Healthcare Design - March 2018 - 9

EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Hank Adams

AFTER YOU

The work healthcare designers do to support
wayfinding paves the way for ongoing operational
efforts By Jennifer Kovacs Silvis

Carolyn BaRoss
Jody Barry

PERKINS+WILL

ADVENTIST CARE CENTERS

Jeffrey Brand
Sam Burnette

PERKINS EASTMAN

EARL S WENSSON ASSOCIATES

Sheila F. Cahnman
JUMPG ARDEN CONSULTING LLC

Thomas W. Chessum
SHORTLY AFTER joining Healthcare Design in 2010,

I was introduced to the concept of wayfinding.
When I heard designers talk about solutions that
ease navigation for patients and visitors, I immediately understood on a personal level the type
of anxiety they were trying to diminish. After all,
haven't we all become miserably lost trying to leave
the hospital after meeting a newborn nephew?
That may just be me, but there are thousands of
similar stories out there.
I've learned over the years that wayfinding is a
constant challenge, whether in a new, existing, renovated, or expanded space.
There isn't a project we profile in these pages that doesn't touch on wayfinding in some regard. Think intuitive architecture that guides building users
in the right direction, interior design that establishes departmental colorcoding and landmarks, or branding approaches that institute standards for
signage and graphics. Wayfinding is in the fabric of all healthcare projects.
So it was interesting for me to take part in a research project last year that
investigated how wayfinding systems were managed over time, beyond the
stages we traditionally cover. I was part of an advisory team that assisted researcher Leslie Wolke, founder of MapWell Studio, as she conducted the
project for the Sign Research Foundation. The goal was to identify healthcare organizations that are getting wayfinding right, glean best practices from
them, and share those with the industry.
The resulting report "Wayfinding Management: Models & Methods in
Healthcare Environments" (www.signresearch.org/healthcarewayfinding)
offers case studies of methods employed at institutions such as Cleveland
Clinic, UCSF Medical Center, and MD Anderson Cancer Center. Solutions
identified by Wolke include designating a wayfinding manager who maintains the system and collaborates closely with construction colleagues to
streamline new projects, investing in formalized standards across locations,
and conducting visitor research that evaluates the effectiveness of strategies
in use.
Although highly operational in nature, the report doesn't lose sight of the
role design plays, too. What you all do creates the support system for effective
wayfinding programs, and your guidance, knowledge, and continued involvement are critical to making sure that system doesn't collapse.
For more on how to do that, I have a good place to start. This year we
launched a new monthly feature at HCDmagazine.com that explores hot topics in healthcare design by providing links to recent coverage, helping readers
quickly get up to speed on issues and trends. Last month's topic: wayfinding.
Visit HCDmagazine.com/online-focus-wayfinding to dig in, and remember
the critical role you play in helping people find their way. 

HDR

CO ARCHITECTS

James Crispino
G ENSLER

Christine Hester Devens
Mary Frazier

AECOM

EWINGCOLE

Jocelyn Lum Frederick
H C TANG RAM DESIGN

Catherine L. Gow

F RANCIS CAUFFMAN

Natalie Miovski Hagerty
THE CHILDRE N'S HOS PITAL OF PHILADELPHIA

Laurel Harrison

STANTEC

Suzen L. Heeley
MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER

Walter Jones

METROHEALTH SYSTEM

Julie Kent

TRINITY HEALTH

Bryan Langlands
Michael Lied
Jain Malkin

J AIN MALKIN INC.

Mike McKay
Victoria Navarro
Don Orndoff

ERDMAN

ADVOCATE HEALTH CARE
KAISER PERMANENTE

Diane R.K. Osan

FKP ARCHITECTS

Chris Powers HCA
Andrew Quirk

NBBJ

G BBN ARCHITECTS

HEALTHCARE

S KANSKA USA BUILDING

Pamela H. Redden
HKS INC.

William D. Repichowskyj
E4H ARCHITECTURE

Kim Shinn
TLC ENGINEERING FOR ARCHITECTURE

Janet H. Sisolak
UT MD ANDERS ON CANCER CENTER

Karl R. Sonnenberg
ZIMMER GUNS UL F RASCA ARCHITECTS LLP

Kurt Spiering

HGA

Steve Stokes CALLISONRTKL
Jeffrey C. Stouffer
Joseph Strauss

HKS INC.

CLEVELAND CLINIC

Paul E. Strohm
Jocelyn Stroupe

HOK

CANNONDESIGN

Joshua A. Theodore

LEO A DALY

Roger S. Ulrich
CHALMERS UNIVERS ITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Gary L. Vance

VANCE CONSULTING

MARCH 2018

http://www.signresearch.org/healthcarewayfinding http://www.HCDmagazine.com http://www.HCDmagazine.com/online-focus-wayfinding

Healthcare Design - March 2018

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