Pre-arrival familiarisation

Pre-arrival familiarisation

Pre-arrival familiarisation means helping people understand a place, journey or appointment before they get there.

For many people, the most difficult part of visiting somewhere new is not the visit itself. It is the uncertainty before arrival: where to go, what the space looks like, what will happen next, where the toilets are, how busy it may feel, and whether support or quieter areas are available.

Ocean 3D creates interactive virtual familiarisation tours that allow people to explore real environments in advance, at their own pace, using a phone, tablet or computer.

What pre-arrival familiarisation means Back to top

Pre-arrival familiarisation gives people useful information before they need to use a place in person. It can include photographs, access information, maps, videos, written guidance and interactive virtual tours.

A virtual familiarisation tour can show the actual environment, including entrances, routes, reception areas, waiting areas, toilets, lifts, stairs, seating, assistance points, quieter spaces and other features that may affect someone’s confidence before arrival.

The aim is not to replace staff support or physical access improvements. It is to reduce avoidable uncertainty and make it easier for people to prepare.

Why pre-arrival familiarisation matters Back to top

Unfamiliar places can create practical and emotional barriers. Someone may need to know where to park, which entrance to use, how to find reception, whether there are stairs, where the toilets are, how seating is arranged, or whether there is somewhere quieter to wait.

For some people, this information can be the difference between feeling able to attend and deciding not to go. For organisations, better pre-arrival information can support inclusion, reduce avoidable questions, improve visitor confidence and help staff provide a better service.

Who it can support Back to top

Pre-arrival familiarisation can support many different people, including:

  • autistic people and neurodivergent people who benefit from predictability
  • disabled people checking access routes and facilities
  • people living with anxiety, PTSD or dementia
  • patients preparing for healthcare appointments
  • children, pupils and students preparing for a new school, college or university
  • passengers planning a journey before travelling
  • families, carers and support workers helping someone prepare
  • new staff, contractors and professionals attending unfamiliar workplaces or sites

It can also help any visitor who wants to make a more informed decision before booking, travelling or attending.

Where it can be used Back to top

Pre-arrival familiarisation can be useful wherever people need to understand a place before they arrive. Examples include:

  • GP surgeries, hospitals, clinics and care settings
  • schools, colleges, universities and SEND settings
  • rail services, stations, airports and other transport environments
  • theatres, museums, heritage sites and visitor attractions
  • hotels, hospitality venues and tourism destinations
  • workplaces, training facilities and operational sites

Ocean 3D projects include examples in healthcare, education, transport, theatre, heritage and tourism. These projects show how pre-arrival information can be used for accessibility, visitor confidence, customer experience and operational planning.

Evidence and context Back to top

The evidence base for pre-arrival familiarisation includes research into school transition, public guidance on accessible information and reasonable adjustments, client-published evidence and delivered Ocean 3D projects.

In education, a peer-reviewed study published in Education and Information Technologies examined the effect of an interactive 360° virtual school tour on preschool children starting school. The treatment group showed lower school avoidance, higher school liking and greater co-operative participation than the control group. This supports the idea that advance familiarity with a real environment can help some children during transition, while recognising that results may differ by setting and age group.

In healthcare, NHS England’s Accessible Information Standard and reasonable adjustment materials highlight the importance of accessible information and communication support. Pre-arrival familiarisation can sit alongside those wider duties and good practice where people need clearer information before using a service.

Ocean 3D also commissioned legal advice from Louise Mankau of Doughty Street Chambers. Her 4 June 2021 opinion supports the view that, in suitable circumstances, a virtual familiarisation tour may form part of an auxiliary aid or reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act 2010. This is professional legal opinion, not binding law or regulator approval.

For a fuller explanation of the evidence, see our research and evidence page.

Talk to us

If you are responsible for a healthcare setting, school, college, transport service, visitor destination, venue or workplace, Ocean 3D can help you consider whether pre-arrival familiarisation would be useful, proportionate and appropriate for your setting.

Contact Ocean 3D to discuss a project.