Windsurfing

Category

Sports, Water Sports, Sporting Activities, Leisure Activities, Activities, Recreation, Tourism

Message / Function

For notice in general and to signify the activity of windsurfing

	Source	Description
	Dutchicon	Human figure on board, rigged sail, water shown as wavy line
	WTO-Iraq	Human figure on board in side view, rigged sail, water shown as two wavy lines
	BS 8501:2002	Human figure on board in side view, rigged sail, water shown as two wavy lines
	NARSSM	Human figure on board in side view, rigged sail, water shown as wavy line
	Fiori R	Side view of human figure on surfboard, rigged sail, water shown as wavy line
	DER	Human figure on front view of board, rigged sail, water shown as two wavy lines
	Peru 2016	Human figure on board in side view, rigged sail, water shown as two wavy lines
	ÖNORM A 3011	Human figure on front view of board, rigged sail in outline, water shown as two wavy lines
	NZS 8603	Side view of human figure, rigged sail, water shown as two wavy lines
	U.S. National Park Service	Human figure in side view, rigged sail, water shown as wavy line
	Québec	Human figure in side view, rigged sail, water shown as wavy line
	BTA 1989	Side view of human figure on surfboard, rigged sail
	Erco	Side view of human figure on surfboard, rigged sail
	NST Portugal	Side view of human figure on surfboard, rigged sail
	Unknown	Side view of surfboard with rigged sail

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

Discussion

Rigged sail, side views of a human figure with a hand on the boom, plus water shown as wavy lines dominate the pictogram variants found and could be seen as visual stereotype to signify the activity of windsurfing. Scaling of the human figure in relation to the size of the sail and the surrounding water surface varies quite a bit between pictograms available. Several renderings, as for example the U.S. National Park Service Map Symbol for Windsurfing, do without showing a board and still seem to get the intended message across.

In our research we found only very limited information on data from tests:

Fiori (2008) examined a map symbol showing a side view of a human figure on a surfboard with rigged sail and the water shown as wavy line (available here in low quality only) using a Comprehension Test conducted in Brazil. Only 45.9 % of the responses were classified as correct. The answers Sailing, Yachting, Surfing, and Regatta were found among the wrong interpretations. We assume that some of the responses were done quickly and did not express the meaning in an exact manner, so real comprehension rate could probably be significantly higher.

Recommendation

Due to the fact that data from research is very insufficient, we recommend to start testing using the Comprehensibility Estimation procedure for eliminating poor variants and identifying the best of the set available, followed by a Comprehension Test. These studies should deliver useful data for recommending the best pictogram. Detailed information about the most frequent responses given in each of the response categories of the Comprehension Test should be provided to correctly judge comprehensibility and improve designs. Also information concerning knowledge about this kind of sport should be collected at the end of the test, as the degree of familiarity with the referent examined has a significant impact on the validity of the data collected.

Tests of pictograms of referent Windsurfing

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