The Sign Doctor   »  Step 01 Sign Doctor

Step 01 Sign Doctor

A good interpretive sign is a real eye-opener! It tells a fascinating story about a place in a short, snappy and memorable way. It invites people to think and feel something about what they see or what lies hidden. It provides an opportunity to learn something they didn’t know and influences their behaviour. Best of all, signs work 24 hours a day, all-year-round, requiring just some basic care and maintenance.

Assuming your organisation has made its decision and approved a budget, you may outsource the whole process to a company. Yet, you know your stories best. Wouldn’t you like to be jointly in control and shape the narratives that showcase the uniqueness of your heritage rather than taking a hands-off approach and risk getting a standard product?

The following pages will give you a sneak-peek at the secrets of attractive and inspiring content for media-based interpretation while turning you into eagle-eyed critics of panels, labels and leaflets!

Step 1: First, you should consider some key questions

  • Is there something that needs explaining?
  • Who is your target audience?
  • What do you want your visitors to know, feel or do?
  • Why do you want your visitors to know feel or do this?

Erecting a sign is a big deal. It’s a substantial expense and involves considerable work, so it’s best to be sure that you really need it and what it will add beyond what visitors can already see and experience.