I promise that the paper is fully original and written by myself. In addition, I specifically promise that I did not use ChatGPT or any other writing-related software to complete my assignment.
Nate FranckeARC 514 Mind the Gap
Assignment 3
Immersive Design for Everyone
Exhibit design is immersive. In this particular instance, immersive does not just mean physically surrounding the user, but instead, immersive is the idea of a design being engaging, informative, inviting, and captivating. Immersive design is memorable and puts the user in a situation outside of their normal day to day environment. Science exhibitions and museums are a good example of immersive design because of their ability to push the possibilities of exhibition design. Science museums and exhibits are first and foremost about learning, and while the memories of the exhibits are often short-term, the goal is to create a long-term interest in science and technology. The use of hands-on exploration paired with technology makes for an experience that is both educational and entertaining, allowing visitors of all backgrounds to engage with complex scientific concepts that are both fun and accessible. A successful, immersive science exhibit will spark and inspire curiosity, no matter who you are.
The creation of an exhibit is a long process, with the earliest phases often taking the longest. Research, concept development, and design development are three crucial parts that define the early stages of the design process. They ensure the creation of an exhibit that is accurate, accessible, and engaging. The quality of the final outcome is a direct result of the work put into the process, similar to architecture and other design arts. Exhibit design is about crafting user experience, which becomes tricky when every user is different; every visitor will
interact with a specific exhibit differently, which will translate to each visitor having a different reaction to the exhibit. While visual components are important, the objective of an exhibit design is to conveys a meaningful message than can be attained by everyone. Exhibit design is the thoughtful process of creating something engaging yet accessible, informative yet accurate, and interactive yet inclusive. The most successful examples of exhibit design that provide immersion for everyone ensure accessibility, harmonize fun with scientific accuracy, and incorporate constantly evolving technology.
This paper is most closely connected to the class discussion on exhibit design. The first issue brought up in this discussion is about accessibility. Accessibility is important in user experience, just how it is important in architecture. Even though every user has different abilities and methods of interpretation, they should all be able to interact with a product or exhibit. When talking about sensory in the Ellen Lupton and Andrea Lipps article she says, “The senses are plastic” (Lupton & Lipps 12). Our five senses are connected, and they have the ability to spark other senses. Someone who may be visually impaired could get a sense for what an object might look like through the use of texture. An accessible design allows for each person to be able to have an interaction with it, which often means that an exhibit or product can be experienced through various senses, instead of just one. Newer exhibits and products can often be difficult to understand, but affordances help people by giving them clues as to how the product works or what an exhibit is trying to convey.
The second issue from our class discussion was about how a design addresses existential issues. A designer has the responsibility of addressing the problem at hand, but also being fully aware and understanding of the bigger picture. The designer must consider the “what ifs” of a
product or an exhibit. Because of these concerns, the research process of a design must be done thoroughly. A designer must be able to solve a problem while not creating any problems.
Codesign is another way of making sure to address existential issues. Codesign makes sure that everyone has a voice in the creation process by conducting thorough research, user interviews, surveys, and user testing. Codesign makes sure to include everyone’s life experience and knowledge so that no information is left out.
A successful science exhibit can be both understood by everyone and interacted with by everyone. Accessibility in exhibit design is crucial because it ensures that everyone, regardless of their disabilities or abilities, can engage, interact, and enjoy an exhibit. Designers can create inclusive environments that promote equal access to information and experiences for all visitors. The first area of focus a designer could take when creating a design would be prioritizing sensory design. The human senses can play a key role in making sure that everyone is able to have an experience. In Lupton and Lipps’ article about senses, they say, “Sensory design is inclusive. Each person’s sensory abilities change over the course of a lifetime. By addressing multiple senses, designers support the diversity of the human condition” (Lupton & Lipps, pg. 14). A designer must acknowledge that no visitor is the same. The designer is not trying to give everyone the same experience, but they are trying to craft an experience that does not exclude people from that experience. By creating something that the senses can experience you are inherently sparking other senses. A design that can be touched can be visualized. Someone who may be audibly impaired can see something and understand what is going on as well as anyone else, even if they can not experience the audio. Inclusivity by means of design is the first step in creating an immersive experience.
Science museums and exhibits aim to create lasting experiences through educating those who visit them. Sensory design helps to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to have a lasting experience. While science museums would like visitors to come back, their main goal is to promote science and its importance in our world in hopes that it may inspire a visitor to do the same. In the article, “Science Museums as Environments for Learning”, Robert Semper says, “In the best museums, learning is multisensory, and the exhibits support many learning styles and abilities. Exhibits are visually exciting and most have a text to help explain what is going on. But they also produce sounds and encourage touching. Exhibits often use interesting kinetic experiences, play on words, spatial relationships, and intriguing sounds as well as text and images” (Semper, pg. 53). When each visitor is different, so are the methods in which they retain information. A visual learner should not be prioritized over a hands-on learner and vice versa. By engaging with the different senses, museums can leave an impact on all types of learners. Inclusivity is more than just providing for disabilities and abilities; it is also about providing for these subtle differences we all share.
Sensory design in exhibits embrace social and cultural diversity by providing accessibility and inclusivity. In the preceding paragraph in Lupton and Lipps article on sensory design, they say, “Sensory design embraces human diversity. According to the New York City Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, inclusive design creates a ‘multisensory enhanced environment that accommodates a wide range of physical and mental abilities for people of all ages” (Lupton & Lipps, pg. 15). If a science museum is not accessible and informative to people of all races, ages, abilities, genders, etc., then it is unsuccessful. Just like any other museum or place of gathering, everyone should be welcome. Designers have the responsibility of providing an experience for
everyone, and while it may be presented as a challenge, it should be embraced as an opportunity. An opportunity to create a dynamic space of learning that can be hub of various cultures and peoples that can choose whether or not they would not like to interact with the exhibits or with the other visitors around them.
While science museums and exhibits are often intended for younger generations, the best exhibits provoke every age group to want to interact with it. The 10-year-old boy who does not want to read the print on the wall will likely interact with any simulation put in front of him.
While his grandma may not do the same for every exhibit, maybe the graphics of one exhibit will lead to her testing out her knowledge physically. Maybe the boy and the grandma will obtain the same thrill from an exhibit even though they may be 60 years apart. Affordances are key to providing visitors with signals that help them to understand a design. When talking about affordances in Jason Nunes and Andy Pratt’s book on interactive design, they say, “Donald Norman, cofounder of the Nielson Norman Group, describes affordances as, ‘the perceived and actual properties of a thing, primarily those fundamental properties that determine just how a thing could possibly be used.’ Think of them as the visual clues that help you understand how to use an object” (Pratt & Nunes, pg. 22). Affordances help to bridge the gap between what is and is not understood. Finger holes on a product help to indicate that a hand may be placed there. A large circular button suggest that a visitor may push the button to get some sort of reaction. These affordances can also be used in signage and wayfinding. Affordances make sure that anyone of any age can understand where they are, where they may be going, and what they may interact with.
Designers can craft how they want someone to experience what they are creating for them, but they can not decide a visitor’s every move. Naturally, a younger person will likely be attracted to the bright and shiny games, while an older person may be more invested in a slew of informational texts. An immersive experience allows for a visitor to learn and experience something in the way that they choose. A designer may attempt to influence these choices, but the final say will always come down to the visitor. The Three Lakes Nature Center in Henrico County, Virginia has an exhibit that encourages everyone to learn about the park’s outdoor habitats. When describing the design, author Edward Carpenter says, “Chester Design Associates of Washington, DC designed the exhibit to appeal to both busloads of school children and to families. By diving the exhibit’s displays into three activities – Look, Listen, and Explore – the designers show visitors a way to experience the park” (Carpenter 38). The design team strategically divided up experiences to engage with various groups of people that are all different ages, backgrounds, and abilities. This nature center is a great example of how designing for different age groups can enhance the overall experience. It allows visitors to choose the experience they would like to have and the methods by which they would like to receive information. A young person may be attracted by the “explore” activities more than they would the “look” activities. A blind person will still be able to interact with the “listen” and “explore” activities even if they cannot fully experience the “look” activities. Any route a visitor may take is okay, as long as everyone is leaving the museum or center with an experience or new piece of knowledge gained.
Exhibit design and product design have a similar responsibility in terms of their importance of providing accessibility. In both scenarios, the user comes first, and when every
user is different, the process of designing for the user becomes the main priority. The world that a younger generation grows up in and the world that an older generation grew up in are vastly different, which makes designing for both groups of people a challenge. In Victor Margolin’s article “The Experience of Products”, when talking about this challenge they say, “The rapid increase of the learning curve for mastering new products may sit well with young people but becomes taxing for those who are older and more accustomed to easier access to the products they need. Thus, many people in technologically advanced societies feel progressively alienated from systems on whose procedures and devices they depend but which they find increasingly difficult to use” (Margolin, pg. 50). Margolin notes that there is a gap that can be created if a product, or exhibit, is not understandable by everyone. Not only can it create a gap between and an old person and young person, but it can create a gap between someone of lower economic level and higher economic level. An exhibit design should not cater to one group of people or one economic level. An older person from a lesser-off foreign country should be able to have an experience just like a young person that is in tune with modern innovation will be able to. Sensory design and affordances can help to eliminate the possibility of extending this gap, and instead, attempt to bridge it.
Technology in exhibit design is a feature that can make a design come to life, virtually or physically. It can provide an experience that is unique to an exhibit or museum. While the use of technology can greatly enhance an idea, it can also be the element that creates a gap between who can understand and interact and who cannot if not fully considered. Accessibility and inclusivity must still be prioritized for designers when using technology. When talking about technology in Margolin’s article he highlights a quote from philosopher John Dewey. They say,
“In a word, we live from birth to death in a world of persons and things which in large measure is what it is because of what has been done and transmitted from previous human activities. When this fact is ignored, experience is treated as if it were something which goes on exclusively inside and individual’s body and mind” (Margolin, pg. 40). Technology and innovation are signs of human progress. Science, in a similar way, is always evolving. What is already known can become better understood and what is unknown can now be grasped through technology. Incorporating technology into an exhibit experience can enhance interactivity, provide new ways of presenting information, and create a more engaging and immersive experience for visitors. Technology does not just mean gadgets and screens. It can be the software that helps to create a 2D graphic, or the signage that helps to guide a visitor, or even the architecture that houses the exhibits. This is not to say that a design cannot be successful without technology, but by not using innovative technology to enhance a science design, overall experience will be inherently limited. Designers must continue to push and explore technological possibilities for the best immersive experiences.
An important part of understanding scientific evolution is understanding innovation. Science exhibits can often be better understood if the information presented has background information explaining how this information was originally understood. It creates an indirect relationship between the visitor and those scientists who first made the discovery. In the Henry Ford Museum outside of Detroit in Dearborn, Michigan, there is an exhibit called “The Innovation Station”. When author Edward Carpenter is talking about the intentions of the exhibit designed by Edwin Schlossberg, they say, “The problem, as Schlossberg saw it, was to come up with something that visitors could participate in, something that would force them to
be innovative to do it successfully, and leave them with a sense of having indeed been innovative” (Carpenter, pg. 52). While this design is a more direct take on an exhibit being innovative and interactive, it speaks directly to the purpose of enhancing visitor experience through technology. Visitors can understand the thought processes of Henry Ford through hands-on interaction by participating in the activity. While readable text and graphics can provide beneficial aid, the actual experience comes from doing the activity yourself. It is a method of learning that can only be experienced in science museums. The activity will leave an impact on the visitor that will help them remember the information gained long after they leave the museum. Science exhibits can and should inspire curiosity and a love of learning in visitors of all ages.
When using technology in exhibit design, designing with the user in mind must be prioritized. The smartphone has revolutionized the concepts of user experience and user interface. A smartphone that is new and not understandable for the user is useless, just as a science exhibit with technological elements that are not understandable is to a visitor. When talking about a display screen on a phone, author Lisa Baggerman says, “It was necessary that the information on screen was clear and easy to read, while displaying all the relevant information the user will need in order to access the phone’s different functions. It was necessary that the interface had a consistency across functions so the user didn’t have to learn different processes for each different procedure” (Baggerman, pg. 152). Exhibit designers can learn how to use technology effectively by studying the interface of a phone. Visual cues can give a visitor an idea of how to use a unique piece of technology. The access to the information being presented in the exhibit should not be limited by a confusing interface. While some may
question how the technology works, they should not question how they are supposed to receive information. A design should incorporate technology as an aid to get information across so every person has the ability to understand it.
Technology in exhibits and museums can be used in various ways. The Churchill Museum uses audio technology to interact with the viewer. Jewitt says, “These exhibits require the visitor to get near to engage with them – creating a physical sense of intimacy and isolation. The controlled use of sound through the gallery is a key aspect of how digital technology is used to create an interactive experience for the visitor” (Jewitt, pg. 84). The spaces in the museum are used to guide the user around the museum. Certain audio can only be heard in certain locations, forcing people to gather in a place and learn about what they are seeing from what they are hearing. The museum focuses less on physical interactions and uses the audible information to create an experience. The artefacts in the room may sit still, but the audio is what brings them to life and gives them meaning. Sound barriers, directed audio, and various audio outputs are technology elements that can create interaction, even without the user physically interacting with objects or things. There are larger spaces with louder audio for larger groups, and there are smaller spaces with a few sets of headphones for moments of more intense isolation. These design styles can create two very different social experiences driven by how the information is being received and what technology is being used to emit audio.
Technology can be more than the design of up-close displays of individual exhibits. Technology in the overall architectural design can reinforce the concept of what the exhibits within the museum are trying to teach. A good example of this would be the Phaeno Science Center by Zaha Hadid in Wolfsburg, Germany. While the architecture is elegant and thought-
provoking, it takes a backseat to the information that is on display upon entering through the technology used to create the structure. The architect and exhibit designer worked together to create a space that leaves interior movement and experience almost completely up to the visitor. In the book “In Detail Exhibtions and Displays”, Christian Schittich says, “The JoinIn stations, demonstration experiments, and exhibits may be roughly arranged according to the topics of wind and weather, light and vision, movement, energy and matter, information, games, micro and macro. However, there is no planned, strict succession. The intention is rather that visitors explore the landscape on their own and trace phenomena of natural science and technology with all senses of perception” (Scittich pg. 22). The technology in this instance is the architecture. Unlike the Churchill Museum where movement is guided, movement choices in the Phaeno building are left to the visitor. The building’s heavy concrete structure creates a large open space that allows for colorful exhibits to stand out among solid color walls. Instead of guiding the visitor by technology, the visitor may guide themselves because of technology. It also allows for large, overlapping exhibits that could have people in one space experiencing different things. The use of technology promotes different styles of experiences.
Technology in science exhibits should be used to spark interaction. Immersive exhibits should leave the visitor with a sense of fulfillment in both the knowledge they gained and the various experiences they had. An interaction with an exhibit should not be the end of the road for a visitor, but rather the start of further science interest. When talking about design in the section “Engaging the User” in the book titled “Interactive Design”, Pratt and Nunes say, “Users are engaged through entertainment. The more pleasure a user gets from interacting with what you’ve designed, the more engaged they will be and the more likely they will return” (Pratt &
Nunes, pg. 123). If a science exhibit can achieve entertainment, then it can be deemed successful, even if not all the information is retained. An immersive design will attract the visitor’s attention and hold that attention until the user is satisfied with their experience. To achieve this level of engagement and interest, science exhibits should incorporate technology in ways that encourage active participation and spark moments of curiosity and wonder. By using technology that is interactive and intertwined with the design, visitors are more likely to feel invested in the knowledge they are gaining and will hopefully seek out further opportunities when it comes to learning. Best case scenario, they return to the museum or exhibit to strengthen their knowledge on the subject because of the enjoyment they experienced while they were engaging with it. Whether they return to that specific experience or not, if the visitor further explores scientific learning, then the goal was achieved. Science exhibits should strive to impart knowledge to their visitors and technology will help to do so. By using technology that is both accessible and inclusive, and engaging and understandable, an exhibit experience will leave a lasting impact on a visitor that will leave them wanting more.
Science museums and exhibits have an important role of presenting unique opportunities of learning and possibly sparking further interest in science. The information that is being presented should be first and foremost scientifically accurate.
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