using visitor motivation to design digital interpretation
DESCRIPTION
Digital technology has been adopted widely in the heritage sector for everything from kiosks to mobile web, apps, augmented reality, not to forget multimedia and audio guides. It holds out the promise of enabling sites to deliver information and interpretation to the visitor. But, to what extent are we in control of these tools? Are we still flushed with excitement at the possibilities? Are we still caught up in thinking about the many ways digital technologies can meet our organisational objectives? This presentation uses data from a series of projects to argue that we need to become more informed commissioners - considering visitor motivation, organisational mission and technological capabilities to achieve success.TRANSCRIPT
Frankly, Green + WebbCreated for: Presented by: Date issued:AHI Conference 2012 Alyson Webb 18th October 2012
Frankly, Green + WebbFrankly, Green + Webb
Digital Technology offers us a powerful set of tools
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The choices can feel overwhelming:
•User owned devices?•Kiosks?•Mobile web or app?•QR codes?
Technology is changing fast and we can get very caught up in it
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Who are we and how did we get here?
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Audience
Motivations, Needs &
Expectations for Visit
Organisational Mission
Technology Capabilities
and Requirements
Audience Motivation to Use
Technology
Context
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Frankly, Green + Webb
National Gallery ArtStart: Kiosks Designed to Support Visitor Planning and Learning
Intended to enable visitors to plan and personalise their visit
They can design & print their own trails through the collection,
ArtStart: text, audio, film, high res zoomable images
Visitors can choose from themes, search for detailed information
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Expert Visits:
• Locate and identify ArtStart as providing a source of information
• Use on repeated visits
• Report very little impact on plans - they come with an existing plan but…
• Use ArtStart to support that planning and research
• Explore the paintings and specific details – use zoom extensively
• Can be critical of the system
Expert
Research
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Repeat Social:
• ArtStart lacks appeal for Repeat Socials
• Less than a third report system affecting their enjoyment & understanding
• No dominant functionality of
screen used on the system by this group
• Use the museum as a sociable space, meeting friends in the cafes and browsing the collection.
Inspire
Activity
Repeat Socials
Research
Social
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Perceptions & Motivations for Use: Natural History Museum of Utah
•Kiosk format appealed to children & teens but…
•They use it as opportunity to ‘show off’ in front of peers - more than 80% comments ‘spam’
•Older visitors failed to see kiosks as ‘for them’but…
•Open to engaging with challenging topics for discussion
“Talkback Stations” Designed to support dialogue
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Denbighshire County Council: Digital Trails Project
Research & concept development to design a mobile service to widen access to heritage interpretation
in rural Denbighshire
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Mission
Trails to achieve strategic goals
Appropriate for digitisation
Develops cultural heritage interpretation
Meet the needs of current visitors
Support Destination Management
Technology
Snack not Dine
In the field
Limited connectivity
Limited Battery
Mobile and Kiosk
Audiences
Culturally attracted
Independent
Families
Activity focused
Spontaneous
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Audience
Mission
Technology
Concept design
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Identifying the right technology
Which technology?
• Mobile web enables spontaneous access with lowest possible barriers
• Can’t rely on good connectivity everywhere so…
• Lightweight system
• Avoid experience relying on rich media
• Build access to wifi through partnerships with local businesses
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Architecture Walking
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WHSPontcysyllte+ Surrounding
Area
Kate Roberts
Storytelling
NaturalHistory
Photo
Place and Language
LandscapePhotography
ExpertReading the
Canal
Reading Buildings
Them
eResource
sActivitie
s
How it works?
Theme is an A4 trail with locations and interpretation
Activity is additional sheet
All can use existing assets
Print or save to phone (pdf, jpeg, mp3 or mp4)
Resources used across multiple themes
Each theme and activity has multiple tags
User chooses using ‘I like…’
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Architecture Walking
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WHSPontcysyllte+ Surrounding
Area
Kate Roberts
Storytelling
NaturalHistory
Photo
Place and Language
LandscapePhotography
ExpertReading the
Canal
Reading Buildings
Them
eResource
sActivitie
sJen and Tim
Holiday Walking in Snowdonia
Tim is a lab technician and keen digital photographer believes WHS will offer good photo opportunity
Jen is a graphic designer
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WHSPontcysyllte+ Surrounding
Area
Architecture Walking
Kate Roberts
Storytelling
NaturalHistory
Photo
Place and Language
LandscapePhotography
ExpertReading the
Canal
Reading Buildings
Them
eResource
sActivitie
sSteve and Sue
Day trip to Llangollen – regular visitors
Stopped for tea & saw sign in café for “I like…”
Both keen on wildlife, Sue’s a big reader, have a life long learning habit
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Mission
What does the cultural heritage organisation
need to achieve?
What experiences does the
technology offer?Audience
Mission
Technology
What is the audience doing
already/motivated to do?
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1. Experience Design and Concept Development 2. Consultancy and Advice3. Service Design 4. Digital and Mobile Interpretation
Strategy5. Content Design and Strategy
Frankly, Green + Webb
t: @FranklyGW
Images thanks to Flickr Commons:
The hidden treasures of the Worlds Public Archives
http://www.flickr.com/commons
Created for: Presented by: Date issued:AHI Conference 2012 Alyson Webb 18th October 2012