the customer receives the information in exactly the same way as if it were on a screen with full brightness.

3D Wayfinder offers the possibility to set the display of the kiosk in time. For example, it is possible to set the time when the screen goes into dark mode. It is also possible to set the screen based on the surrounding light. For example, if the lighting in the building is bright or the sun is shining, the screen will be brighter. If the lighting is darker, the screen will also automatically darken. Dark mode saving is easy way fot cut costs with wayfinding software.

There is also an option to use a different background color. You can choose the background colors for building maps in 3D Wayfinder. If you want to save energy, it would be wise to use a darker background. If the card has a darker background, it saves more energy because the screen doesn&#;t have to be so bright. Also, a darker background can sometimes work even better. On a darker background, it&#;s better to highlight some objects that don&#;t come out as smooth on a light background. This is an option that should be considered when starting to order a house manager or create one yourself.

Smart wayfinding

Do you know that 3D Wayfinder indoor positioning software using smart wayfinding technology?

Smart wayfinding is easy. The person who makes 3D Wayfinder map can choose how they want the path to be guided. For example, it is possible to guide the way that elevators are avoided. Moving the elevators up and down is probably also a big administrative expense. However, if people are guided so that they are directed to the stairs, it is possible to regulate the use of elevators.

3D Wayfinder supports energy saving. We support saving people&#;s time by providing innovative wayfinding software. We are environmentally friendly and recommend it to all our customers. If you are already using 3D Wayfinder you can change settings for saving energy or ask help from our team. If you are not yet using wayfinding software, then please contact our sales department. We will definitely find the best solution for you and help you cut costs with wayfinding software.

Are you interested in learning more about Hospital Wayfinding Projects? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!