Climbing

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

Rock Climbing, Technical Rock Climbing, Sports Climbing, Bouldering, Mountaineering, Rappelling

Category

Activities, Land Based Activities, Outdoor Recreation, Recreation, Tourism

Message / Function

To signify the activity of climbing

	Source	Description
	Ecuador	Side view of walking human figure with rucksack, on uneven terrain ascending to peak
	Bolivia	Side view of walking human figure with rucksack and rope, on uneven terrain ascending to peak
	Ecuador	Side view of human figure with backpack, irregular filled shape
	DER	Side view of human figure with backpack, irregular filled shape
	U.S. National Park Service	Side view of human figure with backpack, irregular filled shape
	PC	Side view of human figure with backpack, irregular filled shape
	BS 8501:2002	Side view of human figure with backpack, irregular line
	CNIS	Side view of human figure with backpack on ascending terrain, rope
	CNIS	Side view of human figure, irregular filled shape, rope from above
	NZS 8603	Side view of human figure, irregular filled shape, rope below
	Bolivia	Side view of human figure climbing with rope, irregular filled shape as rock
	Québec	Side view of human figure climbing with rope, irregular filled shape as rock
	Chamonix	Side view of human figure climbing with rope, irregular filled shape as rock
	CNFC	Side view of human figure with pick, irregular line
	O'21	Side view of human figure at overhanging irregular shape
	EJP	Side view of human figure at overhanging irregular shape
	La Clusaz	Side view of human figure and rope at overhanging irregular shape
	Ecuador	Side view of human figure and rope at overhanging irregular shape
	Chamonix	Rear view of human figure wearing helmet, two lines indicating rope
	U.S. National Park Service	Rear view of human figure, two lines indicating rope
	Forster	Side view of human figure, two lines indicating rope, line indicating wall
	Erco	Side view of human figure, two lines indicating rope
	Fiori	Side view of human figure, curved line indicating rope
	BTA 1989	Side view of human figure in climbing posture, helmet indicated
	O'24	Details from sports climbing wall

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

Discussion

In some documents, like for example the Chinese standard GB/T 10001.1-2012, Public Information Graphical Symbols or the NPS Map Symbols Collection, the referent Climbing is represented by more than one pictogram. It is not clear if individual pictograms should be used for rock climbing, technical rock climbing, and even different types of sports climbing in a man made environment, and whether or not the general public will differentiate between these types of climbing on basis of pictograms.

In our research we discovered that there is only very limited test data available:

Fiori (2008) examined a map symbol for the referent Rapel / Alpinismo (Rappelling / mountain climbing) shown in the table above and labeled as Fiori. In a Comprehension Test 69.1 % of the responses regarding this symbol were classified as correct. No detailed information about the content of the 20.6 % wrong answers is available to derive hints on how to improve available pictograms.

Recommendations

Due to the limited data available and insufficient knowledge of relevant factors, we recommend conducting an exact analysis of the communication needs and possible user groups of this information. On such a basis research using the Comprehensibility Estimation procedure and possibly a Comprehension Test will deliver useful data for recommending one or several pictograms. Detailed information about the most frequent responses given in each of the response categories must be supplied for each pictogram variant tested to correctly judge comprehensibility and improve designs, if necessary.

Tests of pictograms of referent Climbing

Fiori, S. R. (2008): Mapas para o turismo e a interatividade - proposta teórica e prática. Tese de Doutorado - Depto. de Geografia, FFLCH-USP.