Twenty-five years ago, I left my job at the Exploratorium in San Francisco and started Ideum. In the quarter century since, we’ve had some ups and downs, but we’ve also been able to find great projects and create memorable installations relatively consistently, and we are still here. As a self-funded experience design firm, success is never guaranteed; we need to work at it all the time. Our field is ever-changing and much more crowded now, with “experience design” focusing more on technology in public spaces being touted as the current big thing.

Those of us who have worked in the museum field know that experience design is nothing new. We’ve all been crafting visitor-centric experiences for decades. The ascent of technology has been a driving force for change now for the last several years. While many traditional exhibit firms have recently discovered software development, we’ve been working in the other direction, working on more physical exhibit and exhibition projects where technology is more deeply embedded and thoughtfully implemented.

I thought I would create a shortlist to express some of the ideas that guide us and a few lessons we’ve learned in developing various exhibits and installations over the years. The concepts described are about the visitor experience and our technological approaches. I’ve also included a few points about the necessary team-building to help reach those goals.
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Experience Design

‍‍• Museums (and other clients) always have great stories to tell. The best projects match the story with clear goals and a strong core concept for the visitor experience.

• The best experiences involve social interaction among visitors. Only museum professionals go to museums alone. Design exhibits for small groups of visitors, friends, couples, families, or even interaction between strangers.

• The project’s goals, story, and visitor experience (or user experience) are more important than the medium. However, to create compelling interactive experiences, you must understand the medium's qualities.

• Not every idea needs a digital approach. Many good exhibits don’t use the latest technology or use any digital technology at all!

• Don’t think about “covering” a topic, but how you might “uncover” interesting aspects. A great exhibit inspires people to want to learn more; it is a catalyst for exploration, not a comprehensive take on any subject.

• Follow great ideas wherever they emerge from. You and your team don’t have to be the ones to dream them up. Embrace the best ideas, period.

• Always be visiting exhibits and exhibitions. There’s always more to learn. Share your experiences with team members and bring up examples to discuss when designing new exhibits.

• Giving visitors agency to make decisions, provide input or comments, and/or the opportunity to create things is almost always a welcomed addition to an exhibition.

• Think about how you can shape a visitor's experience with an exhibition before or after encountering it. Can the website be used for “pre-visit” information? Are there ways in which visitors can get re-engaged after their visit?

• Expect challenges and things you can’t control in the creative process. Design is often a negotiation that requires trust and open communication among the participants.

• You are never wrong in advocating for the visitor when designing an exhibit or exhibition. However, remember that museums have other stakeholders; often, you must address these additional needs and wants.

• Respect team members' expertise. Ensuring that content or technical experts are heard in the design process is essential.  

• Museums have been evaluating in-person experiences for decades, and much of what they have learned applies to creating experiences today, even with modern installations that use emerging technologies.

• Popular technologies might not fit in public settings or museum spaces. For example, we are interested in VR and AR, but most of these applications and devices are personal and don’t translate well to shared experiences.

• Having performant and reliable hardware is essential. You won’t save money specifying underpowered computer hardware for your exhibits. Your developers will have to spend extra and unnecessary time optimizing software to make it more responsive.
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Prototyping, Testing, and Accessibility

‍• Prototype, evaluate, and prototype again. Use paper cardboard or other “analog” materials to mock up items. We are also big fans of “whiteboard” wireframing to help discuss and improve UI/UX early in the life of an interactive project.

• Accessibility is essential for any installation. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it will ensure that more people can interact with your exhibit.  Also, it improves everyone's overall experience when appropriately implemented.

• If your exhibit relies on technology, test on the target hardware early and often, and ensure early designs consider the medium, display size, and likely visitor interaction.

• Simple testing with individuals unfamiliar with a project (content or design) can provide valuable feedback during development. This can be done as part of the work so that it can be done inexpensively and yield great results.
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Team Building

‍‍• Take risks. Growth and great work require us to often work outside our comfort zones, whether learning new technologies or new design approaches.

• Bring along the next generation in your project work. Your firm's future and work may rely heavily on junior designers, developers, and emerging producers. Provide opportunities for them to get the experience they need. Teaming with museums or other design partners provides additional growth opportunities for your entire team.

• For experience design projects, in-person interaction produces the best results. All participants, including your programmers, need to “experience” what they are designing, and yes, programming is a creative endeavor requiring communication and participation.

• Space matters. Having versatile and comfortable spaces where folks can work independently and together with the proper tools is essential.

• Be skeptical about new technologies, but pay close attention as they present new opportunities and challenges.

• Give your designers and developers the best tools available: multiple screens, powerful computers, ergonomic devices, and other tools as needed. Staff time is not only your most costly resource; your team members will be grateful.

We will post more as we reflect on our twenty-five years in business in the New Year. Thanks for reading.

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