NAVIGATING IN A HOSPITAL OUTPATIENTS' DEPARTMENT: THE MERITS OF MAPS AND WALL SIGNS

Many large buildings that house complex organizations, such as hospitals, provide a signposting system to help visitors. Tltis study examines the advantages of providing a hand-held sketch map to supplement the existing signs in a hospital The map was drawn using a microcomputer so that it could be...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of architectural and planning research 1993-04, Vol.10 (1), p.76-89
Main Authors: Wright, Patricia, Hull, Audrey J., Lickorish, Ann
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied psychology
Architectural control
Architecture
Built environments
Hospital buildings
Hospital planning
Map skills
Navigation
Volunteerism
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Summary:Many large buildings that house complex organizations, such as hospitals, provide a signposting system to help visitors. Tltis study examines the advantages of providing a hand-held sketch map to supplement the existing signs in a hospital The map was drawn using a microcomputer so that it could be easily modified and updated. Ease of navigation was assessed by monitoring the performance of two groups of volunteers as they found thirteen destinations on two floors of an Outpatients' Department. One group used only the existing wall signs, the other group used these plus the map. The difficulties encountered by those relying on the existing signs pointed to improvements needed in the Department of Health's guidance on the design of hospital signage systems. Although people without the map were faster, they retraced their steps more often to check that they were going in the right direction. Those having the map felt that planning their route was time well spent. During the subsequent debriefing, all who used the map said they found it helpful and half the group without the map thought it would have been useful. The volunteers suggested that sending maps to patients with their letter of appointment would enable people to plan ahead before arriving at the hospital.
ISSN:0738-0895