ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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At la Cité we have a study on this suject. We also observed the visitors overestimate the number of broken exhibits. Usually, we have from 2 to 4 % of broken exhibits. The perception is highern sometimes because the software or video are too slow for the visitor and they let the exhibit before the aswer, thinking it is broken. Sometimes the ergonomy is not enough clear, they don t understand the process and also conclude the exhibit is out of order.

Jean-Marie Sani
Directeur des publics et des activités commerciales
Cité des sciences et de l'industrie
75930 Paris Cedex 19
France

33 (0)1 40057571
fax : 33 (0)1 40058222
[log in to unmask]

http://www.cite-sciences.fr

>>> "Van Tiel, Michael" <[log in to unmask]> 21/02/2007 12:40 >>>
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************


I remember reading in the early nineties an article that tracked visitors and found that that they those that go to one broken exhibit tend to go to another and thus percieve that alot of the exhibits are broken. Reasons why they are attracted to the broken exhibit was that it was normally the one without any people at it - for obvious reasons!

Michael

-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network on behalf of Sarah Hunt
Sent: Wed 21-Feb-07 9:32 PM
To: [log in to unmask] 
Subject: Broken exhibits - visitor perception
 
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************

I recall a query on this listserve some years ago about what percentage
of exhibits visitors *perceive* to be broken compared to what percentage
are *actually* broken. I think there was some conclusion, based on
research, that visitors always overestimate the percentage of broken
exhibits. I have searched the ISEN-ASTC archive but cannot find anything.
Can anyone help me locate an accurate statistic (rather than an anecdotal
estimate) please? I *have* got the general information from British
Interactives Group website
http://www.big.uk.com/knowledgebase/exhibits/broken-signs.htm and also
have a Randi Korn report from the Tech Museum which makes a reference to
visitors' reaction to broken exhibits (Summative Evaluation of four
permanent galleries, dated Feb 2000). Many thanks for your help Sarah

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More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
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***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
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