Using Eye-Tracking to Create Impactful Interpretation Signage for Botanic Gardens and Other Visitor Attractions

Despite their prevalence in almost all publicly orientated conservation settings, sign design receives limited attention in the research literature. We used a remote eye-tracking device to test how visitors read educational signs, maps, and species signage. Three designs, plus a plain-text control s...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of zoological and botanical gardens Vol. 5; no. 3; pp. 434 - 454
Main Authors Spooner, Sarah L., Heath, Nicola, Dymond, Tee
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Basel MDPI AG 01.09.2024
Subjects
Aquariums
Art galleries & museums
Botanical gardens
Data collection
Design
Environmental education
Eye movements
Holidays & special occasions
map design
Museum exhibits
museum labels
Reading
sign design
Signs
Software
Species extinction
threat status
Threatened species
visitor information
zoo signage
Zoos
United Kingdom > UK
Kenya
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:Despite their prevalence in almost all publicly orientated conservation settings, sign design receives limited attention in the research literature. We used a remote eye-tracking device to test how visitors read educational signs, maps, and species signage. Three designs, plus a plain-text control sign, were tested for each sign type. Sign content was based on Brackenhurst Botanic Garden, Kenya, and included four different information texts (156–256 words long) and a species information text (64 words long). Four presentations of extinction threat status were also tested as were depictions of trail routes on maps. Data were collected from 51 participants at six cultural venues across Nottingham, U.K. Signs positioned centre-left of an exhibit were read first. Information on the left-hand side of signs was read first and dwelled upon the longest. Signs with a single large image and a single block of text were generally preferred, and images were most frequently recalled. Extinction threat status was most frequently viewed and best recalled from green–red thermometer diagrams and least from the IUCN red list diagram. Map routes were clearest when presented as coloured solid lines. This study indicates the potential benefit of eye-tracking research for measuring sign use and assisting in sign design.
ISSN:2673-5636
2673-5636
DOI:10.3390/jzbg5030029