Museum Research Methods

MUSM7034
Semester 1 2009
Session 4.2 Observation methods
www.arts.usyd.edu.au/departs/museum
http://musm7034.ning.com/

Questions

How do people use the space?

What behaviours are encouraged?
Are there congestion points?
How are things used? Seating, introductory framing.
Are there dead spots?
How does the space work during busy periods?
Do some features encourage social learning?
What features/displays are used most?

Concepts

General Value Principle

Desire Lines

Hubs and cluster points

Concepts

Attracting power proportion who engage with the display

Strongly influenced by location on main pathways

Holding power length of time spent at display

Attracting & Holding Score

= average holding power x percent who looked

Observation methods

Tracking
Counting / timing
Behaviours

Tracking

Follow visitors and mark their path on a floor plan

Record gender, age, visiting group, kids/no kids

Record start time and finish time

Mark path, stopping places and time spent

Use a new map for each person

Summarise data by showing main pathways

Counting and timing

Choose displays/activities you want to focus on

Select specific blocks of time (e.g. 1 hour)

Count the number of people who attend to the display/activity

and how long they spend doing it

Noting behaviours

Behaviours that suggest engagement

Walking toward
Looking, reading

Behaviours that suggest learning (Janette Griffin)

Looking, reading
Pointing, talking (social learning)
Returning (synthesise, reflect, question)

Attend to distance (looking near and far)

Defined behaviours

Specify the learning outcome

Nominate behaviours required to achieve this outcome

Observe behaviours

Example: Marvellous Molecules p17.