Think: Audience
Website Audiences
Public Exhibition Audiences
School Learning Packs
Think: Audience
Who is the audience and what are their needs?
If you are simply conducting learning for your own needs and pleasure, then how long your learning project takes and what form it finally assumes will largely be left up to you. It may be that a short collection of notes may satisfy you, or it may take a 5,000 word academic essay. You could create an illustrated sketchbook of findings, or produce a piece of art in response to your study.
However, if you are doing research with the aim of sharing it with others, then the type of research you do, the level of detail you need, the amount of time it takes to write and present, the type of language you use to show your findings are all dependent on a sense of your audience’s needs. What issues are important, topical, or sensitive to the community you hope to get interested in you work? Think carefully about this issue.
The Questions of Travel exhibition was created with several possible audiences in mind. The first idea was to give illustrated information on the life of Benjamin Stone in terms of website pages for a general user with an interest in Birmingham history. Other potential users included those with an interest in how different cultures have been historically represented. Another was those with a specific interest in photography. These issues all affected the way the information was researched and developed, and presented. Below are some further considerations to take into account for different audiences:
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Website Audiences
If you are writing a website for a general audience interested, for example, in Birmingham history then it will need to be interesting and clearly written, presented with visual images and clear examples. Some people argue that people read very little actual ‘text’ on websites. If so, then there is little point in placing huge blocks of information on a page and expecting people to plough through what you have researched. Make sure you use plain English wherever possible and create clear links to help people navigate between materials. Think about wider access: is the website open for people with disabilities?
A website will often organically evolve and take on its own qualities. If you want people to revisit a more detailed website, then there needs to be enough materials for an audience to come back and explore what you have found out over numerous occasions. The Connecting Histories website contains more information than many websites, but then it was designed to appeal to both students and general users in the long term. It was designed to create discussion and promote further learning by others. The Questions of Travel exhibition also contains much information, but a limit of about ten pages was decided on.
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Public Exhibition Audiences
If you are creating a public exhibition such as you often see displayed in libraries and museums, various additional factors need to be considered. First of all, the stark fact is that most people will not have much time to spend looking at your work. An exhibition will need to be visually striking and concise to make people stop and learn. An audio installation will need realistic lengths of recordings. Give clear headings to each section to guide people along. Organise the information clearly. The information it contains will need to hold unexpected surprises to keep people’s attention. The best public exhibitions often tell a story that takes the audience on a long journey in a very short space of time.
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School Learning Packs
If you are creating a resource to be used in schools, then you will need to place more emphasis on presenting facts, dates and details in a direct and accessible form which students will find useful to revise. At the same time, you need to make history relevant to the present day and bring history alive in ways that students will respond to. This means being direct and being imaginative and getting students involved. Be clear on what parts of the curriculum or ‘Key stage’ you are targeting, whether younger or older children. Think about activities that children can get involved in.
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Author: Dr Andy Green
Image: Dr Andy Green
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