context
The Seattle VA Medical Center is the primary Veteran hospital facility in the Pacific Northwest and the 5th largest nationwide. With a challenging site location and no consistent wayfinding, this sprawling facility is disorienting and difficult to navigate. Though well-intentioned, DIY wayfinding solutions from staff are inconsistent and non-ADA compliant. This lack of cohesion negatively affects patients, providers, visitors, and volunteers.
Every day, staff members interrupt work to assist disoriented Veterans. Unfortunately, this kindness adds up to lost time and productivity when staff are pulled away from work. We did the math - a conservative estimate of this lost time is about $2 million annually.
CHALLENGe
Improve the patient experience by implementing a clear, cohesive, and comprehensive wayfinding program.
ROLE
Community Research
Learning Design
Concept Development & Design
Fabrication Management
A major source of confusion is a lack of consistent, reliable maps.
Zone icons leverage the first letter of the zone name, bounded within a colored shape. These icons were loosely inspired by the simple, iconic forms of US Military medals. Zone names were chosen by patients, staff, and volunteers. These values encompass the professional and personal lives of Veterans and civilians alike who contribute to and enrich the culture of the VA.
Our team produced a companion wayfinding manual to act as a toolkit to implement and maintain the wayfinding system. It also serves as a foundation to replicate the success of the Seattle VA Hospital wayfinding program at other VA locations nationwide.
