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What Should People Do When They Wait?

How do you design for the function of waiting? Do your building occupants ever really wait? Typically, they move from one activity to another, but it is equally important to also design for those in-between moments. What happens during those “between” moments can really impact an occupant’s experience; thus, as a designer, you can make what goes on inside a waiting room a great experience.

Take hospitals, for instance. Once a patient has gone through the initial phase of “checking in”, then begins the often long and frequently boring wait. Unfortunately, many hospital designs don’t place an emphasis on providing for an optimal waiting area — and that is really a missed opportunity.

Just think of the things that could be accomplished and provided for patients, if only architects would give some serious thought to what patients actually need during this time. For example, within a hospital waiting room, patients could get views of nature or be surrounded by calming colors and pleasing sounds — thus, soothing patient anxiety and stress.

Another tactic that would help patients endure those long “waiting periods” involves giving thought to the arrangement and ergonomics of where they sit. Comfort while waiting is key, particularly for hospital patients who might be in a great deal of pain.

I have noticed that many waiting rooms incorporate Read more

Both exterior and interior design elements of a building have the power to influence occupants, and for retail environments those occupants are potential consumers. The goal for most retail owners is to not only make sales during first time visits, but to encourage return visits so consumers become loyal customers.

THE CONSUMER’S DECISION MAKING PROCESS

Explained in the video below is some insightful information about how our human brain center works. It is useful to know that this region of the brain helps us to collect evidence before we make a decision, but did you know that there is another brain region that expresses confidence and/or awareness of that decision?

Just imagine how this might impact your building occupants, especially those that are engaging in consumer behavior.

One sure-fire way to influence customer behavior is to really understand what goes on during the decision making process. In knowing this, your designs can help to sway behavior by introducing elements at just the right time in an occupant’s experience.

Yes, consumer’s must gather evidence that goes into their behavior (whether to buy or not to buy), but much of this evidence can be collected while within a store — if a product is good and presented in just the right way.

THE POWER OF SUGGESTION

The scientist in the following video explains that people tend to underestimate their own confidence in a decision. Sometimes, people have made their decision, but are not yet Read more