WHO

The system may be used by any visitor to the Davis Museum. This incorporates a wide range of demographics, including children, students, faculty/staff, and visitors to the college. As such, there is a wide range of ages and potential occupations to account for. Additionally, we will want the user interface to be as intuitive and relatable to real life as possible, because there may be a wide gap in computer skills and comfort with technology.

WHAT

The system has four main functions: the user can choose to search the collection by different criteria. They can choose an individual work to look at, and can respond to prompts about the piece or see responses by other visitors to the piece. Notably, they can move pieces across the screen to share them with other users.

HOW

1. Choose certain criteria by which to search the collection
   In its native state, there is a “word cloud” in the center of the Surface which displays the themes by which the works are sorted in the collection. To change the way in which these works are being sorted, the user will pick up a token and place it on the surface, at which point the word cloud will change to reflect the search and its results. The tokens will represent groupings such as time periods, place of origin, medium, etc.
2. Choose artwork to look at
   From the word cloud, the user will drag the word of interest to their “space.” After holding their finger still for a moment, the related images will populate around it, and using their other finger they can “drag” the image of interest out of the cloud, at which point it will act as an independent object on the Surface. After dragging out as many works as the user desires, the user will release the word and it will return to its position in the cloud.

   Alternatively, if you have already visited a piece and picked up its corresponding postcard, placing the postcard on the Surface is tantamount to having pulled out its digital version.

3. Respond to prompts associated with the artwork
   When the visitor touches an isolated piece which has previously been chosen from the cloud, a “speech bubble” will populate from the work with a prompt for the user to respond to. Depending on the prompt, the user will be invited to either “draw” on the painting itself, or on the speech bubble, below where the text appears. Using the eraser tool, they can correct their response at any time during the interaction. In order to invite others to respond to the same prompt, the user can either flick the piece in their direction or create duplicate speech bubbles which others can interact with.

   If the user is interacting with a postcard version of a piece, pressing down on the postcard will cause the speech bubble to appear to the right of the postcard, and all of the other interactions will take place as above. Notably, you are limited from painting on the postcard, so the system will determine whether or not it is a postcard and will adjust the prompts accordingly.

4. See responses of other visitors to the artwork
   On the speech bubbles, there will also be an icon in the corner depicting three people in a group. Upon pressing that icon, other peoples’ responses will branch out from the speech bubble, which the user can enlarge individually.

WHERE

The Surfaces will be positioned in the lobby by the entrance to the gallery, so that users are invited to interact with them while preparing to enter the gallery as well as preparing to leave.

WHY

Currently the museum has problems with (1) attracting visitors, (2) providing information about the work’s location and its context, (3) engaging visitors in critical thinking over the course of their museum visit, and (4) encouraging contemplation and sharing about their experience after their visit. By placing Surfaces invitingly in the lobby, where users shape their first impressions about the museum and its collections, as well as where they must pass through to enter and exit, the visitors will be engaged by the Surfaces even before they view the galleries, and will be encouraged to reflect on them afterwards.

VISUAL DESIGN

Spatial Layout

Tokens

STORYBOARD (and VISUAL DESIGN cont’d)

1. Choose certain criteria by which to search the collection:
   
   In its native state, there is a “word cloud” in the center of the Surface which displays the themes by which the artworks are sorted in the collection. To change the way in which these works are being sorted, the user will pick up a token and place it on the surface, at which point the word cloud will change to reflect the search and its results. The tokens will represent groupings such as time periods, place of origin, medium, etc.

2. Choose artwork to look at:
   
   From the word cloud, the user will drag the word of interest to their “space.” After holding their finger still for a moment, the related images will populate around it, and using their other finger they can “drag” the image of interest out of the cloud, at which point it will act as an independent object on the Surface. After dragging out as many works as the user desires, the user will release the word and it will return to its position in the cloud.
   
   
3. Respond to prompts associated with the artwork:
   
   When the visitor touches an isolated artwork which has previously been chosen from the cloud, a “speech bubble” will populate from the work with a prompt for the user to respond to. Depending on the prompt, the user will be invited to either “draw” on the painting itself, or on the speech bubble, below where the text appears. Using the eraser tool, they can correct their response at any time during the interaction. In order to invite others to respond to the same prompt, the user can either flick the piece in their direction or create duplicate speech bubbles which others can interact with.
   
   
4. See responses of other visitors to the artwork:
   
   On the speech bubbles, there will also be an icon in the corner depicting three people in a group. Upon pressing that icon, other peoples’ responses will branch out from the speech bubble, which the user can enlarge individually.