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This is an ADLAB PRO video.

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ADLAB PRO is a project funded
by the European Union.

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This video is made available to you
on a Creative Commons licence.

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Hello. I’m Elisa Perego

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from the University
of Trieste, Italy,

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In this ADLAB PRO video
I will define

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descriptive tours and guide you

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through the several stages
required to plan one.

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This is Unit 8
"Descriptive tours"

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in Module 4
"Semi-live or recorded AD

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for static arts and environments".

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In museums, two types of AD

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for people with sight loss
can be provided:

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stand-alone
descriptions of artworks

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and audio description tours.

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According to literature,
both types

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focus on describing
the actual object

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and on emphasizing
its visible details, such as size,

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shape, color, texture, etc.

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rather than only addressing
what cannot be seen,

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for instance history
or background information.

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AD tours, however,
have a value added:

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they are coherent itineraries,

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which do describe
interconnected objects,

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but also assist
people with sight loss

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to move from exhibit to exhibit,

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helping them to orient
throughout the museum space

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via clear and short instructions.

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Planning an effective descriptive
tour is a challenging process,

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one which involves
the ability to observe,

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but also the time
to interact with several people.

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The whole process can be
broken down into various stages.

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Let’s see them briefly.

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We will start with stage one,
visiting the museum.

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You might need
to go back several times,

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and visit the exhibition
with internal staff,

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with external experts,
and also with blind patrons

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who will give you crucial feedback
on their requirements.

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When in the museum
or on an heritage site,

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take your time,
take some pictures,

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and take notes
of your first impressions:

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these words
will turn out to be very useful

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when writing your AD text.

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After the visit,
you’ll be able to initiate

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the complex
decision-making process

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of choosing the source text.
This is stage two.

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But, what is exactly a “source text”
in a descriptive tour?

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It is not a single,
self-dependent item,

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but a selection
of interconnected objects

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relating to one another
in a given, relevant space,

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the museum space.

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When choosing
a selection of objects,

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you’ll have to pick attractive,
unusual, arresting,

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meaningful objects.
Those which best represent

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the museum exhibition’s
narrative and scope,

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and are more appropriate
to clear and vivid descriptions

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or, just in case,
tactile reproduction.

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Starting from your meaningful
selection, during stage three,

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you shall plan a coherent itinerary
including objects sequenced

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in such a way
as to convey a story

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and hold the visitor’s attention.

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The tour should be entertaining,
but not too long:

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the span of attention
of museum visitors is limited!

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At this stage, stage four,

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think whether to go
for an enriched descriptive tour,

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by adding for instance
a haptic dimension to it

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via the introduction of Braille
or relief writing,

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tactile drawing boards or maps,

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replicas or bas-reliefs, etc.

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Before moving
to the AD writing process,

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you will also
need to do a lot of research.

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This is stage five.

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Try to exploit
internal museum libraries,

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or use specialized literature,

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get hold of specific
exhibition material

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such as catalogues,
captions, brochures, etc.,

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and talk to people:
you can interview art experts

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and museum curators
to gather focused information

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on your selected items.

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Let’s now move to stage six.

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Now you can draft your AD text.

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Remember to plan it first,
then write and edit it

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as many times as necessary.

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Judge, rehearse, polish,

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prune away unnecessary details,

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and decide
what is allowed to remain,

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just like in film scriptwriting.

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Remember that in AD
less is always more.

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If you produce a descriptive tour,
you’ll also have to take care

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of the adequate orientation
of the prospective visitor.

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You can do so
by giving precise, factual

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and succinct
orientation instructions,

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but at the same time
do not forget to assist

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and encourage the visitors verbally,

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as well as to make them feel
comfortable and supported, but free.

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Do not put pressure on them:

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there’s no rush
when visiting a museum.

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Once your draft turns
into a final AD script,

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try and get feedback
from people with sight loss.

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If possible,
plan a piloting session with them

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followed by a structured
reception questionnaire.

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And discuss the final version
of your descriptive tour

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with museum curators.
Feedback will be invaluable

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and will have to be incorporated
in your script.

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Only at this moment
can you fine tune your script

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and eventually finalise it
for audio recording.

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Remember that if you have
to deliver live AD tours,

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an annotated outline
including keywords

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will be enough for you
to successfully sail along a museum

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with your visitors.

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I hope you have learned
something new

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about descriptive tours
in this ADLAB PRO video.

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Bye!

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The preparation
of this presentation

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was supported by ADLAB PRO.
Audio Description:

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A Laboratory for the Development
of a New Professional Profile

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financed by the European Union
under the Erasmus+ Programme,

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Key Action 2,
Strategic Partnerships.

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Project number:

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2016-1-IT02-KA203-024311.

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The information and views
set out in this presentation

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are those of the authors
and do not necessarily reflect

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the official opinion
of the European Union.

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Neither the European Union
institutions and bodies

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nor any person acting
on their behalf

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may be held responsible
for the use

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which may be made of
the information contained therein.

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This was an ADLAB PRO video.

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ADLAB PRO partners are:
University of Trieste,

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Universitat Autònoma
de Barcelona,

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University of Antwerp,
Adam Mickiewicz University,

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RTV Slovenia,
Utopian Voices,

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Soundfocus and Royal National
Institute of Blind People.

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ADLAB PRO was funded
by the European Union.

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This video was made available to you
on a Creative Commons licence.