14 september/october 2006

As you admire the view of one of America’s most fabulous natural

wonders, you are spellbound by its vastness, its eternal beauty, its

mystery, its story. You are momentarily transported back in time

when life seemed less complicated when suddenly, in the distance

you hear, dum-dee dumm dumm dee dee duh dum-dee dumm dum

dee da da da dah da dee dum—the theme music to James Bond.

The Impact of

Technology

Lori Webb

legacy 15

One of the members of your tourgroup struggles to release the phonefrom her knapsack before the ringtone runs out and the call is missed.She manages to succeed answering thecall and begins to squeal with joy. It’sher brother-in- law calling from NewYork. Her sister has just given birth toa fine, healthy boy weighing sixpounds and three ounces. Sister andbaby are doing fine. Suddenly, anothersqueal emerges as the young girl viewsher new nephew for the first time onthe little cell phone display.

In spite of the interruption toyour own train of thought yousmile. People connecting—peoplesharing their important experiencesin real time despite distances—youreturn briefly to your train ofthought. In the horizon you see

messengers on horseback riding fordays to get messages through toloved ones left behind. How manyget their intended messages? Howmany do not? Your mind wandersfor awhile and then you beginthinking about how communicationsystems have evolved. The sun isbeginning to set and it reminds youof the time you and your parentsstood at this same spot so manyyears ago. You smile. The last timeyou sent a message from this place itwas a postcard written to your bestfriend and it got there a week afteryou, yourself arrived home. Youhappily pull out your cell and beginto SMS (short message service) amessage to your bedridden father,happy to share the moment withhim in real time.

LORI: Please provide a caption for this photo.

While the above scenario is set inAmerica, this use of technology issomething that could take place atthe Great Wall in China, NiagaraFalls in Canada, or at the Eiffel Towerin France. The use of the technologyis that prolific.

As technologies before it, thecreation of the cell phone hasbecome an integrated means ofhuman existence. Over time, if notalready, it will be an expectedappendage in our daily life. It is oneof many recent technological applica-tions but, undoubtedly one havinggreat influence on the way wecommunicate with each other.

Cell phones are at times invasive,especially when proper cell phoneetiquette is not utilized and one isforced to bear witness to personaldetails that neither concerns norinterests anyone other than the twoparties involved in the conversation.The cell phone can be disruptiveand annoying. However, at othertimes it proves to be a wonderfulinstrument of technology, not onlyused for communication, entertain-ment, and documentation, but alsofor the purpose of enhancing theinterpretive experience.

Technology hasn’t just changedhow interpretive sites present infor-mation, it has changed the visitorswho frequent those sites.

Using embedded technology suchas photographic equipment, the cellphone provides additional abilities. It

on the Visitor Experience

16 september/october 2006

allows us to document treasuredmoments and shoot amateur films oflife on the fly. Funny enough, whatAmericans call cell phones areknown in Europe as mobile phones,which perhaps is a more adequaterepresentation of my point. Cellphones provide accessibility, and thataccessibility provides mobility, givingus freedom from being chained tothe house for hours while waiting fora three-minute call, and so muchmore. The cell phone is an item ofconvenience allowing for limitedchaos when trying to meet withothers in crowded locations and itprovides flexibility when plans arealtered by unexpected hindrances orchanges of heart.

Technology has changed immea-surably since 1964, when communi-cations theorist Marshall McLuhanwrote that “the medium is themessage” in his book, UnderstandingMedia. Still, the quote is as appro-priate now as ever. McLuhandiscussed the influence of media onour existence and how technologicalmedia evolve into extensions ofourselves. The wheel became anextension of our feet, print becamean extension of our eyes, and thetelegraph became an extension ofour central nervous systems.

What we create re-creates us. Inthe case of technology that meansthat the technology we develop rede-fines how we interpret and experi-ence the world. It is transformativeand symbiotic.

Use of current technology hascome to influence our schedules,actions, interactions, and work, aswell as leisure time. The mobilitygiven to us through the cell phone,laptop computers, and personaldigital assistants (PDA) such as Palmpilots and Blackberries allows us tobe entertained while waiting in linesor standing by in airports.Technology is upon us, like it or not.It is a pervasive part of the industri-alized world’s everyday experience,whether obvious and in your face orwhether discreetly and indeter-minably placed. It is here and here tostay. But we are ever on the move,

more mobile than any generationbefore us. And as we endeavoraround the globe visiting some of theworld’s most impressive sites we takeour technology with us, or we takewith us the influence brought to usthrough using that technology.

In a thesis titled “IncorporatingComputer Technology Skills into theInterpretation Courses at UW-Stevens Point,” written in 2002 byJim Buchholz from the University ofWisconsin-Stevens Point, the authordetails research on technology’s placein interpretation. The focus on thepaper is on the integration ofcomputer technology skills for inter-pretive students and professionals, asopposed to the integration of tech-nology for the benefit of the inter-pretive visitor experience—giving it amore administrative edge to theresearch. Still, the thesis is an impor-tant one in that it remains one of fewresearch titles on the use of tech-nology in interpretive sites.

“The profession of interpretationis no exception to the increasing useof computers. Through the use ofcomputers, interpreters have a greater

ability to create connections betweenthe meanings of the resource and theinterests of the visitor.”

Despite the continued importanceof interpersonal connections on site,there are a number of ways in whichtechnology can be used to enhancethe visitor experience at interpretivesites, most of which intended for theaverage visitor to not notice. In thefuture, as various technological profi-ciencies increase, the use of thesetechnologies will undoubtedlyincrease and increasingly influencethe way sites are run, the way sitesinterpret, and the nature of the inter-pretation itself. The influence canalready been seen. As technologicalproficiency grows in virtually allprofessions, the bar is raised. Thosewho do not keep pace risk beingdeemed inadequate or amateur.

Some cases of technological useare things that go beyond our sightlines and are utilized to help usenjoy a seamless experience as wetravel through an exhibit at amuseum. Others are more evident,such as a technologically enhancedtracking bracelet used to place on

LORI: Please provide a caption for this photo.

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our children’s arms to limit theamount of anguish associated withseparation in big parks. Still othersare utilized to extend accessibilitysuch as associated audio walkingtours for the sight-impaired oredited language versions for visitorswho come from other cultures.

At present the appearance of

cameras, PDAs, etc.—that visitorsbring from home for convenience orto enhance their own experience.

Site-driven technology couldinclude technology used in theparking lot when visitors drive in andget their ticket, the register used whenmaking gift shop purchases, lighting,sound, and climate control as visitorswalk around a site, interactive kiosksor exhibits, the souvenir shop creatingpersonalized custom items, thestaging of site events, large screensused to provide better views for morevisitors, the sign that let’s visitorsknow how many more minutes theyhave to wait in line, or automated carsvisitors ride in to see safari animals orother external exhibits.

In the case of visitor-driven tech-nology, it’s the cell phone that hasbecome an expected accessory in themodern industrialized world. It’s thedigital camera visitors use to sendreal-time pictures to family who liveon the other side of the country orperhaps, world. It’s the digital video

technology at interpretive sites canbe primarily broken down into twotypes: site-driven technology andvisitor-driven technology. Site-driven technology is implementedand maintained by the site toenhance the visitor experience.Visitor-driven technology includespersonal items—cell phones,

LORI: Please provide a caption for this photo.

visitors use to document the trip of alifetime to show friends back home.It’s the iPod with downloadedpodcasts of a particular destination.

For this piece, I traveled aroundmy home turf in Copenhagen,Denmark and considered how twodifferent heritage sites utilized tech-nology or how technology was usedto enhance the interpretive visitorexperience. I looked at one museumand at one zoo.

When visitors walk into theNational Gallery of Copenhagen, theyare greeted by technology: doors thatautomatically open at the entrance, aplasma screen with informationabout museum exhibits and currentactivities situated above the ticketdesk, a credit card kiosk, elevators,lighting fixtures to improve atmos-phere, as well as administrative toolssuch as telephone and computersystems to expedite visitor services.

It is the final day of the annualCopenhagen Jazz Festival when Iarrive and a prominent Danish JazzBand is performing a free concert as Ienter the museum. The integratedsound system is perfect and the focusof the appreciative audience remainson the pure talent and precision of themusicians while enjoying the ambi-ence of this fantastic cultural setting.Most people are not even aware of theseamlessness of the supportive tech-nology assisting the quality of theirexperiences, for most interpretive sitesthis is the intended norm.

As I call the zoo to access informa-tion on the days activities, I am puton hold.

As I await assistance, a technologi-cally enhanced choral soundtrack ofbirds from the zoo’s tropical forestexhibit give me a glimpse into thezoo experience. As I arrive, I use myzoo membership to forego the linesand insert my card into the digitalreader to facilitate my entrance. Ilook on the digital boards to see ifthere is any pressing information thatI can use during my visit. All of thistechnology is used to facilitate aneasy entrance and a seamless visitorexperience. As I enter, the visibletechnology grows slim but the use of

personal technology grows large. Inotice that at least half of today’svisitors either have a camera hangingaround their neck or are takingpictures using their cell phones. I amwith a friend, and as we begin seeingthe animals in the clearing we alsobegin to take out our digital camerasand volley into position to get thebest shots. Today, I have both thedigital camera embedded in my cellphone (two megabytes) as well as mydigital camera/video (7.2 megabytes).I have a clear, one-gigabyte memorystick, so there is plenty of space totake as many pictures and videofootage to give me a chance to reallycapture the animals. And since it isthe better of the cameras, I place mycell back in my back to await poten-tial important communications.

Seeing the animals through the lensalso allows me to get closer to themanimals than I normally would—notjust because of the camera’s 10X opticzoom, but also because of my innatefear of animals. The more I beganphotographing animals, the less afraidand more engaged I became. This ismy new technique for overcoming myphobia. Seeing the animals throughthe lens of the camera allows me to seedetails that I would have otherwise

LORI: Please provide a captionfor this photo.

interpnet.com

Legacy Magazine Archives

Look in the “NAI Member Area” under“Membership” for archives of selectedLegacy feature stories, commentaries, andprofiles. Featured in September:

Forum

Also in the “NAI Member Area” under“Membership,” visit the NAI forum to starta new discussion or add to an existing oneon a variety of topics regarding the profes-sion of interpretation or the association.

The National Association for Interpretation’sweb site features a wealth of resourcesand information about the associationand interpretation. This month’s featureditems include:

“Where do the Children Play?”(September/October 2005)

Author and nature-center enthusiastBrent Evansexplores opportuni-ties for natural playin the urban envi-ronment.

“Enos Mills: The Man We Won’t Forget”(September/October 2004)

Mills’ biographerAlexanderDurmmond tellsthe story of thisimportant figure inthe history of inter-pretation.

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missed. The technology gets me closerto the animals while connecting me tothem—not just at that moment butlater when I return home and beginediting the pictures to see which werethe day’s best shots.

As my friend and I go around thezoo, our cameras help us to frame theexperience. It helps us to sharpen ourview on not only the animals, but, onthe animal exhibits and on our ownexperience. We stop for a coffee at oneof the zoo’s cafés before we go. Whenwe leave we have collectively takenmore than 300 pictures. Some of thepictures are of the animals, some areof the grounds, and some are of eachother. I grin as I upload the picturesand see a picture of the bird that prac-tically caused me to tackle my friendas it unexpectedly flew towards me. Somuch for my phobia. What was itcalled again? Where was it that itcame from? The picture is not quiteas in focus as I would have liked but,thankfully I have my membershipcard. I can always just go back getthe answers to my questions and getanother chance at shooting theperfect picture. Despite how tech-nology develops in interpretativesites in future, I am already thank-fully reaping the benefits today.

For More InformationMcLuhan, M. (1964) Understanding

Media. Cambridge, Massachusetts:The MIT Press.

Buchholz, J. (2002) IncorporatingComputer Technology Skills intothe Interpretation Courses atUW-Stevens Point. Found onlineat http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/schmeeckle/interp/Research/Tech/thesis.htm

The National Gallery of Denmark.www.smk.dk

The Copenhagen Zoo. www.zoo.dk

Lori Webb resides in Copenhagen,Denmark, and consults in “Creative,Cultural, Interpretive, Design, andTechnological Experiences” for WebbConsulting (www.webbontheweb.org).She is also a freelance writer.