Carmen Llinares Millán

BASES METODOLÓGICAS PARA UNA NUEVA PLATAFORMA DE MEDIDA DEL COMPORTAMIENTO HUMANO EN ENTORNOS VIRTUALES

Para evaluar la funcionalidad y el rendimiento de un espacio se analiza el comportamiento de sus usuarios. Este se ha medido tradicionalmente a partir de encuestas y observacion, con las limitaciones de tratarse de valoraciones subjetivas, influenciadas por el entrevistador y/o observador, y, en el caso de la observacion, evaluar el espacio a posteriori, una vez ejecutado el proyecto. Hoy en dia, la realidad virtual solventa estos problemas, al ser capaz de representar escenarios de forma realista, inmersiva e interactiva, permitiendo analizar con un bajo coste el comportamiento de los usuarios antes de que se ejecuten los proyectos, en un entorno controlado. El presente articulo presenta las bases metodologicas para una nueva plataforma de medida del comportamiento humano en entornos virtuales, que ayudara en la toma de decisiones a traves de la pre-evaluacion de los espacios antes de ser ejecutados. Se define una metodologia aplicable con la tecnologia actual, a partir de la cual se obtendran metricas con las que optimizar la funcionalidad y el rendimiento de espacios de futura construccion o remodelacion de los ya existentes. La herramienta es transversal ya que puede aplicarse a cualquier proyecto que tenga como elemento fundamental el transito de personas, ya sean espacios comerciales, culturales, dotacionales o de ocio, y se presentan diferentes ejemplos de aplicacion practica. Palabras clave: metricas, comportamiento humano, HBT, realidad virtual, proyectos, toma de decisiones, pre-evaluacion

Influence of Color in a Lactation Room on Users’ Affective Impressions and Preferences

Objective: The present study aims to examine the influence of environmental color hue in a lactation room at a health center on users’ affective response and preference. Background: Hospital design plays an important role in the emotional experience of patients. In this regard, many studies have attempted to find relationships between design variables and healthcare facilities users’ response. Color has been frequently examined because it is always present in the environment and can be easily changed. However, most of the studies dealing with color–emotion relationships acquire users’ affective response by questionnaires developed by experts which could lead to inaccurate results since nonexperts may misunderstand concepts set by experts and use nonimmersive images to simulate the environments to assess. Methods: To overcome these limitations, a Kansei Engineering–based approach was proposed. In the first phase, users’ specific affective factors for lactation rooms were determined using Semantic Differential. In the second phase, the influence of nine different color hues on users’ affective factors was obtained. An immersive display system was used to visualize the room altering hues in an isolated and controlled way. Results: (1) Six user’s affective factors connected to the lactation rooms were discovered: safety, elegance, coziness, spaciousness, simplicity, and luminosity, of which coziness has the most impact on the assessment of the room. (2) Warm colors like orange and yellow tend to score highly for coziness which puts them in leading positions when users’ assess lactation rooms. Conclusions: Results provide recommendations for designers and show the advantages of using semantic differential and immersive displays to analyze user’s affective response to environments.

User Evaluation of Neonatology Ward Design: An Application of Focus Group and Semantic Differential

Objective: The object of this article is to identify the set of affective and emotional factors behind users’ assessments of a space in a neonatology unit and to propose design guidelines based on these. Background: The importance of the neonatology service and the variety of users place great demands on the space at all levels. Despite the repercussions, the emotional aspects of the environment have received less attention. Methods: To avoid incurring limitations in the user mental scheme, this study uses two complementary methodologies: focus group and semantic differential. The (qualitative) focus group methodology provides exploratory information and concepts. The (quantitative) semantic differential methodology then uses these concepts to extract the conceptual structures that users employ in their assessment of the space. Of the total 175 subjects, 31 took part in focus groups and 144 in semantic differential. Results: Five independent concepts were identified: privacy, functionality and professional nature, spaciousness, lighting, and cleanliness. In relation to the importance of the overall positive assessment of the space, the perception of privacy and sensations of dominance and pleasure are fundamental. Six relevant design aspects were also identified: provide spacious surroundings, facilitate sufficient separation between the different posts or cots, use different colors from those usually found in health-care centers, as some aversion was found to white and especially green, design areas with childhood themes, use warm artificial light, and choose user-friendly equipment. Conclusions: Results provide design recommendations of interest and show the possibilities offered by combining both systems to analyze user response.

User Evaluation of Neonatology Ward Design.

Objective: The object of this article is to identify the set of affective and emotional factors behind users’ assessments of a space in a neonatology unit and to propose design guidelines based on these. Background: The importance of the neonatology service and the variety of users place great demands on the space at all levels. Despite the repercussions, the emotional aspects of the environment have received less attention. Methods: To avoid incurring limitations in the user mental scheme, this study uses two complementary methodologies: focus group and semantic differential. The (qualitative) focus group methodology provides exploratory information and concepts. The (quantitative) semantic differential methodology then uses these concepts to extract the conceptual structures that users employ in their assessment of the space. Of the total 175 subjects, 31 took part in focus groups and 144 in semantic differential. Results: Five independent concepts were identified: privacy, functionality and professional nature, spaciousness, lighting, and cleanliness. In relation to the importance of the overall positive assessment of the space, the perception of privacy and sensations of dominance and pleasure are fundamental. Six relevant design aspects were also identified: provide spacious surroundings, facilitate sufficient separation between the different posts or cots, use different colors from those usually found in health-care centers, as some aversion was found to white and especially green, design areas with childhood themes, use warm artificial light, and choose user-friendly equipment. Conclusions: Results provide design recommendations of interest and show the possibilities offered by combining both systems to analyze user response.