The document provides information about developing an audio guide program at the Toronto Zoo to enhance visitor experience and increase attendance. It discusses the zoo's strategic plan and master plan to connect people with wildlife conservation. It analyzes barriers like a lack of multilingual information and inaccessibility. The proposed audio guide program would provide information in multiple languages via handheld devices to be more inclusive. It presents the project description, costs/benefits analysis, and recommendations. Future considerations include expanding language offerings and exhibits covered, as well as developing virtual tours and a mobile app.

1. Business Case
for the Toronto
Zoo
April 16, 2021

2. Project Sponsor
Christine Doody- Hamilton
● Professor of Civil Engineering at Seneca
College
● Volunteer at the Toronto zoo for over 4 years
● Key communicator between us project
managers and the Toronto Zoo staff
● Soughted out for project management plan
approval and status report sign offs
● Regularly consulted for quality audits and
approvals

3. About the Toronto Zoo
● Largest Zoo in Canada with several hundred species
● Several Accreditations, including CAZA, AZA, WAZA
● Partners with the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy for financial resources and awareness
VISION
A world where
wildlife and wild
spaces thrive
MISSION
Connecting people,
animals and conservation
science to fight extinction

4. Toronto Zoo’s Strategy Plan 2020
● Based on the interests of the GTA Community
● 5 Strategic Priorities
Toronto Zoo’s Master Plan
● Align with the Strategic Plan
● Restoring habitat for wildlife
● Connects the zoo with wildlife and urban system

5. The Project
Help the Toronto Zoo meet its strategic
goals by developing a program that
enhances visitor experience and
increases attendance.
Critical Components:
● Accessibility
● Inclusivity

6. Focus of the Project - Components of the Business Case
1. Problem Statement
Understanding the gap between where the
Toronto Zoo is today, and what opportunities can
be realized
2. Problem Analysis
Looking at the situation behind this opportunity.

7. Components of the Business Case
3. Project Description
What is required to implement an audio guide
program, and what is the best approach
4. Cost-Benefit Analysis
Understanding the potential costs and advantages
for such a program
5. Future Considerations
How can this program be expanded upon in the
future.

8. Project Management Tools
MS Project
● Gantt Chart
● Tracking Progress
Project Management
Plans
● Communication Plan
● Risk Register
● Change Management Plan
Google Docs
● Sharing research and files
● Editing
WhatsApp
● Communication
● Sharing updates

9. Our Findings

10. Problem Statement
● Lack of in-depth information
● Site maps, posters and signs are only available in
English
● Translation is unavailable for in-person Zoo
experience.
● Mode of Education is available only in English
● Non- inclusive language
● Guided tours are scheduled and limited

11. Problem Statement
● Extensive amount of information can be stored and accessed by
guests.
● Ability to hold tens of language channels
● Facilitate multi-generational trips.
● Provide those with visual and hearing impairments access to the
information.
● Toronto Zoo would contribute to its mission of connecting
visitors with animals and conservation, while achieving their
strategic priorities.

12. Problem Analysis - An Overview
● 32,290 immigrants coming to Ontario in the first
quarter of 2020
● Toronto has 2,705,550 citizens that classify as
immigrants
○ 46.1% of the total population
● Toronto welcomes over 27.5 million tourists to the
city annually
○ However, only 16.7% of overall visitors
come from non-Ontario citizens in 2019
Zoo Attendance
Toronto Tourism
and Immigration

13. Problem Analysis - Language Barriers
● Ontario has the largest French-speaking
minority group in Canada with a population of
622,415 (4.7% of Ontario’s population)
○ 19% reside within Toronto
● 44% of Torontonians have a mother tongue
that is neither English and/or French
● Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish and Italian are
increasingly being spoken

14. Problem Analysis - Accessibility Barriers
● Spike in Toronto’s early senior
population (ages 65-69) between the
years 2016 and 2030.
● Speech-frequency hearing loss affects
approximately 19% of adults in Canada.
○ 35% having at least mild hearing
loss in the high-frequency range.
Toronto Population Projections

15. Project Description
Project Details
1. Tour features
2. Audio Guide Specs
Implementation Approach
1. Developing content
2. Translation
3. Recording
4. Synching guides

16. Project Description - Additional Considerations
● Exhibit Markers
● Headsets
● Fee Incorporation

17. Measuring engagement and learning through audio guides
● The study explores the benefits of using audio
guides instead of human tour guides during their
visit to the science museum.
● For group A, the tour guide asked the participant to
go to specific markers to trigger the audio guides
● For group B the tour guide narrated the stories and
concepts herself when near each artifact.
Figure 1: One part of the Whale Hunting Exhibition's room (left), and a
mark on the floor indicating an audio local (right). (Cesário, 2017)
Figure 2: Children in Group A wearing numbered stickers and using the audio guide
device. (Cesário, 2017)

18. Results
● The Again-Again table, suggested that the participants would go to the
museum again for the audio guides but not without this tool.
● The Smileyometer results were extremely positive for both the groups and
showed that the participants enjoyed their visit.
● For the learning, the difference between the knowledge gained between
the 2 groups was not significant. Thus, suggesting that audio guides did
not increment the learning of the participants.
● Overall, the verbal appreciation assessment of the tour was generally
positive.

19. Advantages
● Provide crystal clear audio to its guests
● Guests can continue to hear the commentary while spending more time looking at the animals
● Satisfy the ADA requirements for accommodating the hearing impaired at the Zoo
● Add a whole new layer of interpretation
● Allow flexibility in general and also make it easier to schedule events
● Eliminate the need to hire a tour guide
● Provide commentary in multiple languages

20. Disadvantages
● Storage and maintenance costs are of major consideration.
● May result in stolen/lost systems.
● Issue of dead batteries may leave some people unable to use the audio guides.
● There may be dead spots where either the transmitter or the receiver may not function properly.

21. Cost-Benefit Analysis

22. Future Considerations/ Next Steps
● Expanding the audio guide program to potentially include all plant and animal
exhibits:
a. A possible addition of 100s of more animal species - After successfully covering the Eurasia Wilds
region, the guides could be made to include other major regions of the zoo. (Indo Malaya, Africa,
America, Tundra Trek, Australasia, and the Canadian domain)
b. Inclusion of around 300 plant species in all domains along with the animals could be a target for this
program, this could help in promoting the botanical aspect of the zoo.
c. Gradually making the handheld guides to be available in various other languages - starting off with the
3 main languages (English, French and Manadarin) will give us a great idea of how doing so can attract
larger and a more mixed audience.

23. Future Considerations/ Next Steps
● Virtual visits through pre-recorded uploads:
a. Audio guide tracks could be uploaded to the zoo website with respect to their specific points of
interest (Plant/Animal exhibits) on a virtual zoo map.
b. Online visitors could freely roam the map, select their desired point of interest and the desired
language they would wish to take their self guided virtual tour in.
c. Already ongoing programs like The Zoo Connectionz, The classroom Connectionz could be
enhanced upon by inculcating the audio tracks from the guides.
d. Many museums and zoos around the world are known to incorporate audio and video recordings
on their website to provide a more immersive and fun experience for the virtual visitors.

24. Future Considerations/ Next Steps
● Video guide programs and Development of an App with inclusive features:
a. Live camera footage of some exhibits could be made available to view on the website during peaks
hours.
b. This footage could be played along a pre-recorded audio track for that particular exhibit for more
engagement and informative purposes. For instance the Atlanta Zoo in Georgia has a “panda cam”
running on its website for the visitors to view.
c. An IOS/Android application could be developed to enhance the accessibility and reach for the Toronto
Zoo. The audio tracks could be made available to visitors through the comfort of their own devices via
an app.
d. A virtual map of the zoo and information on various point of interests could be included in the app. The
app could keep the users updated on any upcoming events at the zoo, it could help build a better
connection and could potentially help the zoo reach a wider audience.

25. Recommendations
● Use of Tour Mate translation and recording
● Free trial for Zoo Membership holders
● A grant of $13,100 from the Zoo Conservancy Board

26. Lessons Learned
● Maintaining access to project tracking applications for all project team members
● Making use of sponsor and professor as valuable resources
● Clarifying expectations from the start

27. Thank you!
Questions?