Beyond Good Intentions: Why Patient Feedback Isn't Enough for Effective Wayfinding in Hospitals
“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would said ‘faster horses’ ”
“Some people say, “Give the customers what they want.” But that’s not my approach. Our job is to figure out what they’re going to want before they do. People don’t know what they want until you show it to them. That’s why I never rely on market research. Our task is to read things that are not yet on the page””
Yes, these quotes of Henry Ford and Steve Jobs may be overused, but it came to mind when I saw that a hospital—despite the best of intentions—asked patients for their feedback on the signage and suggestions for improvements.
While it seems appealing to involve patients in service delivery, in this case, it's not advisable. Good patient wayfinding isn't just a matter of choice; it's an incredibly complex systemic design process. Asking patients for tips only adds a mountain of opinions to the many you've already received from your colleagues.
The only difference is that you can somewhat hide behind it and say: look, this is what the patients want! Conducting a survey to collect opinions is not equivalent to conducting research.
Research is undoubtedly beneficial, but it's best to perform measurements that yield numerical data and ensure that your research is reproducible. In short, design an experiment such that, if you were to conduct it again six months later, you would obtain the same results.
With a survey asking patients for tips on how to improve 'patient wayfinding,' this will not be achievable. Despite all good intentions
