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Interaction Design – Natural History Museum Table Top

December 2017

Problem Statement​

Museums increasingly use digital technologies to enhance visitor experiences, focusing on presenting information through signs, guides, and interactive displays. However, opportunities for visitors to contribute content are limited.

The challenge is to design an innovative interactive technology for a museum or gallery that enhances visitor engagement by enabling them to contribute content. The exact design problem should be informed by user research. Creative and non-smartphone-based solutions are encouraged unless a strong case can be made otherwise.

Process and Outcome​

Interaction Design – Natural History Museum Table Top

Group project with Bright Albert, Gillian Fatica and Mira Kostadinova

Challenge: Design an interactive digital technology to enhance the visitor experience at a museum or gallery. The solution should ideally enable visitors to contribute content.

The chosen museum was the Natural History Museum. The project followed a user-centred design process, starting with user research to understand the people, the environment, their activities, and opportunities for new digital technologies. This was followed by conceptual design, detailed design, and a small evaluation to gather feedback for improvements.

User Research​

User research was conducted through observations, questionnaires, and interviews. Insights from this research informed the creation of personas, which helped shape the technology to address user needs and challenges.

Interaction Design Persona

Interaction Design Persona 2

Conceptual Design​

Analysis of user research revealed several challenges faced by museum visitors, including a lack of interactivity and outdated technologies in certain areas. These findings shaped the initial design concepts.

Interaction Design Conceptual Design

Detailed Design​

The design process converged on the interactive tabletop idea, and wireframes were created to outline the user interface and experience.

Interaction Design Detailed Design

Evaluation​

Usability evaluations were conducted on the wireframes and a 3D model of the interactive tabletop. Potential users performed tasks while being observed for any difficulties. This ensured the design was intuitive, easy to use, and met user goals, delivering a satisfying experience.