Go Your Own Way
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1st Floor, 17-21 Old Street, London EC1V 9HF
t +44 (0)20 3058 1100 f +44 (0)20 7253 6846
e jay.nicholl@makeitclear.co.uk www.makeitclear.co.uk
Go your own way
Achieving visitor autonomy in museums and gallery spaces
Different built environments prescribe different levels of visitor autonomy. While some create significant barriers and require visitors to be accompanied, such as corporate offices and government buildings, others, such as retail centres are designed to provide unhindered access to all and often provide facilities, such as catering and toilets, that enable visitors to stay within the environment for extended periods. Museums and galleries introduce their own difficulties, enjoyment of the gallery experience relies largely on the ability to create one’s own journey of exploration and discovery. This makes it difficult to impose a single ‘correct’ path on visitors. Additionally, as artworks, artefacts and exhibits must take precedence to sign systems, large spaces are often unavailable for visitor information provision. However a structured approach is possible. The way information is communicated and the autonomy it enables is essential to the experience that visitors have. Unfamiliar environments are accompanied by a certain amount of anxiety. First time visitors need to move from starting points confidently. It is an essential part of any communications approach that the visitor is aided in every decision by both explicit and implicit messages, guidance and signage. Visitors may come to a museum or gallery for very different reasons, but the majority will follow a fairly standard decision making cycle. A simple explanation of this process can be derived from the Boyd or OODA loop, developed to analyse the reasons some fighter pilots were so much more successful than others. This loop, which was originally identified by Colonel John Boyd1 of the USAF, notes four principle actions in a decision making cycle, Observe, Orientate, Decide, Act. If we apply these to a museum or gallery we can outline the principle characteristics of visitor decision making. Simply put, the visitor must observe the space to see what options are available to them, orientate themselves within the space, decide which option to take and then act upon that decision. Once that action has been completed the loop starts again. Boyd goes on to define sub-actions and loops with specific reference to aerial combat, here the focus will be on the four principle actions, to illustrate how focussing on this simple framework can deliver better communication and greater visitor autonomy. Simply put, any communications strategy for a built environment should be focussed on helping the visitor at as many points during the decision making cycle as possible, raising awareness of the museum or gallery’s offerings and encouraging them to extend their visit and learn more.
Key issues for the messages:
Clarity Visitors should not have to work to understand what is being communicated. Simplicity Initial information should be communicated at top line level. Distinctiveness Messages about different elements may have their own distinctive graphic style. Ownership It should be clear that the messages are owned by the building. How well these messages communicate is also dependent on their level of visibility.
Orientate
Within a museum or gallery, orientation can refer to two distinct problems. It can be strictly relational, for example, establishing where the visitor is in relation to the toilets or other fixed facility. Or, inter-relational i.e. referring to where the visitor is in the gallery flow which in turn is related to their position in the building. Orientation is mostly dependent on good wayfinding. The ease with which visitors can solve the orientation problem depends on how comprehensible the space is.
Key problems caused by difficulty in wayfinding include:
• Not knowing what is available • Getting lost • Misunderstanding
In general, visitors orientate themselves using common features, such as paths, landmarks, regions, edges and barriers. The reliability of visitor responses to these features provides a framework through which a comprehensible space can be established.
Principles for effective wayfinding:
• Use maps • Use signs at decision points to help wayfinding decisions • Minimise options in the navigation • Create a clear identity at each location • Define well structured paths • Use landmarks to give orientation cues • Give regions different character • Use sight lines to reassure and reinforce
Observe
The value of a complete and comprehensive hierarchy in the messages is most apparent at the observation level. While different messages will need different priority at different points around the spaces, the key location for establishing the communication methods and hierarchy is at the entrance to the gallery. Visitors should be able to see very quickly what is on and where more detailed information is available, so they can go through their initial decision making cycle extremely quickly. This encourages movement away from the entrances and helps to prevent flocking problems, which can itself cause anxiety and disorientation. A primary need of the visitor is to become comfortable in their surroundings, the first stage in this process takes place inside the entrance. All subsequent messages must be consistent with the primary messages as seen in the entrance by the visitors.
Decide
Visitors can be aided in their decision making. Providing calls to action at key decision points reduces the burden on visitors of constructing a rational path for themselves through an unknown space. Importantly, this does not constrain the visitor to only choosing the options promoted by the messages, freedom of action is not reduced, but by implying a ‘correct’ choice it provides reassurance, wandering ‘off the map’ is much more enjoyable if you know that you can return to it easily.
white paper | go your own way - achieving visitor autonomy in museums and gallery spaces
page 1
1st Floor, 17-21 Old Street, London EC1V 9HF
t +44 (0)20 3058 1340 f +44 (0)20 7253 6846
e accounts@makeitclear.co.uk www.makeitclear.co.uk
Strong promotions can be made where flocking points have been identified. Dependent on the position within the museum or gallery these promotions may vary, at the entrance it may be valuable to promote a paid for exhibition, whereas in a space elsewhere in the building it may be better to promote the café or restaurant. Promoting specific campaigns, artworks or artefacts, as well as retail outlets such as a shop or café, in locations that are most closely linked to exit routes may improve the number of people who donate, visit the retail spaces, or decide to revisit, before leaving.
Footnotes
1 Manipulating the OODA loop: The overlooked role of information resource management in information warfare, Capt. Gregory M Schechtman, Air Force Institute of Technology, 1996 (Thesis) 2 Designing Navigable Information Spaces, Mark A. Foltz, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1998 (Thesis)
Act
The ability to act is dependent on navigational issues and correct understanding of information. To act successfully, the visitor needs to be in a ‘principled information space’. According to Mark Foltz2 for a space to be principled, three things are necessary: • Orientation should be recoverable at every point. • he visitor should be able to make the ‘correct’ next decision, even if T the eventual destination is unknown. • Information must be placed according to the guiding principal. Poor communication can create problems throughout this process. The visitor may not be able to establish where they are, making any action taken toward the goal guesswork, provoking anxiety. Finally the visitor may have misunderstood the nature of the exhibition/gallery/space so that when they do act, the result is unsatisfying. The ability to act is absolutely central to a visitor’s perception of their autonomy and their autonomy essential to their subsequent satisfaction. A museum or gallery visit should always be an enjoyable experience. Because of the diversity in their audience any museum or gallery is reliant to some extent on the visitor self-selecting their own areas of interest to achieve that positive result. It is important, therefore, to work in collaboration with visitors. Not only provoking interest in displays and communicating about them but also providing the tools that enable visitors to act confidently in exploring, discovering and learning on their own. Moving visitors from passive viewers to active participants allows visitors to ‘own’ their visit. Focussing on visitor autonomy, their ability to act, offers the opportunity to truly transform their experience.
Written by Jay Nicholl - Partner
“It is insight into human nature that is the key to the communicator’s skill. For whereas the writer is concerned with what he puts into his writing, the communicator is concerned with what the reader gets out of it.”
- William Bernbach
white paper | go your own way - achieving visitor autonomy in museums and gallery spaces
page 2
1st Floor, 17-21 Old Street, London EC1V 9HF
t +44 (0)20 3058 1100 f +44 (0)20 7253 6846
e jay.nicholl@makeitclear.co.uk www.makeitclear.co.uk
Go your own way
Achieving visitor autonomy in museums and gallery spaces
Different built environments prescribe different levels of visitor autonomy. While some create significant barriers and require visitors to be accompanied, such as corporate offices and government buildings, others, such as retail centres are designed to provide unhindered access to all and often provide facilities, such as catering and toilets, that enable visitors to stay within the environment for extended periods. Museums and galleries introduce their own difficulties, enjoyment of the gallery experience relies largely on the ability to create one’s own journey of exploration and discovery. This makes it difficult to impose a single ‘correct’ path on visitors. Additionally, as artworks, artefacts and exhibits must take precedence to sign systems, large spaces are often unavailable for visitor information provision. However a structured approach is possible. The way information is communicated and the autonomy it enables is essential to the experience that visitors have. Unfamiliar environments are accompanied by a certain amount of anxiety. First time visitors need to move from starting points confidently. It is an essential part of any communications approach that the visitor is aided in every decision by both explicit and implicit messages, guidance and signage. Visitors may come to a museum or gallery for very different reasons, but the majority will follow a fairly standard decision making cycle. A simple explanation of this process can be derived from the Boyd or OODA loop, developed to analyse the reasons some fighter pilots were so much more successful than others. This loop, which was originally identified by Colonel John Boyd1 of the USAF, notes four principle actions in a decision making cycle, Observe, Orientate, Decide, Act. If we apply these to a museum or gallery we can outline the principle characteristics of visitor decision making. Simply put, the visitor must observe the space to see what options are available to them, orientate themselves within the space, decide which option to take and then act upon that decision. Once that action has been completed the loop starts again. Boyd goes on to define sub-actions and loops with specific reference to aerial combat, here the focus will be on the four principle actions, to illustrate how focussing on this simple framework can deliver better communication and greater visitor autonomy. Simply put, any communications strategy for a built environment should be focussed on helping the visitor at as many points during the decision making cycle as possible, raising awareness of the museum or gallery’s offerings and encouraging them to extend their visit and learn more.
Key issues for the messages:
Clarity Visitors should not have to work to understand what is being communicated. Simplicity Initial information should be communicated at top line level. Distinctiveness Messages about different elements may have their own distinctive graphic style. Ownership It should be clear that the messages are owned by the building. How well these messages communicate is also dependent on their level of visibility.
Orientate
Within a museum or gallery, orientation can refer to two distinct problems. It can be strictly relational, for example, establishing where the visitor is in relation to the toilets or other fixed facility. Or, inter-relational i.e. referring to where the visitor is in the gallery flow which in turn is related to their position in the building. Orientation is mostly dependent on good wayfinding. The ease with which visitors can solve the orientation problem depends on how comprehensible the space is.
Key problems caused by difficulty in wayfinding include:
• Not knowing what is available • Getting lost • Misunderstanding
In general, visitors orientate themselves using common features, such as paths, landmarks, regions, edges and barriers. The reliability of visitor responses to these features provides a framework through which a comprehensible space can be established.
Principles for effective wayfinding:
• Use maps • Use signs at decision points to help wayfinding decisions • Minimise options in the navigation • Create a clear identity at each location • Define well structured paths • Use landmarks to give orientation cues • Give regions different character • Use sight lines to reassure and reinforce
Observe
The value of a complete and comprehensive hierarchy in the messages is most apparent at the observation level. While different messages will need different priority at different points around the spaces, the key location for establishing the communication methods and hierarchy is at the entrance to the gallery. Visitors should be able to see very quickly what is on and where more detailed information is available, so they can go through their initial decision making cycle extremely quickly. This encourages movement away from the entrances and helps to prevent flocking problems, which can itself cause anxiety and disorientation. A primary need of the visitor is to become comfortable in their surroundings, the first stage in this process takes place inside the entrance. All subsequent messages must be consistent with the primary messages as seen in the entrance by the visitors.
Decide
Visitors can be aided in their decision making. Providing calls to action at key decision points reduces the burden on visitors of constructing a rational path for themselves through an unknown space. Importantly, this does not constrain the visitor to only choosing the options promoted by the messages, freedom of action is not reduced, but by implying a ‘correct’ choice it provides reassurance, wandering ‘off the map’ is much more enjoyable if you know that you can return to it easily.
white paper | go your own way - achieving visitor autonomy in museums and gallery spaces
page 1
1st Floor, 17-21 Old Street, London EC1V 9HF
t +44 (0)20 3058 1340 f +44 (0)20 7253 6846
e accounts@makeitclear.co.uk www.makeitclear.co.uk
Strong promotions can be made where flocking points have been identified. Dependent on the position within the museum or gallery these promotions may vary, at the entrance it may be valuable to promote a paid for exhibition, whereas in a space elsewhere in the building it may be better to promote the café or restaurant. Promoting specific campaigns, artworks or artefacts, as well as retail outlets such as a shop or café, in locations that are most closely linked to exit routes may improve the number of people who donate, visit the retail spaces, or decide to revisit, before leaving.
Footnotes
1 Manipulating the OODA loop: The overlooked role of information resource management in information warfare, Capt. Gregory M Schechtman, Air Force Institute of Technology, 1996 (Thesis) 2 Designing Navigable Information Spaces, Mark A. Foltz, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1998 (Thesis)
Act
The ability to act is dependent on navigational issues and correct understanding of information. To act successfully, the visitor needs to be in a ‘principled information space’. According to Mark Foltz2 for a space to be principled, three things are necessary: • Orientation should be recoverable at every point. • he visitor should be able to make the ‘correct’ next decision, even if T the eventual destination is unknown. • Information must be placed according to the guiding principal. Poor communication can create problems throughout this process. The visitor may not be able to establish where they are, making any action taken toward the goal guesswork, provoking anxiety. Finally the visitor may have misunderstood the nature of the exhibition/gallery/space so that when they do act, the result is unsatisfying. The ability to act is absolutely central to a visitor’s perception of their autonomy and their autonomy essential to their subsequent satisfaction. A museum or gallery visit should always be an enjoyable experience. Because of the diversity in their audience any museum or gallery is reliant to some extent on the visitor self-selecting their own areas of interest to achieve that positive result. It is important, therefore, to work in collaboration with visitors. Not only provoking interest in displays and communicating about them but also providing the tools that enable visitors to act confidently in exploring, discovering and learning on their own. Moving visitors from passive viewers to active participants allows visitors to ‘own’ their visit. Focussing on visitor autonomy, their ability to act, offers the opportunity to truly transform their experience.
Written by Jay Nicholl - Partner
“It is insight into human nature that is the key to the communicator’s skill. For whereas the writer is concerned with what he puts into his writing, the communicator is concerned with what the reader gets out of it.”
- William Bernbach
white paper | go your own way - achieving visitor autonomy in museums and gallery spaces
page 2
