Interactive Data-Gathering Posters as a Research Tool: A Case Study Assessing Public Opinion on Incorporation of Natural Behavior into Management Systems

SIMPLE SUMMARY: An innovative form of poster presentation was developed and piloted, with the aim of generating data rather than just presenting it. This tool was then used with three different stakeholder groups (an international conference, a regional veterinary conference, and a regional school leadership day) to gather participant opinion on an important component of animal welfare (naturalness). The poster promoted interaction between attendees and the poster presenter via ranking stickers and allowed participants to provide direct input about their top three areas of importance regarding the topic. We demonstrated a proof-of-concept, therefore, did we not make comparisons across cohorts; however, we showed that when applied in different settings, the poster gathered some consistent opinions on which behaviors are the best exemplars of naturalness in goats. While we identified that response bias and sampling bias could both be issues with the type of interaction promoted by this tool, we suggest that corrections used in other traditional data gathering methods (e.g., focus groups) could be applied to alleviate these biases. The flexibility of this interactive tool, and its capability to shift the audience from being the viewer of, to the interactive participant in, research, presents a novel alternative to traditional poster presentations. ABSTRACT: We developed a simple, interactive poster design. Via brief infographics and simple numbered stickers, participants were able to provide input about their top three areas of importance regarding a specific topic (i.e., promoting natural behavior in goats). The tool was utilized in three scenarios—an international conference, a regional veterinary conference, and a regional school leadership day. After a short discussion with the presenter, participants ranked their top three areas of importance. Response rates ranged from 22% to 100%. The data collection performed was intended to demonstrate a proof-of-concept of the poster design; therefore, comparisons across tested cohorts were not made. However, we showed that when applied in different settings, the poster gathered some consistent opinions on which behaviors are the best exemplars of naturalness in goats. Response bias, from opting for socially desirable responses, as well as sampling bias from using the tool at specific conferences or with specific demographics, could be an issue. Nonetheless, these are not unique concerns, and we suggest that corrections used in focus groups could alleviate these biases. The flexibility of this interactive tool, and its capability to shift the audience from viewing to participating in research presents a novel alternative to traditional poster presentations.