The Effects of Information Format and Spatial Cognition on Individual Wayfinding Performance
Buildings with spatially complex interiors poise unique challenges during operations and maintenance. A complex interior makes wayfinding difficult, which can inhibit daily occupants from finding their desired location. Additionally, it can hamper emergency responders and evacuations during extreme...
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doaj-10ad296a30a7448fb7520b5f1184951d2020-11-24T21:34:57ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092019-01-01922910.3390/buildings9020029buildings9020029The Effects of Information Format and Spatial Cognition on Individual Wayfinding PerformanceAntoine Verghote0Sara Al-Haddad1Paul Goodrum2Sylvie Van Emelen3Construction department, ECAM, 1200 Brussels, BelgiumDepartment of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0428, USADepartment of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0428, USAConstruction department, ECAM, 1200 Brussels, BelgiumBuildings with spatially complex interiors poise unique challenges during operations and maintenance. A complex interior makes wayfinding difficult, which can inhibit daily occupants from finding their desired location. Additionally, it can hamper emergency responders and evacuations during extreme emergency events. An experiment was conducted to analyze the effects of different information formats and spatial cognition on individual wayfinding in unknown environments. Participants were asked to memorize either a set of two-dimensional (2D) drawings or a three-dimensional (3D) model before navigating through a series of checkpoints in an unfamiliar environment. Individual wayfinding is dependent on an individual’s use of route knowledge or survey knowledge. Route knowledge was assessed from the start of the route to Checkpoint A (i.e., the first checkpoint). Meanwhile, survey knowledge was assessed from Checkpoint A to Checkpoint B. Spatial cognition of participants was measured by administering the card rotation and cube comparison tests. The research found that 3D models have a beneficial impact on the success of individual wayfinding. Furthermore, the success rate of the participants with a low spatial cognition improved significantly when using a 3D model rather than a set of 2D drawings. However, the success rates of participants with a high spatial cognition were not affected by the format of information. While the above results are significant, more experimentation is needed to confirm whether 3D information does effectively lower cognitive demand.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/9/2/29wayfindingspatial cognitioncognitive analysisengineering information deliveryroute knowledgesurvey knowledge |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Antoine Verghote Sara Al-Haddad Paul Goodrum Sylvie Van Emelen |
spellingShingle |
Antoine Verghote Sara Al-Haddad Paul Goodrum Sylvie Van Emelen The Effects of Information Format and Spatial Cognition on Individual Wayfinding Performance Buildings wayfinding spatial cognition cognitive analysis engineering information delivery route knowledge survey knowledge |
author_facet |
Antoine Verghote Sara Al-Haddad Paul Goodrum Sylvie Van Emelen |
author_sort |
Antoine Verghote |
title |
The Effects of Information Format and Spatial Cognition on Individual Wayfinding Performance |
title_short |
The Effects of Information Format and Spatial Cognition on Individual Wayfinding Performance |
title_full |
The Effects of Information Format and Spatial Cognition on Individual Wayfinding Performance |
title_fullStr |
The Effects of Information Format and Spatial Cognition on Individual Wayfinding Performance |
title_full_unstemmed |
The Effects of Information Format and Spatial Cognition on Individual Wayfinding Performance |
title_sort |
effects of information format and spatial cognition on individual wayfinding performance |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Buildings |
issn |
2075-5309 |
publishDate |
2019-01-01 |
description |
Buildings with spatially complex interiors poise unique challenges during operations and maintenance. A complex interior makes wayfinding difficult, which can inhibit daily occupants from finding their desired location. Additionally, it can hamper emergency responders and evacuations during extreme emergency events. An experiment was conducted to analyze the effects of different information formats and spatial cognition on individual wayfinding in unknown environments. Participants were asked to memorize either a set of two-dimensional (2D) drawings or a three-dimensional (3D) model before navigating through a series of checkpoints in an unfamiliar environment. Individual wayfinding is dependent on an individual’s use of route knowledge or survey knowledge. Route knowledge was assessed from the start of the route to Checkpoint A (i.e., the first checkpoint). Meanwhile, survey knowledge was assessed from Checkpoint A to Checkpoint B. Spatial cognition of participants was measured by administering the card rotation and cube comparison tests. The research found that 3D models have a beneficial impact on the success of individual wayfinding. Furthermore, the success rate of the participants with a low spatial cognition improved significantly when using a 3D model rather than a set of 2D drawings. However, the success rates of participants with a high spatial cognition were not affected by the format of information. While the above results are significant, more experimentation is needed to confirm whether 3D information does effectively lower cognitive demand. |
topic |
wayfinding spatial cognition cognitive analysis engineering information delivery route knowledge survey knowledge |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/9/2/29 |
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