Using isovist views to study placement of large displays in natural settings

In this paper we present the concept of an isovist, derived from the architectural literature, and describe how isovists can help HCI researchers understand visibility in a physical environment. An isovist is defined as the set of all points visible in all directions from a given vantage point in space. The overlap in isovists from two or more locations can be used to assess reciprocal visibility and thereby assist in the placement of large displays for public or shared use. We illustrate the value of isovists for HCI research using field data from two OR suites in two major urban hospitals. First, we show how patterns of interaction between anesthesiologists and nurses in each of two OR suites are associated with quantity of isovist overlap. Then, we show how an isovist analysis can be used to determine a better placement for the shared display in one of the OR suites to enhance coordination between groups.