Exhibit Designs for Girls’ Engagement (EDGE) Exhibit Coding Scheme and Protocol

General Project Information and Ethical Protocol

  • Study Title: Exhibit Designs for Girls’ Engagement (EDGE) Exhibit Coding Scheme and Protocol.
  • Authors: Lisa Sindorf and Toni Dancstep (née Dancu).
  • Organization: Exploratorium, San Francisco, 20152015.
  • Ethical Consideration (Blinding): All data collectors were blind to the purpose of the study. Consequently, within the coding documents, all references to the Exhibit Designs for Girls' Engagement (EDGE) study are framed as the General Exhibit Study (GES).
  • Primary Objective: To evaluate whether exhibits possess specific design features. Coding focuses on what the exhibit is designed to do rather than predicting or observing user behavior.

Preparing to Code

  • Coding Log: Coders must put their initials in the coding log to "sign out" an exhibit intended for coding.
  • Locating Exhibits: Coders should locate exhibits on the museum floor using the provided map, noting that exhibits may have moved.
  • Verification: Ensure the exhibit name and photo match the exhibit being coded.
  • Coordination: Coordinate with fellow coders to prevent simultaneous coding of the same exhibit.

Step 1: Distance Coding (Section A)

  • Crowd Control: Ensure no one is using the exhibit. Coding should not be influenced by watching visitors' actual behavior. If a visitor approaches, the coder must move away and return later.
  • Timing: This step might require timing the museum's closed hours or low-visitor periods to ensure uninterrupted observation.
  • Standing Distance:     * Small exhibits: Approximately 55 feet away.     * Large exhibits: Approximately 1010 feet away.     * Reference Point: The distance one would stand if watching a stranger use the exhibit.
  • Observation Tasks:     * Read any legible text.     * Examine images visible and understandable from a distance.     * Identify visible interactive elements, hardware, objects, and cabinetry.     * For large exhibits, walk around to consider multiple views and angles.
  • Completion: Section A questions must be answered before proceeding to Step 22.

Step 2: Up Close Coding (Section B)

  • Prerequisite: Ensure no one is using the exhibit.
  • Standing Distance:     * Small exhibits: Approximately 1−21-2 feet away.     * Large exhibits: Approximately 3−53-5 feet away.     * Reference Point: The distance one would stand if watching a friend use the exhibit.
  • Observation Tasks:     * Read all text and the label carefully and thoroughly.     * Look at all diagrams and images visible from up close.     * Note all hardware, objects, cabinetry, and interactive elements.
  • Coordination Requirement: If the exhibit requires two people for operation, the coder must coordinate with another coder to use it together before moving to Step 33.
  • Completion: Answer all questions in Section B.

Step 3: Use Coding (Section C)

  • Thorough Use: Use the exhibit completely, following all instructions on the label.
  • Exploration: Investigate all sides and stations.
  • Collaboration: Use the exhibit with another person if required. However, coders must code separately and refrain from comparing answers until the process is finished.
  • Experimentation:     * Try 2−32-3 challenges or suggestions if provided.     * Try a few original ideas if appropriate.
  • Completion: Answer all questions in Section C.

Post-Coding and Data Entry

  • Logging: Record the date of completion in the coding log.
  • Storage: Store paper copies in the appropriate folder.
  • Re-coding and Consensus: If serving as the second coder, the coder must schedule a meeting with the first coder to discuss and agree upon final codes.
  • Digital Entry: Final codes must be entered into SurveyMonkey.
  • Final Date Entry: Enter the finalization date into the coding log.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and Clarifications

  • Visibility Ambiguity: If a design element (XYZ) is only visible from one vantage point, it should be coded as "yes."
  • Repeated Questions: Section C may contain questions identical to earlier sections. This is intentional. Answers may change after the coder has physically used the exhibit; post-usage observations should be captured in the comments section if they were not evident in Sections A or B.
  • Exhibit Taxonomy:     * Primary Aspects: Anything used or looked at closely during engagement (screens, objects like monkeys or jewelry, buttons, interactive elements).     * Secondary Aspects: Supporting elements (wood tables, vertical walls behind screens).     * Digital Screens: If the screen is central to the activity/phenomenon (e.g., interactive graph), it is a "primary aspect." If it primarily provides instructions, it is part of the "label."
  • Open-Ended Questions: Questions designed to evoke varied answers in content or detail (e.g., "What do you notice?" or "Why do you think that?").
  • Titles and Taglines: The title is the largest/most salient text. The tagline is usually another large, salient sentence or two.
  • Use Drawings: Visuals designed to help visitors understand how to perform actions (e.g., a person cranking a handle). This is distinct from a diagram explaining how a scientific phenomenon works.

Coding Criteria: Social and Physical Design

  • Seating (Q7): Categories include Multiperson bench(es); Multiple seats (face-to-face/circle); Multiple seats (side-by-side/facing same direction); One seat; or No seats.
  • Orientation (Q8/Q9): Codes whether an activity can be done from more than one side and if there is more than one station.
  • Floorplan (Q10): Measures if the floorplan is large enough to accommodate 33 or more people.
  • Learning by Watching (Q11/Q67/Q68): Codes whether visitors can learn to use the exhibit by watching others (e.g., open tables, obvious big arm movements).
  • Prior Visitors' Work (Q17/Q69/Q87): Codes visibility of constructions or drawings left behind (e.g., animation stations or building blocks).

Coding Criteria: Interactivity and Outcome

  • Distinct Activities (Q46/Q70): Determines if there are 33 or more activities (e.g., "3-D Shapes" allowing for snowflakes, houses, and beehives) vs. a single activity (e.g., "Square Wheel").
  • Correct Interactions (Q71): Codes if many interactions are "right" (e.g., "Turbulent Orb" where any spin results in interest) vs. a specific sequence (e.g., "Water Freezer" where improper steps yield no result).
  • Outcome Variation (Q72): Codes if the outcome is essentially the same every time (e.g., "Square Wheel") or varies (e.g., "Turntable" with multiple spinning objects).
  • Predetermined Steps (Q73): Identifies if a specific order of events is required (e.g., "Water Freezer").
  • Iterative Play (Q74): Codes if the design encourages extended play through a variety of variables (e.g., "Turntable").
  • Competition (Q76-Q80): Identifies timed tasks, losing, and the nature of competition (against others, against oneself, or to meet a specific challenge).

Coding Criteria: Aesthetics and Tone

  • Familiar Objects (Q18/Q20/Q81-Q84): Codes presence of items like kitchen tools, toys, or musical instruments used in familiar or unfamiliar ways.
  • Self-Image (Q29/Q88): Codes for mirrors, cameras, shadows, silhouettes, or digital manipulations of the visitor's image.
  • Color (Q30-Q32/Q89-Q92):     * Levels: Bright/Prominent, Some color, Minimal/No color.     * Palettes: Vivid/Saturated (66 primary colors), Subdued/Desaturated (pink, olive, rust), Public Signage/Safety (red/orange/yellow with gray/black), or Neutral (metal, wood, black/white).
  • Look and Feel (Q33-Q36/Q93-Q97):     * Scale: 10%10\% (Not at all) to 90%90\% (Very).     * Descriptors: Homey/Personal/Delicate vs. Industrial/Slick/Bulky; Whimsical/Playful vs. Serious/Matter-of-fact.
  • Inner Workings (Q35/Q94-Q96): Codes visibility of wires, gears, or batteries.
  • Label Tone (Q57-Q58): Categorizes text and images as "More friendly and informal" (e.g., "These flying-saucer-ish lamps…") vs. "More academic and formal" (e.g., naming specific NASA satellites and dates like 20072007).

Detailed Content Categories (Q99)

  • Space: Exploration, Milky Way, Constellations.
  • Chemistry: Food nutrition, face paints, cruelty-free products, making bread/pastry.
  • Earth Science: Weather (clouds, rain, snow), Rainbows.
  • Biology and Ecology: Plant growth, environment protection, pollution, conservation, park ecology, bird nests, animal communication.
  • Health and Medicine: Beauty, healthy eating, natural remedies, organs, HIV/AIDS, forensics, DNA, medical/veterinary science.
  • Identity and Social Science: Recognizing faces, identifying gendered body parts, "Make a Baby" (gender determination).
  • Physics: Water jets, general physical science, electricity.
  • Math, Geometry, Spatial Reasoning: Drawing/painting, textiles (knitting, sewing, weaving, crochet, quilting), tailoring, basket-making, jewelry design, leatherwork, sculpting, pottery, photography, maps/navigation, interior decorating.
  • Sports: Figure skating, field hockey, gymnastics, bowling, softball, tennis, volleyball, racquetball, dodgeball, horse jumping, diving, frisbee, dance.
  • Perception: Color science, music, marching band.
  • Engineering and Technology: Alternative-fuel cars, assistive machines for disabilities, household appliance technology, playground design, robots (performance art or animal-like), programming dinosaur robots, electronic jewelry.
  • Communication: Video game design, computer science, animation, writing/storytelling, layout (newsletters, yearbooks).