Kyle Jay’s Weblog

http://kylejay.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/survey-results.pdf

We conducted our survey online through a website callled zoomerang, which provided us with online space and database to collect 100 participants answers. The survey focused on visual language in public space and had variety of questions ranging from visual mediums which caught peoples attention, to the design aspects of the medium and the preferred visual language which they would like to see in public spaces. The methods of answering the question ranged from rating scales, multiple or single answering tick boxes to sections where participants could comment. Our survey gained a lot of interest and curiosity with 181 responses, which showed us our subject matter was a relevant area to research.

The visual medium, which most caught the eye of participants, was advertising. A lot of the individual responses were medium placed around train lines and stations and big billboards placed on busy roads which gives us an idea of when people notice the visual language around them. When people are not busy and are bored, they actually have time to briefly look around the area. From these responses the visual language, which overwhelming stood out was graffiti because it’s saturated all over Melbourne.

The aspect of the design which made these examples successful was mostly the creativity and originality which received 35%, followed by the message, which received 25%. By no surprise we found that half the people didn’t like the advertising they had seen recently in public because they had seen it too much or it just wasn’t in their personal taste.

We included images of each category of public visual language, which included street art, public art and advertisements in public space. Trying to summarise general categories with three or four pictures might not have been practical but it helped participants familiarize themselves with the subject matter more.

Participants preferred to see street art and public art more than advertising, which is important information we can use to help us produce an outcome. The aspect which is most likely to attract people’s attention was creativity and originality which received 58% and surprisingly, aesthetics only received 11%.

Our initial thoughts about society being to overloaded with advertising was also emphasized through the results of the survey with 79% of participants agreeing

Overall the we found that the public like to see and appreciate creative and original mediums in public space. Whether it is public art, street art or advertising, it needs to be original for it to have a greater impact. While analyisng the survey results we also found the placement of the visual medium is also an important factor.