Information or Interpretation

Welcome to Shelley Signs. We are a leading supplier of Information or Interpretation signs and panels with particular expertise in Interpretive Signs. For a chat about the options phone Robert Shelley on 01743 460996 or to request more details complete this Enquiry Form

Shelley Signs offer a full service for Interpretive Signs – please follow these links for more information about our in-house design,  submitting your own artwork, Framing Options, materials and general guidance about Interpretive Boards.   Guidance on maps and popular styles can be found at the Maps link.

There are several differences between information and interpretation, although all interpretation contains information, the information does not contain interpretation. The information contains relative information from factual texts and figures, although the way in which it is displayed is sometimes found boring and not stimulating enough, as it is just a piece of text with facts and figures, even though the sign that is displayed on maybe of high quality and a nice finish. Signs with just information instead of interpretation are found to hold visitors’ concentration for a shorter length of time than those that have been designed purely to be interpretive.

Information signs are sometimes found to be more formal, therefore do not have the same wide range of audiences as interpretive signs. Interpretive signs hold interest for several if not all age ranges, even those that cannot read the text can see the beautiful and exciting illustrations.

Places that have a wide visitor age range including young children should really choose to have interpretive signs, not information signs, these signs can still hold the same information but they are displayed in two totally different ways. Information signs are very factual, whereas an interpretive signs text is creative, even though it still contains the facts, they are presented in a much more inviting and interesting way. This will not only hold and captivate the visitor making them want to read on but in hindsight increase their interest in the place that they are visiting.

Shelley Signs has an understanding of how visitors learn and remember information, this is through many years as an experienced and highly skilled Sign Company. When a person visits a place of interest it is important for them to learn about their surroundings, for them to enjoy their stay this needs to be done in a fun and exciting way, this is where interpretive signs outshine information signs. It makes the process of learning a pleasure not just for adults but children who when think of learning think of school, which is the last thing they want to be doing when they are having a fun day out.

For places of interest where families visit it is important to remember that a happy child is a happy parent. Standing reading an information sign which is just text on a plain or coloured background is not a child’s idea of fun, whilst standing looking at a sign that has attractive photos or beautiful illustrations will captivate the child’s mind for longer, allowing the parent to read the text for a longer period of time before the child gets bored and the parents’ attention is taken away from the sign and back to the child. At this point, it is doubtful that the parent will return to read the sign but if the parent can get the child to interact with the sign it means the parent will be able to spend a long time reading the interpretive sign, gaining valuable and factual information. This information could be a vital key as to whether the visitor will return to the site again.