transforming streakers, strollers, and studiers into stewards -- nai workshop 2014

Transforming Streakers, Strollers, and Studiers into Stewards

Presented by Sarah Helwick LisleLead Interpretive Planner

Texas State Parks

I’m Sarah, and I plan exhibits.Who are you?

Session Goals

Session Overview• Interpretive Media• Exhibit Experiencers• The 3-30-3 Rule• Design and Layout• Interpretive Writing Tips• Final Thoughts• Questions and Comments

September 26, 1921

September 26, 2014

8 SecondsThe average adult attention span in 2013(8 Seconds) 12 Seconds

The average adult attention span in 2000(12 Seconds)

9 SecondsThe average attention span for a goldfish (9 Seconds)

Source: http://www.statisticbrain.com/attention-span-statistics/

Interpretive Media

Communicate through WORDSCommunicate VISUALLY

What do they have in common?

Interpretive Media

In a well-developed interpretive media product, the text, graphics, and other elements are brought together through effective design and composition to create opportunities for audiences to form their own intellectual and emotional connections with the meanings of the site’s resources.

- Eppley Institute Interpretive Media Course

Wonderful Waysides

Exhibit Experiencers

Ooooh, Pick me!

Me, me, me!

Exhibit Experiencers

THE STREAKER • is in a hurry

• wants info fast, if at all

• is drawn to visuals

• wants to get to the resource now

THE STROLLER • takes a slower pace

• is not in a big hurry

• looks for things of interest

• will linger for things that interest them

• is here for a while

• wants to experience all the content

• is most likely to get your take-home message

THE STUDIER

The 3-30-3 Rule

3 SECONDS

The amount of time it should take for your audience to know what your wayside is about.

30 SECONDS

This should give you enough time to

understand the main idea and

supporting subthemes.

3 MINUTES

The amount of time it should take to read

an entire panel.

I’ll give you 3 seconds,

maybe.

I’ll linger for about

30 seconds.

I’m here to stay. I’ll read

it all in 3 minutes.

So, how do we do it? By creating opportunities for audience types to advance through quality design and writing.

Design and Layout

• Make it organized and give a sense of hierarchy.

• Create portals with text and images.• Use design to help tell your story.• Make everything count.

Make it organized and give a sense of hierarchy.

Title Here

Create portals with text and images.

Title Here

Choosing Images

With a contrasting combination of soft purple petals and a spiny center dome, the purple cone flower attracts a variety of pollinators.

Shutterbug Wannabe

Choosing Images

With a contrasting combination of soft purple petals and a spiny center dome, the purple cone flower attracts a variety of pollinators.

Gengirl, Shutterstock

Use design to help tell your story.

Make everything count.

Interpretive Writing• Use your voice. • Embrace action verbs and visual language.• Make it readable and enjoyable.• Make it accurate.• Make it thought-provoking.

Use Your Voice

Who is speaking?

“Silphium laciniatum (Compass Flower, Compass Plant or Rosinweed) is a species of flowering plant in the genus Silphium. It is native to east-central North America, from southern Ontario and New York south to Alabama and west across the prairies to North Dakota and Colorado south to Texas.”

Embrace action verbs and visual language.

“This yard-square relic of original Wisconsin gives birth, each July, to a man-high stalk of compass plant or cutleaf Silphium, spangled with saucer-sized yellow blooms resembling sunflowers. It is the sole remnant of this plant along the highway, and perhaps the sole remnant in the western half of our county. What a thousand acres of Silphiums looked like when they tickled the bellies of the buffalo is a question never again to be answered, and perhaps not even asked.”

Make it readable and enjoyable.

Make it accurate.

Make it thought-provoking.

Final Thoughts

• You have 3 seconds to get your audience’s attention (lowest common denominator).

• We can’t meet the goal of interpretive media if people don’t stop to look.

• They need a portal. It’s the writing AND the layout!

Lake O.C. Fisher, San Angelo State Park

Questions? Comments?

Thanks, y’all!

Sarah Helwick LisleLead Interpretive Planner

sarah.lisle@tpwd.texas.gov