Achieving a lean wayfinding system in complex hospital environments: Design and through-life management

Clementinah Rooke, L. J. Koskela, P. Tzortzopoulos

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

16 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Complex products, such as buildings and other infrastructure, should aim to provide value to the customer over all stages of the product life-cycle. This paper considers some of the challenges associated with maximising customer value when designing, producing, implementing and maintaining a wayfinding system for complex hospital environments. The hypothesis of this paper is that the tri-partite conception of knowledge flow provides a robust evaluative framework for the problems of wayfinding in complex hospital environments. The framework supplements the concepts of information and practice, conventionally applied in knowledge management, with a conception of physical objects and environments as knowledge carrying entities which are constituted, recognised and used in the course of social practice. From a lean perspective, the problems of wayfinding must be reduced or eliminated through adopting a lean knowledge management approach. A review of knowledge management, design, wayfinding and lean literature, together with ongoing participant action research at Salford Royal hospital, are reported in this paper. To ensure that wayfinding information remains immortal throughout the long life cycles of the building, a Through Life Management (TLM) approach is suggested. Thus TLM is viewed as an important consideration in lean construction.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication18th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction, IGLC 18
Subtitle of host publicationWhat Do We Think and What Do We Know? - Challenging Lean Construction Thinking
PublisherThe International Group for Lean Construction
Pages233-242
Number of pages10
Publication statusPublished - 2010
Externally publishedYes
Event18th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction - Haifa, Israel
Duration: 14 Jul 201016 Jul 2010
Conference number: 18

Conference

Conference18th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction
Abbreviated titleIGLC'18
Country/TerritoryIsrael
CityHaifa
Period14/07/1016/07/10

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