Women’s Expectations of Architecture & Design
It has been pretty interesting to observe this past year or so how many industries are getting more focused on how to develop, rather than grow, their customer base, and on how to serve the “emerging” consumer expectations. While that is always to be applauded, the question is: “what took you so long?” For example, women have been telling health care groups and architects/builders how to better serve them for years, but their preferences just didn’t catch the attention of many of the decision-makers in those industries… until now. Oops.
First, let’s look at a health care example. A recent post by Allison Arieff in the New York Times describes new facility layout and design changes incorporated by Kaiser Permanente. That organization’s re-designs and built environment renovations appear to be to be walking the talk promoted by their new ad campaign, “Thrive.” As Arieff mentions, Kaiser Permanente was motivated to change by research that found (among other things): signage was bad, waiting rooms were not comfortable, the cafeteria food was awful and the examination and hospital rooms were impersonal.
Let’s face it. These should not be stunning new findings for any health care organization. It’s just that, thanks to a bad economy, Kaiser Permanente got the kick in the pants they needed to start to look more closely and address those issues. And, as Arieff describes, they did some very innovative things:
The collaborative team designated 22 key experiences that together add up to what they call a “Total Health Journey.” These touch on each moment of the patient’s experience, from the approach to the facility to the route down the corridor to any stop made along the way, whether at check-in, in an exam room, or at the cafeteria, pharmacy or bathroom. The design solutions that emerged include things as seemingly obvious as clearly marked signage; stairwells that might actually encourage people to take the stairs (and remove the fear that anyone who does so might end up locked in between floors); the creation of outdoor spaces that provide escape and respite, not to mention natural light; transforming typically unwelcoming cafeterias to more people-friendly cafés; and an exam room that emphasizes comfort, privacy and personal control.
In other words, the KP research team finally took a walk in a patient’s shoes. And, a lot of those patients or patient decision-makers are women who would have long since helped the industry figure that all out – if Kaiser Permanente had only asked.
Another industry that seems to have either just realized that women are key to the buying decision, or to only recently have decided to address that fact, is home building/architecture. An AIA Home Design Trends Survey puts it this way:
The continued weakness in the residential market is changing how communities and neighborhoods are being designed. There is greater emphasis at present on integrating homes with activities such as public transportation and commercial and recreational uses. This in turn has generated greater density in developments, with infill locations viewed as popular.
According to that AIA study, a few of the specifics addressed by builders/architects for this newly more pragmatic home buyer include: simpler exteriors, smaller footprint, more energy efficient building, with an emphasis on low maintenance and sustainability; and a focus on creating walkable communities closer to or within urban cores.
But, here’s the thing. Today’s home buyer isn’t “newly” more pragmatic. The home builders and architects are just newly noticing what women have long wanted. That industry, like many others, could have taken the lead long before the economic crisis – if only it had been paying closer attention.
Another two points to consider:
- Being guided and inspired by the way women buy (or experience your hospitals or the homes you build) does not mean you will alienate men. Nor does it mean you have to start from scratch. You just have to risk prioritizing your customers a tad over your profits.
- Incorporating efficiencies and sustainable practices, wherever possible, serves both the consumers labeled “women” and those labeled” eco-aware “- and yes, there’s a lot of crossover. By learning how women make decisions about their health care or their new homes, you also get a primer in how the more values-based buyer of either gender is making his or her choices. (The more you learn about how women buy, the more you know about your “green” consumer.)
Hindsight is indeed 20/20. But, the word is out: learning more about how women buy can keep a brand’s consumer perspective closer to perfect.
*note added 12.14.09 – just saw the CA Green Leaders 2009 (for arch/development) today via Twitter. The insights from those on the list definitely have marketing to women/sustainable home building implications (and I may write more on this at a later date).
