Bowling

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

Bowling Alley, Skittles

Category

Sports, Sporting Activities, Activities, Recreation, Tourism, Concessions

Message / Function

For notice in general and to indicate the possibility of bowling
Note: Boccia is not included

	Source	Description
	Slovenia 2015	Human figure (bowler) taking a swing with the ball
	Erco	Human figure (bowler) rolling the ball
	BS 8501:2002	Human figure (bowler) rolling the ball
	CNIS	Human figure after rolling the ball, ball on line indicating bowling lane
	SSRS	Five bowling pins and ball with holes
	SIS	Four bowling pins and ball
	Unknown	Three bowling pins and ball
*	ÖNORM A 3011	Two bowling pins and ball striking pin
	Elbhavelwinkel	Two bowling pin with stripes and ball with holes
	Chamonix	Bowling pin with stripes and ball with holes
	Unknown	Bowling pin and ball
*	ON Testdesign	Ball and bowling pin
	Vectorstall	Bowling ball with three holes and reflection
	UKDT	Two bowling pins, one falling

Note: Some of the examples shown above were mirrored horizontally to contrast differences.

Discussion

The collection above indicates that no single visual stereotype seems to exist to indicate the possibility of bowling. Besides pictograms displaying a human figure rolling the ball, there are lots of variations showing just a ball, usually in combination with one or more bowling pins.

In our research we discovered that test results available are from one country only:

When Gehringer (1976) examined five pictogram variants for the referent Bowling Lane in an Appropriateness Ranking Test, a variant similar to the example above labeled as ON Testdesign was ranked best. Variants resembling the top two of the table above reached second and third place.

Both of the pictograms marked with a * reached almost 100 % correct responses when tested for comprehensibility in Austria (Brugger, 1983). Showing a ball plus one or more bowling pins probably will differentiate better between Bowling and Boccia than pictograms displaying a human figure rolling or throwing the ball.

Recommendation

Bowling

Regarding test results available as well as small scale usability, we recommend the use of symbol No 98 of ÖNORM A 3011 part 4.

Tests of pictograms of referent Bowling

Brugger, Ch. (1983): Abschlußbericht über den Erkennungstest. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute (ON) dated May 1983, Vienna.

Gehringer, J. (1976): Reihungstest über 18 Begriffe aus dem Sportwesen - Priorität I. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute (ON) dated January 1976, Vienna.