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Viewpoint

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

View, Viewing Area, Viewing Platform, Outlook, Lookout, Scenic Viewpoint, Panoramic View, Panorama, Camera Point

Category

Travel, Tourism, Recreation

Message / Function

To indicate the location of public viewing point

 

Source Description
ÖNORM A 3011 Public Information Symbol No 117: Viewpoint* ÖNORM A 3011 Side view of two human figures standing on circular segment, one looking through binoculars, one pointing in the same direction
Experience Japan Pictograms: Observation Room (TENBOSITSU) EJP Side view of human figure looking through telescope on stand
ISO 7001 Public Information Symbol PI TC 001: Viewpoint or panorama+ ISO 7001 Side view of human figure looking through binoculars or telescope on stand
Pictogram No AT-SN 13: Viewpoint (Mirador) from Peru Peru 2016 Side view of human figure looking through binoculars or telescope, railing
Pictogram AN017 Viewpoint (Mirador) from Bolivia Bolivia Side view of human figure looking through binoculars or telescope, railing
Eco-Mo Foundation Pictogram D1: View Point Eco-Mo
Foundation
Side view of human figure looking through binoculars or telescope, railing
Pictogram No Pict-06: Viewpoint (Belvédère) from Québec Québec Side view of upper part of human figure looking through binoculars or telescope, railing
Map Symbol: Viewing Platform from Zermatt Zermatt Side view of human figure looking through telescope on tripod
Austrian Testdesign: Viewpoint* ON Testdesign Side view of human figure standing on circular segment, one arm near head
BSI 8501 Public Information Symbol No 8042: Viewpoint* BS 8501:2002 Side view of two human figures, one looking through binoculars, one pointing in the same direction
Hora page 92: Parks Canada Pictogram Viewpoint PC Side view of two human figures, one looking through binoculars, one pointing in the same direction
Traffic Sign Symbol No 10213 Viewpoint (Razgledna Točka) from Slovenia Slovenia 2015 View of two human figure standing on peak, one pointing somewhere
Modley & Myers page 114, Swedish Standard Recreation Symbols (SSRS): Pictogram  View SSRS View of human figure standing on peak and pointing somewhere, tree in foreground
Pictogram GFS A4-5 View Point from South Africa SADC View of human figure standing on peak, pointing somewhere, tree below
Italian Traffic Sign FIGURA II 208 ART. 125: Viewpoint (Punto Panoramico) SVI View of human figure standing on peak, pointing somewhere, green tree below
Pictogram IT1-12 Panoramic View (Vista Panorámica) from Ecuador Ecuador Single lens reflex camera with pentaprism viewfinder, arc above
Dreyfuss page 130: Pictogram Camera Point Dreyfuss Single lens reflex camera with pentaprism viewfinder
Modley & Myers page 87, U.S. National Park Service (NPS): Symbol Viewing area NPS Camera with viewfinder
Pictogram Panoramic View from Galicia Galicia Vintage bellows camera with wire release
Map Symbol: Viewpoint (Algarve, Portugal)+ RTA Algarve Parallel projection of binoculars
Modley & Myers page 128, Nova Scotia: Pictogram Viewpoint Nova Scotia Binoculars
Aicher & Krampen page 135: Pictogram Viewpoint by Kapitzki Kapitzki Filled circle, four arrows pointing in all directions
French Traffic Sign Symbol CE21 Viewpoint (Point de vue) France IISR Four rays covering angle of 80°, pointing away from point
NPS Map Symbol: Scenic viewpoint U.S. National
Park Service
Five rays covering angle of 130°, pointing away from point
Hora page 332: UKDT Map Symbol Viewpoint+ UKDT Five triangular rays covering angle of 180°
Swiss Standard SN 640 827 Symbol 9.30: Viewpoint SN 640 827 Five triangular rays covering angle of 180°, pointing away from point
BTA 1989 Page 3.23: Map Symbol Viewpoint BTA 1989 Seven rays covering angle of 180°

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

Discussion

The range of graphical symbols shown in the table above gives a good hint of the diversity of variants and image contents used to signify the location of public viewing point or panoramic view. As the range of other terms used for this referent discloses, it should be no surprise that no single visual stereotype can be identified.

Test results found in our database cover several image contents in use:

In research conducted in Austria, employing a Comprehension Test (Brugger, 1990) with pictograms for Viewpoint almost identical to the examples above marked with a *, pictogram No 117 from ÖNORM A 3011 reached the best scores, and a variant similar to BSI symbol No 8042 was very close. Both variants had a strong focus on viewing, but some responses to the variant similar to BSI symbol No 8042 indicated a relationship to stands or a visitors' gallery, which maybe could have been eliminated by offering more context information. The variant labeled as ON Testdesign induced confusions related to the military or police and even trampolining.

In a Japanese study to propose domestically unified graphical symbols based on scientific methods, the pictogram variant labeled as Eco-Mo Foundation proved to be well comprehensible with a comprehension score of 79.6 (Eco-Mo Foundation, 2001).

Fiori (2008) examined Viewpoint map symbols similar to the ones at the bottom of the table above, and correct responses were very sparse with values below 10 %. Often no answers were given and wrong responses outnumbered everything else. Frequent answers were for example Light, High Beam, Spotlight, Cinema, and Speaker.

As Neves (2012) compared several variants, marked with a + in the table above, using the Comprehensibility Estimation method, the ISO 7001 Public Information Symbol PI TC 001 for Viewpoint and Panorama was judged as well comprehensible with a mean score of 88.5, closely followed by the pictogram labeled as RTA Algarve, while the map symbol of the UK Department of Transport was judged as rather incomprehensible, reaching a score of 7.7 only.

Recommendation

As the location or context in which a symbol for the concept Viewpoint / Lookout / Panoramic View is used has significant influence on comprehension of this symbol, we suggest to conduct further studies including sufficient context information. Only on such a basis a clear decision concerning a specific recommendation for Viewpoint can be reached.

Tests of pictograms of referent Viewpoint

Brugger, Ch. (1990): Abschlußbericht über den Verständnistest. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute (ON) dated 10/90, Vienna.

Eco-Mo Foundation (2001): Test data of public information symbols in Japan - Procedure for the testing of public information symbols by the Study Committee. ISO: ISO/TC 145/SC 1 N 329.

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

Neves, J. (2012): Sistema de signos para informação turística: Metodologia para o desenvolvimento de sistemas sinaléticos. Tese de Doutorado - Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Arquitetura.

See also

Picnic Area / Rest Area, Nature Reserve, Marsh, Waterfall

 

Updated 2024-11-24 by Ch.Brugger