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Assessment of Wayfinding Performance in Complex Healthcare Facilities: A Conceptual Framework

Author

Listed:
  • Ammar Al-Sharaa

    (Department of Architecture, Faculty of Built Environment, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia)

  • Mastura Adam

    (Department of Architecture, Faculty of Built Environment, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia)

  • Amer Siddiq Amer Nordin

    (Centre on Addiction Sciences (UMCAS), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
    Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia)

  • Riyadh Mundher

    (Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Design and Architecture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia)

  • Ameer Alhasan

    (Department of Computer Techniques Engineering, Dijlah University College, Baghdad 00964, Iraq)

Abstract

Wayfinding is considered to be one of the most demanding challenges to be performed by hospitals’ users. Wayfinding has been an interest among researchers from different fields, such as architecture, interior design, cognitive psychology, and facilities management, to name a few. Previous scholars have highlighted the need for a holistic framework taking into consideration both user and environmental factors. A narrative review of the literature was carried out to understand the full extent of the issue and address the ever-increasing demand for a holistic assessment framework. This article attempts to address the underlying gap by proposing a comprehensive framework that takes into account both facets of the issue through a narrative review of the literature to some of the most prominent research attempts to address the problem of wayfinding in complex healthcare settings. Furthermore, the proposed framework can assist both researchers and practicing professionals by providing a comprehensive understanding of the issue of complex wayfinding as well as of the variables to be investigated in the assessment process.

Suggested Citation

  • Ammar Al-Sharaa & Mastura Adam & Amer Siddiq Amer Nordin & Riyadh Mundher & Ameer Alhasan, 2022. "Assessment of Wayfinding Performance in Complex Healthcare Facilities: A Conceptual Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-20, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:24:p:16581-:d:999935
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Saskia Kuliga & Martin Berwig & Martina Roes, 2021. "Wayfinding in People with Alzheimer’s Disease: Perspective Taking and Architectural Cognition—A Vision Paper on Future Dementia Care Research Opportunities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-24, January.
    2. Paul Symonds & David H.K. Brown & Valeria Lo Iacono, 2017. "Exploring an Absent Presence: Wayfinding as an Embodied Sociocultural Experience," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 22(1), pages 48-67, February.
    3. Yuqi Shi & Yi Zhang & Tao Wang & Chaoyang Li & Shengqiang Yuan, 2020. "The Effects of Ambient Illumination, Color Combination, Sign Height, and Observation Angle on the Legibility of Wayfinding Signs in Metro Stations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-20, May.
    4. Ulrika Wänström Lindh & Annika K. Jägerbrand, 2021. "Perceived Lighting Uniformity on Pedestrian Roads: From an Architectural Perspective," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-20, June.
    5. Beckham Shih-Ming Lin & Ching-Yuan Lin & Chun-Wei Kung & Yong-Jun Lin & Chung-Chyi Chou & Ying-Ji Chuang & Gary Li-Kai Hsiao, 2021. "Wayfinding of Firefighters in Dark and Complex Environments," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-13, July.
    6. Hardeep Chahal & Mahesh Gupta & Subhash Lonial, 2018. "Operational flexibility in hospitals: Scale development and validation," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(10), pages 3733-3755, May.
    7. Negin A. Riazi & Kelly Wunderlich & Lira Yun & Derek C. Paterson & Guy Faulkner, 2022. "Social-Ecological Correlates of Children’s Independent Mobility: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-15, January.
    8. Cynthia S. Q. Siew & Dirk U. Wulff & Nicole M. Beckage & Yoed N. Kenett, 2019. "Cognitive Network Science: A Review of Research on Cognition through the Lens of Network Representations, Processes, and Dynamics," Complexity, Hindawi, vol. 2019, pages 1-24, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Lujie Deng & Nurul Hanim Romainoor & Bolun Zhang, 2023. "Evaluation of the Usage Requirements of Hospital Signage Systems Based on the Kano Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-18, March.

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