Spatial Experience • AR
WAITING @ ISGM
4 Weeks • 2023
TEAM OVERVIEW
4 Product Designers
MY ROLE
User Research • Field Studies • Behavioral Insights • Concept Strategy • Visual Design
RESEARCH METHODS
Shadow Observations • Intercept Interviews • In-depth user interviews • Desk Research
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Sincere thanks to Prof Lee Moreau and Ms. Tiffany York for giving us the opportunity to conduct research at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
THE CHALLENGE
How might we redesign the museum flow to reduce wait times, enhance artwork and garden discovery, and simplify navigation?
THE OUTCOME
Reimagining waiting experiences at the Museum through a combination of 4 diverse design solutions, from music, information design to AR/VR.
Overview of the location
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (ISGM) is an art museum in Boston, Massachusetts, which houses significant examples of European, Asian, and American art. It was curated by Isabella Stewart Gardner herself.
We were curious about
01
What drives individuals to visit museums and how do they choose which ones to explore?
02
What factors contribute to the quality of a museum experience, distinguishing positive from negative aspects?
03
​How do individuals assess what is worth waiting for during their museum visits?
We kicked things off with an immersive research approach.
3 in-depth, long-form interviews (45min each) incorporating activities like- A Day in the Life, Image Sorting and Map Tracing.
The "Day in the Life" activity had interviewees use visuals to show how a museum visit fit into their daily routine.
Next, we asked the interviewees to sort out different activities at the museum in order of priority.
Finally, we got them to talk us through the path they took while they were at the museum and how they experienced it.
We also conducted 8 brief intercept interviews at the museum, capturing spontaneous reactions and immediate takeaways.
We Found
01
Patrons are kept waiting for information. Visitors enjoy the displays however they seem to “crave” for information.
02
These Art Enthusiasts enjoy discovering things on their own, but they'd like to easily locate the stairs and restroom while waiting to navigate the space.
03
People come prepared to wait in queues and are willing to wait while another person enjoys the view and artworks.
We Ideated
Based on the insights, we brainstormed and ideated quick sketches to put forth even the silliest thought!
We Propose to Implement
The team developed four design solutions that we hope can improve waiting experiences at the ISGM or reduce the perceived wait time.
01. MUSIC
A soothing ambient music tailored to each room, seamlessly blending with the museum’s medieval vibe to enhance the queueing experience, .
02. BROCHURE
Visitors want to learn more about the museum but struggle to find resources, leading to frustration. Hence, we redesigned the brochure with tabbed sections for easy access to information.
03. AR
We leveraged AR to enhance the museum experience by creating interactive exhibits of the stolen artworks. When visitors hold their camera up to an empty frame, the missing painting appears on screen!
Visitors can access artwork descriptions, artist details, and historical context through AR, just hold up a phone to the piece, and the information appears on screen!
We’re bringing AR to the courtyard, one of the museum’s main attractions! Simply point your camera at a flower to learn about the plant's origin, family, and more.
We're using AR to create guided pathways, making navigation smoother and more intuitive. It’s all about enhancing the visit and tailoring the experience to individual interests!
04. VISUAL NAVIGATION
Visitors struggled to find bathrooms and elevators, so we redesigned signage to be placed at eye-level, wall-mounted, and hence easily visible.
Lastly, larger full-view museum maps will be installed at multiple locations for better navigation.
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Learnings
The biggest learning from this project was working within constraints and embracing them.
We learned the importance of ethics and how consent plays a vital role while conducting research
The presentation of findings and insights is crucial. The goal should be to convey ideas to the audience in a powerful and impactful way.
The Team
Yi-Ting Chen
Amy Yang
Shreya Deepak Kumar
Rahi Ranadive
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