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How Much Time Does a Visitor Study Really Take?
So, you’ve decided you want to do a visitor study. Maybe you want to gather more robust demographic data, better understand visitor motivations, or evaluate a new program. You’ve got the green light, but you’re not sure how much time you’ll need. I get asked this question a lot, so here’s what to expect. In…
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Sampling for Simple Visitor Studies
Sampling is a term that comes up a lot when working with data. You might have someone ask you “How big is the sample size?” for a study. Or you might come across terms like “random sample” or be warned against, “double-counting.” But, what exactly is a sample? A sample is a subset of the…
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The Power of Observation: Using Timing and Tracking in Visitor Studies
You can gather a lot of information about visitors, without ever talking to them. A common observation method used in visitor studies is timing and tracking which – you guessed it – involves timing how long visitors spend in certain areas and tracking where they go. This common method can appear intimidating because of the…
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To cue or not to cue?
To cue, or not to cue? It’s a question that comes up when planning a visitor study. Cueing a visitor is when the visitor is aware, before they even enter the space, they will be asked to evaluate their experience at a museum, park, aquarium, etc. For example, staff at the admissions desk of a…
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How to Start Building Visitor Studies into your Work: Lower the Barriers
So, you want to do a visitor study. Maybe you want to do this as part of planning a new exhibit, to help bring in more visitors, or because you are worried your visitors aren’t connecting with your latest interpretive product. You suggest doing some kind of evaluation, and your colleagues express some interest, but…
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