The Multivariate Structure Of Design Evaluation: A Cylindrex of Nurses' Conceptualizations

Abstract

It is argued that facet theory provides an appropriate framework for examining the structure of the psychological evaluation of building designs. By means of a mapping sentence, a definitional system is provided for the universe of evaluations by nurses of the design and layout of the wards on which they work. A rationale is provided both for the facets and their elements within the mapping sentence, and for their anticipated role within an empirical structure. The structure predicted contains a facet concerning levels of interaction, which is axial to two further facets. One of these, dealing with the object of the nurses' interaction, plays a polarizing role, being modulated by the third facet, which concerns whether the object being interacted with provides patient care and comfort directly or indirectly. Taken together the three facets provide the hypothesis of a cylindrex for nurses' evaluations. Clear empirical evidence for the cylindrex is provided as a result of a three-dimensional smallest-space analysis carried out on the responses given by 1921 nurses in 144 wards in 23 hospitals throughout England to a 93-item questionnaire developed as the result of a series of three pilot questionnaires. The implications of the cylindrex for future research and the development of design proposals are discussed.