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Designing mobile technology for visitors

Designing mobile technology for visitors. A game of snakes & ladders. Many ladders. Digital technology can provide Vastly more information 10,000’s of words instead of 60 In easily readable portions Under the control of the visitor Search or browse Using wide range of media

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Designing mobile technology for visitors

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  1. Designing mobile technology for visitors A game of snakes & ladders

  2. Many ladders Digital technology can provide • Vastly more information • 10,000’s of words instead of 60 • In easily readable portions • Under the control of the visitor • Search or browse • Using wide range of media • Animation, audio, video, images, text …

  3. Many ladders Digital technology can provide • High quality simulations of what cannot be experienced in the real world • Too fast/slow; too big/small; too expensive • Game-play, problem-solving • Capture & take away images, information

  4. Many ladders Mobile technology has all of these plus • It’s ready to hand when needed • Out of the way when not required • A personalised experience • A personalised record of visit • Opportunities to interact with other visitors

  5. But there are also snakes • How do visitors react to the use of digital technology in museums? • Can visitors make effective use of the technology? • Does it distract attention from other exhibits? • Does it disrupt social interaction?

  6. Do visitors want digital technology? • Emphatically yes! • Some of the most popular exhibits • High attracting & holding power • Sandifer – technological novelty & open-endedness associated with high attracting & holding power

  7. Do visitors want digital technology? • Wide-spread support • Among children & adults • In museums of science & technology • In art galleries & fine art museums • And mobile technology? • Yes but …

  8. Can they use the technology? • Yes - if appropriately designed • Appropriate design? • Pacing • Quick to learn, intuitive to use (no lengthy instruction) • Clear chain of cause & effect • Unhelpful ‘help’

  9. Can they use mobile technology? • Yes - if appropriately designed • A seamless match between the virtual & the real • What I see & hear matches what is in front of me • Design provides a useful conceptual model

  10. A useful conceptual model? The hamster powered car!

  11. Conceptual models for mobile technology • An unhelpful conceptual model • The ghostly presence of cassette tape audio guides

  12. Problematic conceptual models • Terminology • Bookmark or email? • How it functions • Free or fee? • Purpose of system • Introductory, complementary, supplementary • Who is it for?

  13. Does it distract attention? • No • Many examples of digital technology increasing engagement with objects • British Galleries at the V&A • Computer Information Points in the Energy Hall and Nanotechnology exhibition at the Science Museum • PDA guided tours at Tate Modern

  14. Getting it to work with objects For fixed kiosk exhibits • Oriented so user can easily view object • Purpose is clear to visitors • Introductory, supplementary or complementary? • Location, orientation of terminals • Seating • Design & content of first few screens

  15. Getting it to work with objects For mobile technology • Seamless match between virtual & real experience • What I see / hear matches what is in front of me • Content that directs attention to the objects

  16. Disrupts social interaction? • Yes - Sellen & Harper: The myth of the paperless office • Museum visiting is a social activity • Social interaction promotes learning • Scaffolding children’s learning • Consolidating ideas • Bringing misconceptions to the surface • Importance of disagreement

  17. Disrupts social interaction? • Less conversation … sometimes • Compelling experience • Ease of use • But sometimes more! • No inherent barrier to social interaction • Gelman et al. – computer label as aid to parental support • Eberbach & Crowley – more conversation (of certain type) at computer than at real plant • Amplified scale, reduced complexity, ability to repeat experience

  18. And mobile technology? • Two major potential barriers to social interaction • Ear-pieces / head-phones • Not being able to co-ordinate actions with companion • “Like going to a party & reading a book”

  19. But … • Not necessarily • The Sotto Voce project (Woodruff et al) • An innovative hand-held digital audio guide at the Filoli Historic House, Woodside, CA • http://www.archimuse.com/mw2002/papers/woodruff/woodruff.html

  20. The Sotto Voce project • Close match between virtual & real experience • Audio broken into short sections (6-27 seconds) • Single ear-piece headset • ‘Eavesdropping’ facility over WLAN • Found improved social interaction compared to traditional audio guide

  21. Finding the ladders, avoiding the snakes Developing mobile technology that works for visitors

  22. Each line could be a snake or a ladder. It all depends on the design of the system Object & label Device 1 Device 2 Companion Visitor Other Visitors

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