本文試圖從研究方法的面向回顧臺灣的博物館觀眾研究,並特別指出其中所觀察到各項不足之處及提出改善的建議。為讓讀者更能了解研究過程中所涉及的各種研究方法與決策模式,本文從最初的研究規劃開始回顧,探討在博物館內該由誰來進行觀眾研究,不同的業務部門因需求有異,而進行回答不同問題的研究;接著是研究方法的決定,到底該採用質化研究還是量化研究?然後再涉及資料收集工具的建構,這裡特別強調整合觀眾想法到量表的重要性;接著而來的問題是博物館該用觀眾哪方面的特質進行分析才更具意義;而最後和關鍵的是正確統計分析方法的選用,這也是極需改善的部分。博物館投入各種資源進行觀眾研究,最終目的是了解觀眾以協助決策,製作出符合觀眾期待的展示、學習活動與提昇服務品質,研究的執行與分析的不富,便無法產生可供協助決策參考的資訊, 而觀眾研究作為一嚴謹的研究實踐也將受到質疑。
This article attempts to review recent publications in museum visitor studies from a research methodology perspective, with special emphasis on areas where further improvements are needed. The review took a holistic approach to examine the complete research process comprising the initial research design to final statistical analysis. Thus, the review began with the question of who will conduct the research in the museum. Different divisions within museums conduct visitor studies to meet their needs. The next step was the selection of research methods where the merits of quantitative and qualitative methods were discussed. The contribution of visitor point of view to the validity of the questionnaires was then considered. In conducting the analysis, the merits of different visitor attributes as explanatory variables were examined. Finally, the most crucial part of the research process is the choice of appropriate statistical analysis procedures, and this is where improvement is most needed. Museums allocate resources to visitor studies with an ultimate goal of obtaining a better understanding of their visitors. This information is then used as a reference in decision making, such as the development of visitor-centered exhibitions, educational programs and service quality improvements. If inappropriate research design and data analysis are conducted, the resulting information will fail to provide a reference framework for sound decision making, and the position of museum visitor studies as a rigid discipline will be challenged.