WEEK 1
Monday 1st March
Today was the first lesson of Integrated Studio, where I was introduced to the brief and course of this semester. As well as placed into our groups for the projects.
With this course/project we are good to create our own welcoming experience in the North Shore Hospital.
After being introduced to the course we had draw one member of our groups without looking at the page and letting the pen leave the page as well.
My Drawing of Anita 
I wasn’t pre-pared for how hard this exercise would be but it was quite fun to see what my drawing would look like with out focusing on the drawing.
With this drawing I introduced myself to my new group and talked about myself and what degree I am taking, as well as what I want to get out of this class, throughout the semester.
We then started talking in our group and creating a presentation of different experiences with welcoming spaces- good, bad, and what we might want to incorporate with our possible working spaces.
After creating our presentation on our own welcoming experiences, I then wrote down my own little speech for when I present to the class on Wednesday, with our presentation.
WEEK 1
Wednesday 3rd March
Todays lesson was our second online lesson during lockdown, where had further discussions with our groups concerning our development and ideas of the project at the North Shore Hospital.
First we had asked questions for the past students from this paper any questions/querys that we had concerning the paper or the process.
We then watched a video of how people interact with the exisiting entrance space at the North Shore Hospital, and wrote down their movements, interactions, and expressions whilst utilising the space.- From watching the video I got the idea that everyone that moved within the space did a lot of stopping and back tracking with their movement pathways. With possibly being confused on where to go and the layout of the space.
We then had a break- which I made up some play dough and died it yellow for our next exercise. I was then told to create an shape I wanted with my play dough, to which I created this twisted shape:
With this form I had to relate it to my concept of comfort, which was honestly really hard, since its a really random shape.
We then discussed our forms and how they relate back to our given word (comfort), and then explored how we could use all of our given words within the context of the welcoming space of the North Shore Hospital. My groups words were: responsibility, solitude, independence and comfort.
With these words we then created a written mission statement, which would become the base and foundation of all the concepts and designs surrounding our welcoming intervention. As a group we each created our own mission statements and then combined all of our ideas together and created a final 1st iteration of our mission statement.
WEEK 1
Monday 4th March
This week I also read and explored the readings that we had been given surrounding the concept and guide lines of working in the DHB Hospital spaces. Here are some of my notes from reading these essays and guidelines:
WEEK 2
Monday 8th March
At the start of todays lesson my group and I presented our mission statement to the class and talked about what we want to bring to the project as a group.- For my group and I’s first time presenting to the class in real life I think that it went pretty well and we spoke really well together.
After all of the groups presentation we had staff from the DHB hold an online talk/lecture and talk about the DHB’s purpose and ideas at the moment, and also answered any questions that we had.
After the presentation we were given some cards with words on them and had to categorise these 8 words
From our presentation- my group and I decided to explore further into our mission statement and refine the purpose of what we wanted to achieve in our welcoming space.
WEEK 2
Wednesday 10th March
To start off the lesson we presented our new iteration of our mission statement to the class, and listened to everyone else’s statements as well.
During todays lesson we also discussed what success looks like, what success maybe looks like, and what success doesn’t look like; based on cue cards with different words on them. As a group we decided on what these groups sounded like.
After this group discussion we as a classed talked about what it looks like going good and going bad in a group project.
After class my group and I applied the feedback from our presentation of our mission statement and developed it further, with also applying the knowledge that we learnt that lesson of a successful project (what success looks like); decided to use the key words of Engaging, Empowering and Empathy in and throughout our design and design process.
With our new insights from todays lesson we talked about our possible areas of interests as individuals within the project on creating a welcoming experience.
I talked about how I really like to explore and focus on the experience that is created within the space, and how people’s pre conceptions and past experiences really play and work with each other.
From this brainstorm we created a statement for our group as a whole and how it will work with our given space.
Since during todays lesson we talked about a lot how to work as a group, and what success and group looked like, we decided to create some guidelines as to what to do , when our group project/process is going bad, how to react to any issues we face.
WEEK 2
Thursday 11th March
Michelle’s- insights from her own class, from lecturer that researched and worked in the hospital field, researching into the effects and systems of hospitals. Some insights from class:
WEEK 3
Monday 15th March
Site Visit-NorthShore Hospital, 124 Shakespeare Road, Takapuna, Auckland 0620
Today was our first visit to the site of the North Shore Hospital, and it was my first time every being there as well. First impressions of the site exterior wise, was very open and bright- average use of environmental factors, potential. The overall layout and presentation of the layout was very messy with the interior and exterior information presentation being confusing and not linking together. I think the space has an amazing grounding with sitting right next to a lake and has a bing open space. The space appears with good history and story, which I think could be developed and explored much further.
First we went on a tour of the site, with being lead around by the staff, and then had time to go to allocated spaces of the site and observe and document any findings that we found relevant.
Documentation and Observations
After our tour of the site we went into a hospital work room and did a number of activities to experience what it would be like in the hospital space with a disability or injury, and how this would alter our experience.
Then after our trip my group and I discussed our key insights and observations as a group and began to decide what we thought was one of the biggest issues in the space to tackle.
After brainstorming we decided that we were interested in the navigation between the interventions of interior and exterior. With this concept of navigation we created a presentation for Wednesday, where we would present to the class; with our ideas and concepts, from our observations.
WEEK 3
Wednesday 17th March
We started off todays lesson by presenting our observations and areas on interest, concerning the issues of the site. After that we had a past student of this paper talk about her work that she does. Her work is based around presentation of information and signage; talking about how she got into this area of interest, what she does with it.
Then after the presentation my group and I had further discussions of our areas of interest- and decided to further research into the concept of the intervention between the interior and exterior.
WEEK 3
Thursday 18th March
I began to research into the intervention between the interior and exterior- with possibly looking into the movement between the entrance of the space and the outside surrounding space, and how to guide users in-between the two in a natural and stressless flow.
First I began to do some readings on the idea of a waiting area/entrance space and how the users will interact and connect with the space, what factors play into their experience.
Readings
I also looked into the effects on environmental factors, and how they change the experience within a space.
Research of Interventions between Interior and Exterior
WEEK 4
Monday 22nd March
Today was our second visit to the site, where we were holding an online lecture/talk from a designer that works in the healthcare system, and holding our first interview process with staff of the NorthShore Hospital.
Jonny West- Online Lecture
Interview Insights and Documentation
After our interview process my group and I discussed our new insights, any questions we had, and our next steps with our process. From this brainstorm we came up with these key components:
WEEK 4
Wednesday 24th March
During todays lesson we started by presenting our new insights and steps with our project and how we are very interested in the idea of catering to the 20% and having the 80% adapting to these ideas- where the hardships starts with these users.
Floor plan of the new building
After our presentation we had a discussion with Steve and worked out how we would narrow our idea down, which area we would focus our design on.
Brainstorm of Narrowing
After this discussion we decided that the main issues we wanted to focus on were:
- Intervention between interior and exterior
- Journey of the hospital visit- home to entrance
- Information presentation- signage
We have decided to do this through a form (hub) of information that will possibly laid throughout the hospital space, holding information of the hospitals layouts, directions, information- with the journey targeting the vulnerable- causing stress and anxiety.
Who is the most vulnerable in the North Shore Hospital space- Elderly, Disabled, Stressed=20%
We thought that instead of helping each individual, and creating a detailed guide on how to get to their room, level or ward, that to create a check point where the user will be able to check in or scan (deleting the concept of checking into the entrance reception), but checking in another way, and getting our information from this hub which will guide you either through QR coding, physical maps, or having volunteers waiting to help take you to or room.
Creating a space which will help not only the 20% but reassure the 80% on their own hospital journey.
Plan for the MID-SEMESTER break
MID SEMESTER BREAK
Research- Observations of the 20% -Users
Designing for disabilities
Our design is going to help reassure and easy the users through their healthcare journey- with accommodating for the vulnerable and 20%. From our interview process we realised that hospitals biggest issue at the moment with their patients in the number of patients that don’t show up for their appointments. This issue can caused be caused by a number of reasons:
- Never got the information- regarding their appointment
- Didn’t have enough information to attend
- Didn’t want to go- didn’t have time, we’re to scared. to stressed, couldn’t go by themselves.
- No way of transportation
I think through our design we are going to try a fix this issue as well as way-finding for the patients
Who is going to be using the space:
- Patients- Emergency, Elective Surgeries, Scans
- Friends and family- visitors
- Staff-Doctors, surgeons, hospital staff, hospitality, care takers. ect
WHO ARE THE VULNERABLE 20%?
“Clinicians are undereducated about the lives and concerns of vulnerable populations, including LGBTQI persons, immigrants, physicians, prisoners, and families of patients with diseases considered ‘incompatible with life”-https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23385323/#:~:text=Vulnerable%20populations%20include%20patients%20who,exacerbated%20by%20unnecessarily%20inadequate%20healthcare.
The vulnerable population are at risk for healthcare access- economically, culturally, ethnically, or healthcare characteristics. The vulnerable population in healthcare are:
- LGBTQI persons
- Immigrants
- Physicians
- Prisoners
- Families of patients with diseases consider “incompatible with life”
- Disabled- Sensory, visually, physically, hearing
- Mentally ill
- Ethnic minorities
- Children
With these patients not feeling comfortable in the hospital setting for any of the reasons above, or do not have the capacity to attend the appointment there becomes many effects of not coming to their appointments.
The effects of vulnerable patients in the current NorthShore Hospital
No-show Appointments
Patients who miss appointments tend to report forgetfulness, personal issues, and lack of transport as the main reasons for missing their appointments.- at the northshore hospital their main issue is transportation of information- and how the users interact with it.
Statistically the reasons for missing appointments are: (out of 218 patients who missed their appointments)
- 82, 37.6% had forgotten or not know about their appointments.
- 35, 16.1% had personal reasons-worries, stress, family reasons.
- 15, 6.9% had issues of transportation.
This study explained that patients need reassurance and prompting before their appointments- prompting their information of appointments, helping with information of transportation, also creating understanding for payments and finical advising for their appointments/scans.
For catering to the vulnerable- the design technique used in the design has to be sensitive and considering of these patients needs.
Accessible Design
Accessible design is the process in which the needs of people with disabilities are specifically considered. With referring to the characteristics that produces services and facilities- which can be independently used by people with a variety of disabilities.
Designing for the 20% and having the 80% accommodate for their needs.
Accessible design accommodates to the disabled while keeping in mind of the everyday users- practical and useable for both parties.
Types of potential accessibility issues users will face:
Way-Finding Design Elements for the Disabled
Blind People
Understanding and Processing Information
1.3 Billion people world wide suffer with a form of visual impairment.
Decreased Vision
-Naturally with age eyesights will deteriorate, and approximately one in three people will have a form vision-reducing eye disease by the age of 65.
Since the average patient within the hospital space is the age of 78 a high population of users will have a form of eye issues, so this is a key issue to address with the design of our intervention.
Technologies for visual disabilities:
– Screen readers: these screen readers help blind people by speaking the words on the webpage/screen aloud-communicating between the user and the screen.
-Screen Magnification Systems: for people with slight visual impairments/vision loss, screen magnification systems can be very useful- with allowing the computer users to magnify the area around the cursor or sensored finger as they navigate around the webpage. The basic screen magnifier can enlarge text, icons and graphics up to 20 times the original size.- is accommodated with windows and mac computers/laptops.
https://www.boia.org/blog/screen-magnifiers-who-and-how-they-help
Braille Translators– Braille translator softwares converts the digital documents into Braille files, which can then be printed or read on a Braille display device.
Understanding Way-finding
Having the physical space that is welcoming and easily accessed by people who are blind or have low vision. Less crowed space that cause a less risk of accident. With having these accessible environments and good design benefit everyone in the community.
Having accessible signage is key to ensuring the users can find their way around the space. Either read by sight or touch- different colours+textures.
Guiding themselves through textures
- Toilets and showers—both general and specifically accessible facilities
- Elevators—controls and floor indicators
- Numbers on stair landing hand rails to allow identification of floors
- Office and hotel room name/number plates
- Emergency doors, routes and exits
- Emergency evacuation instructions
- Cautionary signage
- Floor and building directories
- Door controls on public transportation vehicles—emergency and standard
- Free telephones in shopping malls
- Bus stop, interchanges and train platform numbers
- Signage in marae and places of worship
- Operating instructions e.g. for vending machines or toilets
- Offices and meeting rooms
- Reception areas
- Entrances to buildings
They are mandatory: Informative, Directional, Locational
Guidelines for accessible signage: Blind
- Signs should be accessible to all users of the building- blind, deaf, movement cognitive. – Different highness.
- Braille, large print, embossed, pictogram. Always accompany a pictogram with text, to give the image context.
- Braille needs to convey the same info as the text of the sign.
- Don’t convey images just through text and images.
- Encourage to have the same braille with the maori language as well.
- Consistent hight- where it is reachable, without obstruction.
- Place a sign logically and as close to the object-doors, pull, push.
- Place sign of 1200-1600mm from floor.
Guidelines for accessible signage: Visually Impaired
- The colouring contrast with the sign and the background- thick boarder of contrasting colour.
- Embossed and large print- measured in all lighting conditions.
- Avoid placing signs on backgrounds which contain a lot of visual clutter.
- Sign is placed in an area of good lighting.
- Non-reflective surfaces.
Deaf People
Over 5% of the worlds population has a disability with hearing loss, with the number expected to increase by 50% during 2050.
Limited Hearing
-With age people lose the ability to hear high pitched sounds, and also will begin to lose their hearing in general. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, approximately one in three people between the ages of 65-74 has hearing loss, and nearly half of people over the age of 75 have difficulty hearing.
Understanding and Processing Information
Some people with hearing loss use hearing aids to help amplify the sounds within the surrounding environment.
Cochlear implants are also used as an external component and internal (surgical implant). With the implant directly stimulating the auditory nerve to help deaf people recognise sound and speech.- having visuals of people signing or text.
Since people that are deaf cannot hear- the best method of communication is through signing or text- communication.
Understanding Way-finding
Travelling in an Urban environment is a complex processes within itself, but already having a barrier between the environment is a struggle. Human way finding is an interaction between the navigator and the ever-changing world. With this barrier it creates stress and anxiety the experience of travelling exterior.
Being guided by colouring and visuals, since everyone is at different literacy levels
- Having the access to download a navigation app that communicates through vibration or text and mapping to guide users to a space- is a little bit difficult if they are already having to communicate with someone else as well.
Since phone screens as so small and hard to for people that have a sight issue as well as hearing- having the opportunity of having touch based, vibratory information for way finding apps.- vibrating if I am heading in the wrong direction, vibrate when to turn or get off the elevator.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2020.572641/full
Lessened Physical Strength
-Most people will experience gradual decline in muscle strength as the age- with beginning at the ages of 30-40
https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/accessibility
Mobility Issues
Understanding Information
Mobility impairment is understood at disability which varies with types of physical functions. With possibly having upper or lower limb loss, manual dexterity and disability between the co-ordination of the body”s organs. As well as the body having congenital or acquired mobility + people having a momentary skeletal break. = with these disabilities resulting with the aid or crutches, canes, wheels and artificial limbs.
People that suffer from these conditions may also suffer from hearing and eye sensory effects as well. Main idea to focus on for people that may not be at the average height so having any type of signage for the users, is to have it at the required height that every can read and understand it.
https://www.disabled-world.com/disability/types/mobility/
Understanding Way-finding
For people to keep themselves oriented, humans rely on two complementary processes: identification of reference points and dead-reckoning. Having physical/ visual cues and walking the distance to the estimated points.
Since people with cognitive disabilities usually have limitations in both orientation and navigation skills they usually are found accompanied with guidance.- Needing to have extra human resources- Having someone at the hub to guide the users
Way-Finding Design Elements for Immigrant and Ethnic Minorities
Understanding Information
Since the hospital is open to everyone located within the area, the space will have many different races and ethnic groups of users, which will utilise their needed spaces. For everyone to understand the information present the information has to be:
- Have the use of iconography
- Be accessible in main speaking languages throughout the world.
Top ten most spoken languages in the whole:
- Chinese
- Spanish
- English
- Hindi
- Arabic
- Bengali
- Portuguese
- Russian
- Japanese
- Lahnda
babbel.com/en/magazine/the-10-most-spoken-languages-in-the-world
Top spoken languages in New Zealand:
- English
- Te Reo Maori
- Mandarin
- Hindi
- French
- Cantonese
- Tagalog
- German
- Spanish
- Tongan
- Korean
- Arabic
- Tongan
- New Zealand Sign-language
Since there are many languages used to communicate in New Zealand the options of communicating information would have to be in iconography which is a globally understood form of communication, or be able to be translated through apps of personal tools.
Examples of Iconography:
Exampled of Translation
Understanding Way-finding
Symbols and Language
Using these recognition of elements like imagery in an environment is key to way-finding. Using striking and apparent landmarks or structures as reference helps create a mental map for the users of the space- using these icons in imagery to show location and movement.
“In the context of international graphic symbols, what is your opinion on pictograms being described as a universal language?”
Having this universal language adapted or translated into the specific cultural environment will help relate to the users of the space.
Iconography in way-finding
- They have to relate to the environment to be successful
- These images cannot make people think, only look at it for a second and understand the information
- Remove access information- has to be clear and simple to the environment
To be successful it has to have unconscious cues associated with the space- you don’t have to think for your to make the connection, it happens sub-consciously. This process making there be no language barrier no matter where you are.
Way-Finding Design Elements for the Mentally Ill
Understanding Information
Understanding Way-finding
Way-Finding Design Elements for Children
Understanding Information
Understanding Way-finding
Examples of disability designs
Ideas to apply to our design
With considering the pre care package- and mainly catering to the 20%- deaf people will have to be sent a physical form of communication since they wont be able to answer a phone call and understand the information through this manner.
Having an app that/QR code that code be scanned and send up to the speific reception desk/level that the patient is needed to go on to,.
Location of users
This design is used through smart phones and their GPS sensors, with location and guiding the users with a straight foward task.
With the users clicking on the icon of destination and then guiding the users to where they wanted to go through mapping and sound- I think this would be a really cool idea but not only sending the users to their allocated rooms but to the cafe, or bathrooms….Having the users sign a QR code- or digital patient number, type it into their phone they then gain access into the portal/app- can move through where ever they would like to go first.
https://www.ccsdisabilityaction.org.nz/mobility-parking/applications-and-renewal/
Blippar’s Indoor Visual Positioning for enhancing location
AR Navigation system-scanning your QR code or ID number into your phone and it guides you to or destination.
RIO 2016 Olympic Logo/ Visual Identity
In 2016 the design team for the Olympic organising committee created a visual identity for Rio. With creating organic shaped stands that are placed throughout the city, detailing the cultural diversity and vibrancy of the city. – being placed near every sporting arena to which the games are held.
Bring comfort and support to the game goers, to depict that they are near their desired arena or stadium.
Using this HUB of information in and throughout the hospital space- it can be used as an identity of the space, and create a face/leader of the hospitals image.
MID-SEMESTER BREAK
Friday 2nd April
One of my group members Michelle had gone to three other hospitals, MiddleMore, Starship and Auckland Hospitals for further observations and documentation, to have a different perspective on the welcoming experience within other hospital spaces. Here are some of the imagery that she gathered from her trip:
Auckland Hospital Entrance:
Starship Hospital Entrance:
MiddleMore Hospital Hospital Entrance:
As seen from this documentation each space brings off different feelings and experience, with being based on their target audience- who is going to be using the space. With Starship hospital entrance being very bright and childlike compare to MiddleMore hospital which is very small wanting to send the users straight to their destination.
WEEK 5
Monday 12th April
- First day back
- deciding the key concept
WEEK 5
Wednesday 14th April
- development
- concept development
Exploration of shaping a sizing
WEEK 5
Thursday 15th April
- exploration
Concept One
Concept Two
Concept Three
WEEK 5
Friday 16th April
Development for presentation
Site anaylsis
WEEK 6
Monday 19th April
- practise presentation to master students
WEEK 6
Wednesday 21st April
- Dhb presentation
thoughts i suck
WEEK 7
Monday 26th April
WEEK 7
Wednesday 28th April
Moving foward