Indianapolis Zoo

Interactive Guide
I561 HCI2 Contextual Design

Team 1
Eric Cox
Steven Entezari
Kenneth Spry
Setting and Project Scope

Definition of the Setting

• Our focus is on enhancing the overall experience while

visiting the zoo

• Applicable for zoos of all shapes and sizes

• Designed specifically for the Indianapolis Zoo

• Application is designed to utilize the worldwide

popularity of the iPhone or iPad.
Project Scope
• For visitors, many zoos lack the content rich, interactive,
robust experience they desire
• Designed to be an additional benefit to zoo members
• Application envelops two phases or modes
– Browsing Mode
– Guided Mode
• Both phases enhance the use of time while visiting
Project Scope (cont…..)

• Application will effectively enhance users ability to plan and

navigate through their visit
– Utilizes self-designed and self-customized tours
– Ability to save tours for future visits
– Attain a sense of situational awareness with proximal information

• Application will provide supplemental information not

available at point of exhibit
– Animal ecosystem information
– Ability to share content such as photos and coloring book
 Fieldwork Activity and Data Collected

• Process
– Winter Season = Many Exhibit/Service Closures
• Which in turn equal many problems
– Observed Visitors
• 2 Families
– 1 Very Familiar with Zoo (Season Members)
– 1 Not So Familiar with Zoo
• 1 Individual
– 1 Very Familiar with Zoo
 Fieldwork Activity and Data Collected2

• Results
– The map provided by the Indianapolis Zoo (paper
or signs) was hardly used
– Visitors knew that many exhibits and services
would be closed for the season but were unsure
as to which ones.
– Visitors wanted to find out more information
about the particular animal they were seeing
 Fieldwork Activity and Data Collected3

• Results2
– Information about show times was not always
made available to the visitors to allow for proper
planning. This caused many visitors to miss shows
they wanted to see.
 Fieldwork Activity and Data Collected4

• Results3
– All visitors, when asked, commented that cameras
which focus on the ‘hidden’ portions of the
exhibits would be a great thing to have.
– Some visitors (even within groups) debated the
idea of having a preset tours for their visit.
Members of one group even commented that
visiting the zoo is “an adventure”. An overall
majority, however, said the option would be nice.
 Fieldwork Activity and Data Collected5

• Photos From Visit

Figure 1 - Map of Zoo Figure 3 - Visitor Reading about Exhibit

Figure 2 - [Closed] Stroller Rental

 Fieldwork Activity and Data Collected6

• Photos From Visit2

Figure 6 - [Closed] Concession

Figure 4 - Visitor Reading and Sharing Exhibit Info

Figure 5 - First time Visitors saw Show Times

 Fieldwork Activity and Data Collected7

• Photos From Visit3

Figure 9 - Animal Hiding Behind Rocks

Figure 7 - Visitor Taking a Picture to Share

Figure 8 - Visitor unable to see Animal

Consolidated work/activity models
Cultural Model

• Zoo exhibits emerged as the most influential stakeholder

• Shows the breakdown of communication between stakeholders
(ie. Learning more, Information sharing)
Consolidated Flow Model

• Primary players are patrons and zoo exhibits

• Interactions revolve around exhibit content and experiences
• Ease of access to supplemental information will provide a
much smoother and enjoyable experience
Affinity Diagram

Diagram categories exposed key findings

• Information should supplement user’s experience
• Information should guide the user to enhance the experience
Requirements and Goals:
•• Include
•Allow
Show
Make Make
Reduce the
it
as
as user
itzoo
much
little to share
intuitive
frustration
flexible come and
of the
tozoo-goers
information
reading as life
Create a flexible, visually o
experience
as
by enjoyable
Makeanimals
Show
possible
providing
possible or
thein experience
application
themwhen
visually they
with the
follow
aren’t
compelling, and informative
application that is still o
visible
the
everything
Include user
ostimulating
zoo (video
themselves
Gestures
audio they
waysfeeds)
where afterward
used
needshould
for be
possible a fun
understandable to the general
oo Show
Allow
Make promotions
the user emailing,
understandable
Maps, sharing,
pictures, tosymbols,
view
and content
and
and
public of all ages. trip
o
o Provide
in various
names
ways
consistent
downloading
video and other
with profiles for
possible
Refreshments locations and
• Include as little reading as possible o Allow
the the user
animals to choose
if they
applications what
have stories
• Show as much information as restrooms
possible in visually stimulating ways o
content
to be he/she
told
Labels
o Emergency and wants toshould
symbols see
paging and zoo
• Make it flexible o Show
Permit
be how
the animals
user to personalize
unambiguous are
and easy
• Make it intuitive and enjoyable assistance
• Allow the user to share the
o interrelated
theto
application
see withthrough
maps and
Timers for shows and events
saving
experience or experience the zoo
themselves afterward
o
explanations
andInstructions—where
modifyingoftours
ecosystems and
• Make the zoo come to life thenecessary—should
niches that they occupy
be
• Reduce frustration of zoo-goers by
providing them with everything they minimal
need for a fun trip
 Conceptual Model
• Focused on 2 Modes
– Guided Mode
• Gives the sense of a virtual self-tour guide
• Navigation directed through device location
– Browsing Mode
• An interactive mobile web-site for Indianapolis Zoo
• Navigation directed through standard hierarchical
design
– Through categories like Habitat, Animal Family, Eating
Patterns, etc…
Guided Mode Facilities
Closest
Facilities Refreshments
• Menu
General Zoo
• Promotions
• Purchase Restrooms
• Amenities
tickets
• What’s new Closest
• Events Facilities
• Map Gift Shop
• Other • Animals
• Stuffed
• Other
Closest Exhibits • Other items
Type of
Gift

By location
By type
Exhibits Shows
Open/Closed
Animal Exhibits by Area (where am I now) • Show kinds
• Show times
• Animals Sharing
• Information (audio, video,
picture, and text)
Via…
• Related animals “Must See” venues
• Fun facts
• Habitat, climate, Staying Social/
ecological niche Extending Experience
• Region of the All Attractions Ancillary Exhibits Facebook
Globe
• Communication • Plants Email
• Coloring Pages • Information (audio, video, • Downloads
• Profiles picture, and text)
by Preference • Region of the Globe Twitter
(dolphins, etc.) Sharing via…
• Audio and text • Fun facts (Some cacti are Flicker
• Pictures poisonous) You Tube
• Backstory • Geology
MMS
• Rock formations, sands, etc.
by Time
Browsing Mode Facilities
Refreshments
• Menu
General Zoo
• Promotions
• Purchase Restrooms
• Amenities
tickets
• What’s new Closest
• Attractions Facilities
• Map Gift Shop
• Other • Animals
• Stuffed
• Other
Interesting Exhibits • Other items
Exhibits with
Corresponding Gifts

By location
By type
by geography Shows
Exhibits Open/Closed
(Africa) • Show kinds
Animal Exhibits by promotion
• Show times
• Animals Sharing
• Information (audio, video, by climate (tropical)
Via…
picture, and text)
• Related animals by season (summer
• Fun facts only)
• Habitat, climate, by habitat (desert) Staying Social/
ecological niche Extending Experience
• Region of the by type
Ancillary Exhibits Facebook
Globe
• Communication “Must See” venues • Plants Email
• Coloring Pages • Information (audio, video, • Downloads
• Profiles All Attractions picture, and text)
• Region of the Globe
Twitter
(dolphins, etc.)
by Area (where am I now) Sharing via… Flicker
• Audio and text • Fun facts (Some cacti are
• Pictures poisonous) You Tube
• Backstory by Preference • Geology MMS
• Rock formations, sands, etc.
by Time

Recommended via…
Unnecessary home screen

Troublesome
Navigation Bar

Merged
Obvious differences
between guided and
browsing models,
even for the same
content.

“Switch Mode” is an awkward and

ever-changing label in its
operation, though the name is
always the same. The problem
was noticed and corrected due to
linking problems.
 Multiple topic selection had to be both
consistent and sensible from one to many, many
items.
This design allows objects to obstruct each other.
It also makes lists with only one selection rather
boring. (The dolphin looks lonely.)

Divvied up the
screen into a
“Select”
Pretty much the same compartment
but with aesthetic and a “Create”
tweaks. compartment.
Walkthrough
User Feedback

• Usability testing involved 2 users, 2 tasks and a post-

task questionnaire

• Positive Feedback
• Navigation with interface was intuitive
• Liked the additional exhibit, proximal, and services info
• Enjoyed the option to create and/or save a personalized guided
tour
User Feedback (cont….)

• Negative Feedback
– Supplemental exhibits info hard to find
– Would like to see recommended exhibits to help guide visit

• Recommendations for design improvements

– Design improvements were needed based on user feedback
– Redesign focused on user recommendations
• Created proximal, pop-up exhibit info
• Created ‘Animal of the Day’ info as an avenue to highlight exhibits
 Shortcomings
• Haven’t yet designed for ticket purchase, though we
imagine it to be much the same as any other
application.
• Nor have we designed the zoo application’s store.
We think that it would be used primarily for
browsing and not purchasing, so it was put on the
back burner.
• Were unable to devise a clean way to show
overcrowded exhibits. It is still not out of the
question, though, we believe.
Questions ?