At the start of our wayfinding career we audited wayfinding systems at 19 UK hospital sites. We got lost and worked out why. We documented 1000s of signs, maps, leaflets and appointment letters. We coordinated patient and staff surveys, and analysed the data to produce evidence-based findings on hospital wayfinding.
Over the next year, between design projects, we co-wrote and illustrated a book called Wayfinding: Guidance for Healthcare Facilities with David Lewis, co-owner of Information Design Unit, along with Rob and Jenny Waller. We co-wrote a paper explaining the research, published in Information Design Journal (Volume 9, Number 2/3 2000). We found that only 25% of people noticed colour coding at sites that used it. Only 9% of patients said they used a map to find their way. 46% of staff that had seen a site map said they thought it was difficult to understand.
We have applied the guidance from the Wayfinding book to over 25 hospitals. The good practice information was written for Healthcare Estates Managers and was distributed to all NHS hospitals in the UK. We know there is a lot of information in the book, and some doesn’t apply to all sites, so we can advise on a site’s compliance.
If you haven’t got a copy, it is available to download for free from NHS England: Wayfinding: effective wayfinding and signing systems, Guidance for Healthcare Facilities.
27 years since the book was first published, it needs reviewing. The guidance doesn’t include technology and devices we use every day for navigation such as sat-navs, websites, and smart phones.
If you have any ideas for funding, we would be very happy to collaborate on a new edition. Get in touch: colette@copperjetty.com.