Observed in ordinary use
People take part on their own devices, in their own routines, rather than following instructions in a lab.
VISTA™ · Attention standard
Where attention was, and how focused it was.
VISTA™ (Verified In-Situ Tiered Attention) describes attention itself: whether a person was away from the screen, in front of it, or looking at it. It is observed with real people in ordinary everyday use, and every result is presented with the evidence behind it.
What VISTA™ answers
Being in front of a screen is not the same as looking at it.
Many measures treat a screen that is on as a person who is watching. VISTA™ keeps those states apart and reports how long each one lasted, so a team can see how much of a session was real attention rather than presence.
States, not one average
A session is described as time spent in each state, so a long session with little attention cannot hide behind an average.
Limits are stated
When a state cannot be established, the report says so rather than treating it as if nothing happened.
Results can be reviewed
Every result can be traced back to the observations behind it, so your team can check what it rests on.
The attention states
Attention is described in three states.
Rather than summarising a session with one average, VISTA™ reports how long each state lasted.
Away
In front of the screen
Looking at the screen
- Away
- The person is not in front of the screen.
- In front of the screen
- The person is present, but not necessarily looking at the screen.
- Looking at the screen
- The person is present and looking at the screen. This is the state a VISTA™ report counts as attention.
Reading the result
A result is always relative to what is being scored.
When the subject is the screen, looking at the screen is the highest state — that result is the VISTA™ Index (Screen). When the subject is an advertisement inside that screen, the very same moment can be worth much less — that result is the VISTA™ Index (Advertising). Same ladder, same formula: what changes with the subject is what counts as full marks, and which stretch of time the result is measured over. So the two cannot be compared or combined — that follows from how they are built, not from an extra rule to remember.
How it is grounded
Definitions consistent with international industry guidance.
VISTA™ follows attention definitions consistent with international industry guidance, so results from different markets can be read on the same terms. Observing people in ordinary use is the setting that guidance describes as the ideal, not a compromise.
- Every reported figure names the evidence it rests on.
- Where the evidence is limited, the report says so rather than filling the gap with an estimate.
- Studies from different markets are read on the same definitions.
What VISTA™ does not measure
Stated plainly, so nothing is inferred that was never observed.
Brain activity
Not measured, and not estimated from something else.
Heart rate
Not measured, and not estimated from something else.
Facial expression
Not measured, and never used as a stand-in for interest.
Body movement
Not measured, and never used as a stand-in for engagement.
Bring VISTA™ to your next study.
Tell us what you need to understand about attention. We will confirm the evidence required, the scope of the study and the form of the report before work begins.