Improving hospital navigation, step by step
Back in 2016, we worked with The Alfred—one of Australia’s busiest trauma centres—to deliver a new signage manual and improve wayfinding in key zones like the main entrance and central corridor. It helped. But by 2024, the cracks were showing. Naming conventions weren’t holding up, signage had been added in bits and pieces, and departments had moved. Patients and visitors were still getting lost.
Project
The Alfred Melbourne
Client
Alfred Health
Collaborators
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Size
Project Build Cost
Focus
Wayfinding
User Experience
Validation
Testing & Research
It was time to take a step back, look at the whole campus, and build something more consistent, inclusive and future-proof.
What needed fixing The Alfred is a big place. Multiple buildings. Many entrances. Services that reach across Victoria. We ran a full gap analysis, reviewed every touchpoint, and spoke to patients, staff and volunteers. What we found came down to five major issues:
1. Confusing pre-visit communication
People received conflicting details depending on where they looked. Website, SMS, letters—none of it matched what they saw when they arrived. Information about accessible entrances or support for sensory needs was missing or unclear.
2. An incomplete system
Some key areas had signage. Others didn’t. Routes broke down midway, and whole sections of the hospital—including the carpark—had no pedestrian wayfinding at all.
3. Signage that disappeared into the background
White signs on white walls. Bright wall graphics with no actual information. It all looked cheerful but didn’t help people find their way.
4. Language that made things worse
Buildings called The Alfred, Alfred Centre and Alfred Lane House. Wards called East or South with no clear relation to blocks or floors. The more signs you added, the more confusing it got.
5. Constant change, no plan for it
Departments moved. Services relocated. But without a flexible update system, temporary signage became permanent, and directories were full of old information.
Our approach
We worked closely with Alfred Health from day one, mapping every issue to a practical solution. Five workstreams took shape:
Entrances and internal corridors: We introduced clear area naming (Area A, B, etc.) and a new colour palette to improve visibility and reduce visual noise.
Carpark navigation: For the first time, people arriving by car are guided safely from their parking spot to the hospital and back again.
External campus wayfinding: New maps and directional signage now help people navigate between buildings with confidence.
Pre-visit communications: We aligned letters, SMS and online content with the on-site system—reducing confusion before people even leave home.
Ongoing management: We built a full signage inventory, a temporary signage framework, and clear principles to avoid piecemeal fixes in the future.
How we did it
We kept things low-fi at first. Sketches, mock-ups, rough prototypes—then quick feedback, iteration, and trials. We tested full-size signs on-site, ran online surveys, and held sessions with staff, volunteers and patients.
We supported Alfred Health through the operational implications of big changes like renaming buildings. By involving the project control group early, supporting risk management, and building consensus, we avoided bottlenecks and kept progress on track.
We also softened the visual tone. Out went high-energy orange. In came calming greens. The result is a clearer, quieter, more legible system that still feels part of The Alfred.
Where it's heading ...
Implementation has started, beginning with the carpark. It’s being phased to avoid disruption, and we’re developing guidance and training so internal teams can maintain and grow the system in the future.
Initial feedback has been strong. Staff and volunteers feel heard. Patients report less stress. And for the first time in years, The Alfred has a unified, inclusive wayfinding system that can evolve with it.
Because in healthcare, finding your way isn’t a nice extra. It’s part of what makes people feel safe.
