TOWGOTEE PASS GALLERY INTERVENTION
Challenge
Visitor-wildlife conflict is a pressing issue in the Greater Yellowstone Ecoregion (GYE), with grizzly bear encounters near roadways posing significant risks to both humans and animals. Despite the dangers, many visitors seek close interactions with bears, leading to unsafe behaviors such as leaving vehicles to approach wildlife. Traditional messaging has struggled to address this “bear blindness,” necessitating a design-focused reevaluation of roadside bear safety signage.
Challenge
Visitor-wildlife conflict is a pressing issue in the Greater Yellowstone Ecoregion (GYE), with grizzly bear encounters near roadways posing significant risks to both humans and animals. Despite the dangers, many visitors seek close interactions with bears, leading to unsafe behaviors such as leaving vehicles to approach wildlife. Traditional messaging has struggled to address this “bear blindness,” necessitating a design-focused reevaluation of roadside bear safety signage.
Approach
This project explored the design and messaging strategies of bear safety signage using the Personal Response Tour (PRT) methodology. Researchers presented a gallery of prototype signs employing diverse creative approaches to visitors, gathering qualitative reflections on their perceptions of design effectiveness.
Prototypes varied in typography, color, imagery, messaging tone, and integration with agency branding. Feedback was analyzed thematically to identify key design principles that maximize roadside safety messaging.
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Our team walked visitors through a gallery of prototype signs employing diverse creative approaches and gathered qualitative reflections on their perceptions of design effectiveness.
This project explored the design and messaging strategies of bear safety signage using the Personal Response Tour (PRT) methodology. Researchers presented a gallery of prototype signs employing diverse creative approaches to visitors, gathering qualitative reflections on their perceptions of design effectiveness.
Prototypes varied in typography, color, imagery, messaging tone, and integration with agency branding. Feedback was analyzed thematically to identify key design principles that maximize roadside safety messaging.
Our team walked visitors through a gallery of prototype signs employing diverse creative approaches and gathered qualitative reflections on their perceptions of design effectiveness.
Findings
Three critical design principles emerged:
Legibility in Roadside Contexts:
Signs must ensure quick comprehension by drivers and pedestrians. High-contrast text, simple typography, and strategic placement were highlighted as essential.
Telegraphic Messaging:
Concise, action-oriented language (e.g., “Stay in Your Car!”) was most effective in communicating urgent safety behaviors.
Authority and Branding:
Integration with recognizable agency visual branding, such as logos and color schemes, bolstered trust and compliance.
The team designed a final sign based on the visitor feedback on authority, aesthetics and messaging.
CONSERVATION COMMUNICATION COLLABORATIVE