Information Design
A book by Robert Jackson
So I was thinking today that I am reading this book but since I usually read it at 7:35am with my breakfast it is going in one ear and out the other. Or some better analogy involving eyes. But point is I want to document my take-aways when I finish a chapter. Since I just finished Chapter 7 “Informational Design in Informal Settings: Museums and Other Public Spaces” by C.G. Screven I will start with it. future posts maybe retroactive in visiting the earlier 6 chapters.
This chapter deals with the human learning, attention and behavior. Screven uses the Museum as an example. He begins by discussing the importance of attention from the visitor. A exhibit can attract attention and hold it for only so much time. It is within this time that the information must be dispensed. The more a person is able to relate to the exhibit the more he or she tends to take time with it. Screven then discusses the numerous other things fighting for attention in the same space or within the individual. Hunger, time, fatigue, children, other exhibits, can all capture the viewers attention and detract from the target message of the exhibit coming across. The time that the viewers attention is held grows in importance as concept levels increase, or as the exhibit has more complicated information it will require the viewer more time to understand it. It is in here that Screven makes the point for strong information design the can increase viewer holding time, or simplify the dispensation of information to be more straight forward. Screven takes a moment to distinguish between mindful and mindless attention. Mindful attention is different in its selectivity, the viewer focuses on elements while ignoring others. The viewer will likely pose questions from the information gathered then searches for answers in the exhibit.
Thinking styles vary and Screven identifies 3 types Legislative, prefers to plan, problem solve,and so forth, Executive style likes to implement, follow established rules and such, the Judicial Style prefers to judge and evaluate. Below these lie three subcategories, Monarchic focusing on one need at a time, Hierarchical work on multiple goals with differing priorities, and Anarchic which avoids rules, guidelines, and regulations, it employs random approaches and insight. Screven states none are better then another but simply to be understood when devising teaching styles as different people will process it differently.
Motivation is the key factor however and a prize must be gotten for having put work in to learn. Screven describes these as Reinforcers and Punishers. Reinforcers need not be a tangible object many things in life are intrinsic positive reinforcers such as daydreaming which allows us to recieve counter intuitive information or making something work, which allows us to measure ourselves against a standard, compete against others. I thought of untangling a knot which is much like this in that the reinforcer is the achievement of doing something others may not have had the patience to do and completing a defined task. So through a contingent exhibit their is a dependent relationship between the viewers actions and consequences. A punisher can become simply a lack of reinforcer. Goals give the viewer something to strive for and require attention to be achieve. By using the information within the exhibit the viewer also translates it to long term memory making his visit more successful as well.
Error or mistakes will happen but as long as the viewer receives encouragement this sets the bar to be reached. If simply guessing he can eliminate the wrong answers till he gets the right ones there is no reason to pay attention and learn.
Screven finishes with a few examples of succesful exhibits. I found the chapter to be enightning in terms of how people learn to the way that design can be applied to allow people to make the best of themselves.
2 years ago