Whirlpool

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

Jacuzzi, Hot Tub

Category

Public Facilities, Travel, Tourism, Recreation, Lodging

Message / Function

For notice in general and to indicate the availability of a whirlpool

	Source	Description
47	ON Testdesign	Side view of two human figures, one in water, one sitting outside, circles indicating bubbles
	ÖNORM A 3011	Side view of two human figures sitting in tub with molded seats, water, circles indicating bubbles
79	Vavrinek	Side view of two human figures sitting in tub with water, circles indicating bubbles
72	Vavrinek	Side view of two human figures sitting in tub with water, circles indicating bubbles
48	ON Testdesign	Side view of human figure sitting in tub with water, circles indicating bubbles
	ISO 7001	Three vertical s-shaped lines above three half human figures in a circle
	NeueDeutsche	Three vertical s-shaped lines above human figure in tub
	BTA 1989	Upper part of human figure surrounded by two ellipsis
7	Unknown	Spiral indicating a swirl

Discussion

Besides the pictogram variants from the Working Group Pictogram Design AG 133.06 of the Austrian Standards Institute, we have only a few pictograms in our database to indicate the availability of a whirlpool or hot tub. No single visual stereotype can be identified.

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

When the Austrian Standards Institute attempted to develop a comprehensible pictogram for Whirlpool/Jacuzzi, several variants were designed and five pictograms subjected to a test on basis of the Comprehensibility Estimation procedure (Brugger, 1999). Side views of two human figures sitting in tub with water and circles indicating bubbles were rated better than all other pictograms tested with mean values of 79 and 72. The variant displaying a rendering of a spiral indicating a swirl was judged as incomprehensible. The numbers next to the pictograms in the table above are the mean estimation values reported for the corresponding pictograms in this study.

Based on these results further variants were designed and then the first three pictograms of the table above were examined in a Comprehension Test conducted in Austria (Brugger, 2000). With a score of 82.8 the pictogram by Vavrinek labeled ÖNORM A 3011 reached the highest score according to ISO FDIS 9186 (2000). While the other pictogram design provided by Vavrinek reached an almost identical score of 80.4, the test-design shown at the top of the table, with one person sitting at the edge of the tub, was understood less well, reaching a score of 33.8 only. This result is a confirmation of the previous data determined using the Comprehensibility Estimation procedure reported above.

Recommendations

Whirlpool

Based on the test results known we recommend the using a pictogram similar to public information symbol No 165 of ÖNORM A 3011 part 11.

Tests of pictograms of referent Whirlpool

Brugger, Ch. (1999): Verständnisschätzungen - Projekt 1999. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute dated December 1999.

Brugger, Ch. (2000): Verständlichkeitstest ON 2000. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute (ON) dated November 2000, Vienna.