Once you are in a park or in a museum, you can see interpretation panels which describe the brief history of the place, some facts and information to guide the guests accordingly. These are written in simple and easy to understand words so as to cater all age groups. It should also have a catchy and interesting design so people will be encouraged to read.
It should not be that detailed because it might bore the readers so it’s better to make things as straightforward as possible without losing the important points. The text should also be highly visible so older people can still be able to read it. For children, it would be interesting to read a colorful plate and the ones that answer their «what and why» question.
Before making the panel be sure that you have planned it ahead of time. Details and designs are the most important part of the plan. Decide what design you would likely use and make sure that it would match the theme of the place. Also know the target age groups so you would be certain of the conversational style that you would use. For example if it is for educational purposes and for children under 10 years old be sure that it has some pictures on it to make them good to look at. It should also be colorful and the words need to be as simple as possible. School-aged children are so curious so you should be able to answer their questions. For older readers, you can add on extra details and make sure you point out the important points. The words that will be used in the board should be taken into consideration since not everyone can understand difficult words.
Determine if you also need to put some translation to other languages. Know first the frequent visitors so you would be able to find out what language would be appropriate to use. It will also be neat if you could put some Braille version on the board so as to help the visually impaired to read what is on it. Ensure that board will not be that full and messy to look at and that every detail is in an organized manner so the readers will not get confused.
Make sure that the colors will blend with the environment and that it will be related with the theme. Next to check is the material it would be made of. It should last for a long period of time and it should not rust easily. Some boards are placed outdoors so it should survive the extremes of nature. Aluminum, timber, stainless steel and bronze are some examples of the material that you can use.
You can also choose a board wherein you can change the pictures on it in a regular basis. Whatever the style, theme and material you will use ensure that the readers will be highly encouraged to read the interpretation panels and that they will be educated well.