Emerald Login
   

Welcome guest

Article Request:
Affective design of waiting areas in primary healthcare

Article Information:

Title:

Affective design of waiting areas in primary healthcare

Author(s):

Ebru Ayas, Jorgen Eklund, Shigekazu Ishihara

Journal:

The TQM Journal

Year:

2008

Volume:

20

Issue:

4

Page:

389 - 408


ISSN:

1754-2731


DOI:

10.1108/17542730810881366

Publisher:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited


Acknowledgements:

The authors would like to thank Mattias Elg for his feedback and discussions on the study and psychologist, Ms Rebecka Lundgren, who graduated from Linköping University in 2007, for her work during interviews. Special thanks are due to Ms Maria Rasch and Ms Marie Lindström from Östergötland County Council, Sweden for their fruitful discussions during the planning of the study.

Document Access:

Existing customers:

Please login above.

Purchase this document:
Price payable: GBP £13.00
plus handling charge of GBP £1.50 and VAT where applicable.
Purchase

Request this document:
Print or e-mail a document request to your librarian.
Request

Reprints & permissions:
Image: Rightslink Request

Abstract:

Purpose – This paper seeks to deal with affective design of waiting areas (servicescapes) and has twofold aims. The first, is to explore affective values for waiting areas. The second, is to identify interactions between physical design attributes and affective values.

Design/methodology/approach – This study included a free association method for data collection, applying Kansei engineering methodology to extract design solutions relating to specific feelings. The study was undertaken at six primary health centres in Ostergotland County, Sweden. In total, 88 participants (60 patients and 28 staff) were interviewed.

Findings – The selected waiting areas show significant differences for their perceived affective qualities. The most desired feeling for creating affective values is found to be “calm”. The core design attributes contributing to this feeling are privacy, colours, child play-areas and green plants. Good design of lighting, seating arrangements and a low sound level are also important design attributes to give a more complete design solution.

Research limitations/implications – The study provides useful insights for understanding affective needs in servicescapes, and it provides design suggestions. The results have not been analysed separately for gender or different age groups.

Practical implications – The paper proposes a framework model to be applied when dealing with affective values in servicescapes.

Originality/value – This paper makes an original contribution to understand affective values towards the physical environment in servicescape design. It offers a methodology to study complex environments with many alternative design solutions using limited resources. Moreover, this study uses a combination of a free association method and Rough Sets theory in affective design.

Keywords:

Affective psychology, Community health centres, Design, Health services sector, Rooms


Article Type:

Research paper


Article URL:

http://www.emeraldinsight.com/10.1108/17542730810881366

Top