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Interpretive Planning for the next millennium
–
The "product of the product" – "outcome based
planning" and the "experience economy".
By
John A. Veverka
It’s easy to come up with new ideas; the hard part is letting go of what worked
for you two years ago, but will soon be out-of-date.
When we do interpretive planning – what are we planning for? In the old days (a
few years ago), most interpretive planning involved a simple process. When we were doing
an interpretive master plan for a park or historic site for example, we looked at the
resources or landscape, and the main interpretive message, and "planned" what
interpretive services or media would go where to best illustrate the story. So
interpretive planning was focused on two main elements: 1) the story or main interpretive
theme/message; and then ultimately, 2) which media or service to employ at particular
locations within site. Interpretive planning was more focused on the "place"
than on the visitor.
Objective based planning
As our experiences with planning evolved we began to look at the outcomes from our
interpretive planning efforts. What were we "really" accomplishing? So we began
to employ "objectives" for all of our interpretive services and media: learning,
behavioral, and emotional objectives. We began using these three levels of objective
based interpretive planning not because it was just a good idea, but because our clients
wanted some proof that the interpretive plans (the media and services) were actually
working! For example, if you were going to pay thousands of dollars for interpretive
panels, wouldn’t you be interested in knowing if the visitors actually "got the
message" from the panel? It is hard to evaluate any interpretive program, service or
media if you don’t know "what it was supposed to accomplish" in the first
place – that’s where objectives come in. If an interpretive panel was designed
to have "the majority of the visitors be able to describe the three ways trees
benefit people", we could pre-test visitors to see if they knew the answers –
and then post test visitors after they saw/read the interpretive panel to see if there was
a real increase in knowledge.
This level of interpretive planning then led us to a more advanced level of using
objective based interpretive planning – cost per contact and cost effectiveness
of the interpretive programs and services we recommend, design, and build. That means that
our clients were not just interested in "did the visitors remember the
information", they wanted to know if they (the organization, agency or facility) were
getting a return on their interpretive media or service "investment". A new way
thinking about interpretation. Now it was not just an information transfer that was the
focus, but "what did we get in return for our investment of $10,000.00 in
interpretive panels"? Why should we spend money on interpretation if "nothing
happens"? So we were now doing interpretive planning to predict just how cost
effective each proposed interpretive program, service, or media might be. The key
questions of the clients "if we spend $1.00 on interpretation services or media, will
we get at least $1.00 in benefits from that media or service? In particular, we are
now looking at interpretation results (from our learning, behavioral and emotional
objectives) that can be demonstrated to:
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Benefit the resource (less litter, reduced vandalism,
reduced erosion, etc.). |
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Benefit the agency (visitors can identify the managing
agency, understand their management strategies for the site, support the agency and its
programs, etc.). |
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Benefit the Visitors. |
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Note that for the interpretation to be truly successful, all of the above must happen.
Benefit based planning
This new evolution had led us into new interpretive planning strategies where the most
important of our objectives were now the behavioral and emotional objectives or "real
outcomes". When interpretive planning begins for a project, we ask ourselves for
every objective we develop for an interpretive program, exhibit, media or service:
- Why would a visitor want to know this?
- How do you want the visitor to use the information you are giving them?
- What are the benefits (to the resource, agency, visitor)?
In other words, how will the visitors benefit from the interpretive program, media or
service experience? And, is the cost of the experience (like a self-guiding tour) at least
equal to the benefit package that is a product of the interpretation. So, just what are
the benefits to the visitors, the resource, and the agency from spending $5,000 or more to
develop a self-guiding interpretive trail – or $500,000.00 for visitor center
exhibits? The sad point is that in the past – and even today, this is not often
considered. But the question remains – if it was "your" money, would you
spend thousands of dollars for interpretive "stuff" without first knowing what
you got in return for that investment?
The reality test – go out and look at any interpretive media/services you
may have at your site – exhibits, outdoor panel, self-guiding tour, etc. Now ask
yourself – how is this particular media or service helping us accomplish our mission?
Was it a good investment to spend $2000.00 on an interpretive panel with information that
the visitors likely quickly forget? How is this helping protect the resource, or
instilling a sense of "value" to visitors, or helping the agency accomplish its
educational or management objectives? Apply the questions to any of your media – from
zoo signs, to historic sites, to parks. The answers you come up with will reflect the
state of the art of the interpretive planning that produced that media or service at that
time.
The Product of the Product – and other messy ideas.
I think of the "product of the product" concept as a "messy" idea
because it is another evolutionary step for interpretive planning that messes up the way
that "we’ve always done it". Here is how the concept works: By selling the
"product" of the product we present the idea in a context that the potential
visitor knows and understands. For example:
Are you selling drills – or holes? Because if the customer doesn’t
need a hole, they don’t need a drill. The "hole" is the product of the
product (the drill).
Are you selling cosmetics – or hope? Do the advertisements for both men’s
and women’s cosmetics for example just sell the hair coloring gel – or what will
happen to you after you use the product (feel younger, happier, more attractive).
Are you selling automobiles or "status"? Watch a car ad on the
television – who is driving the car – were are they driving the care to? What
socio-income bracket is being marketed to? What is the "status" of the people in
the advertisement?
Now let’s apply this product of the product concept to interpretive planning.
What is the product of a self-guiding trail walk?
What is the product of visitors reading your interpretive panels?
What is the product of your visitor center exhibits?
What is the product of your guided interpretive walks or tours?
What is happening now is a new way of thinking about how to do interpretive planning.
We clearly understand the outcome(s) we want to have happen (our objectives) before
we plan and design the programs or services for a given site. We select locations, media,
services, etc. to accomplish and realize the desired outcomes. We do not say "lets
put a trail here, or a viewing station there" unless we know what the outcome
(product) of that media or service has to be. Our desired product of the product helps
form our learning, behavioral and emotional objectives that guide our research and design,
and can be evaluated (pre and post tested) to see if we indeed get the "outcome or
product" that we originally desired.
Now comes the "Experience Economy" – are we ready?
The latest (very latest) formal addition to our interpretive planning philosophies is
that of experience based interpretive planning. In their book "The
Experience Economy", B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore looked at the value
of "experiences" and experience as a marketable commodity. This concept
translates very well to interpretive planning. Here is what experience based interpretive
planning involves.
When a person buys an experience, they pay to spend time enjoying a series of
memorable events that a site or facility stages to engage them in a personal way. – Pine
and Gilmore
That means that we are not only just planning for outcomes (our objectives being
accomplished at the end of an interpretive walk, or completing visiting a museum or
visitor center exhibition), we are now doing our interpretive planning for the total
experience package.
The total interpretive planning process must focus on the "experience
package" a visitor receives from the total interpretive or heritage tourism site,
region or facility – not just on individual interpretive experiences. For example,
walking down a beautiful trail and seeing wildlife and wildflowers is just as important an
"experience" for the visitor as the actual "interpretive" experience
the self-guided trail offers. Here are some things we now consider in our "Experience
Package" for interpretive planning:
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We need to theme the total experience. We have known this
for a long time in interpretive planning – developing interpretive themes for sites,
but it now receives even more importance in the total site "experience
planning". |
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We need to try to harmonize impressions with positive ques.
In interpretive planning it is now even more important for the total site (restrooms, food
service, and other support services) to support the theme in design and character. |
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We need to try to eliminate negative ques. We do not want to
take away from the theme or diminish the experience. That can range from litter pick-up to
vista selection, to parking screening, and other design elements to keep the "best
face" on the total site experience. |
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Mix in memorabilia. This helps to extend the experience once
the visitor has returned home. That adds greater importance on the design and stocking of
gift shops, souvenir development (T-shirts, etc.), photo opportunities, and other
memorable moment "planning". For example, when I worked as a seasonal
interpreter at Ohio State Parks it was fun to watch a person touch a snake I was holding
during a reptile program. This might have been their first encounter with reptiles and
they loved having their picture taken holding or touching a snake. This memory for them
was a product of the product for the reptile program – a memorable experience. So, we
need to plan in more "memorable" opportunities for visitors during their total
site visit. |
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Engage the five senses – plan for perceptually exciting
areas for them to see and hands-on activities at interpretive stops or opportunities. |
Experience Realms – Planning the mix of experience packages.
Figure 1 below illustrates the main experience realms we can plan for and the
"psychology" of the total experience(s). In general, visitors come to
interpretive sites, or attractions for one or more of these kinds of experiences.
They are looking for entertainment, such as an evening campfire program; educational
experiences such as attending an interpretive program on the historic or natural
history of a site or area; esthetic experiences – such as valuing the views,
scenery, decorations, music or environment; and escapist experiences – such as
wanting to go out on a wilderness experience, or seeing a movie to "escape".
On the outer realm of the experiences are the various levels of experience
participation. They can become absorbed in the experience, such watching a play, or
"loosing track of time" while they hike a trail or watch wildlife. They can
choose levels of active participation, such as going on a guided walk or tour,
trying their hand at gold panning or fossil hunting. They can choose passive
participation such as simply "watching" an interpretive activity or
attending an interpretive demonstration. And they can chose to immerse themselves
into the experience, becoming physically (or virtually) a part of the experience itself.
This experience "goes into" the visitor as when playing a virtual reality game
or computer activity in a museum or visitor center, or becoming a "historical
figure" at a living history site.
Note that for most visitors it is not one or the other – many visitors will look
for a package of experiences in the course of their visit – depending on the
nature of your site. They may want to have fun and entertainment in the evening, take a
class, watch the sunset, and escape the city walking a quite wooded trail. We need to plan
for all experience levels and opportunities
Planning for the total experience begins at home.
What the "experience" based planning tells us is that we need to consider the
visitors not just as a passive element at our interpretive sites, but the reason that most
of our interpretive sites exist. We must plan not just interpretive media and services,
but rather plan for a wide range of experience opportunities for visitors, from active and
passive, to entertaining or quiet places of reflection. And the experience planning begins
at home. This means that as we do our interpretive planning we need to consider:
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How visitors find out about us – our marketing and
advertising media. Are our brochures or advertisements marketing things (trails, exhibits,
etc.) or "experiences" and "benefits" the visitor will receive by
visiting our site? |
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Our experience planning continues with our directions as to
how to find us, and the quality of the highway signage and way marking from the main
highway exits to our parking lot (orientation systems). Getting lost trying to find an
interpretive site or facility is NOT a good experience. |
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The quality of the thematic "look" when they first
enter the parking area. First impressions are very important in setting the stage. |
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The way all staff is trained to meet and great visitors
– from the ticket booth to the food service to the interpretive staff. |
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The visual ques of our site design and layout – can
visitors easily find the places they want to see or use? Is there one themed
"look" for the total site? |
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The quality and product of each interpretive experience,
program or service. |
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The quality of the "memory package" we help
visitor put together – (what will they talk about or remember the most on the trip
back home?). |
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The quality of the memorabilia we have available for them
(souvenirs). |
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And any number of other things that happen to them during
their visit – all contributing to the "total experience" for each visitor. |
So what’s the state-of-the-art in interpretive planning for the year 2000?
In doing interpretive planning today, here is a summary of the key things that we now
consider and "plan for"!
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Having a clear interpretive theme for the site or
attraction. |
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Having clear interpretive objectives for all interpretive
services, media and programs, as well as for the total site experience (learn, feel, do). |
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Having product based objectives for our services and
media (are we selling historic buildings – or having visitors value preserving
historic buildings?). |
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Having cost effective interpretive services or media –
so if we spend $$$ on interpretive programs, services or media, we get a real return for
our initial investment. |
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Understand our target markets, their needs, interests and
expectations for visiting our site or attraction. |
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Planning for the total visitor experience, and
planning for a variety of experience opportunities (all experience realms – or as
many as possible). |
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Planning for the memory package visitors take home
with them. |
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Planning for reasons for visitors to return to the site or
attraction again (and again and again). |
Moving from "what if" to "what is".
Try? There is no try. There is only do or not do – Yoda
The hardest part of being an interpretive planner is in knowing that what worked in
planning yesterday may not work today. I believe that the key to successful interpretive
and heritage tourism planning for the year 2000 and beyond involves two steps.
Step #1 – Always keep learning how to do it better.
Step #2 – Implement the things you learned from step#1.
The most exciting thing about interpretive planning for the next millennium is not in
what we know about effective interpretive planning today – but the things that we will
know by next year! It just keeps getting better and more interesting.
For more information:
Carter, James (Editor), 1997. A Sense of Place – An interpretive planning
handbook. Tourism & Environment Initiative, Scotland.
The National Park Service, Parks and Recreation Technical Service Division (no date), Marketing
Parks and Recreation, Venture Publishing, Inc.
Pine, Joseph B. and James H. Gilmore. 1999. The Experience Economy. Harvard
Business School Press, Boston, MA.
Von Oech, Roger. 1989. A Kick In The Seat Of the Pants. Harper & Row
Publishers, New York, NY.
Von Oech, Roger. 1990. A Whack on the Side of the Head. Warner Books,
Inc. New York, NY.
Veverka, John A. 1994. Interpretive Master Planning. Acorn Naturalists,
Tustin, CA.
Veverka, John A. 1992. "An objective look at interpretation". John
Veverka & Associates, MI.
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