It can be expensive and time-consuming to evaluate your exhibitions. Can we push boundaries for evaluation? Is it possible to perform a quick scan and still obtain valuable insights? How much knowledge can we gain by evaluating more easily? How simply can it be done without compromising the validity of the data? In this workshop we exchange and try out some 'quick & simple' evaluation methods. Experimentarium has invited two English speaking school classes to visit an exhibition. And you are going to evaluate it! This session is spread over two slots: the live evaluation experience will be taking place in part 1 (14:30 - 15:45), while in part 2 (16:30 - 17:45) we will reflect on this experiment and its take-home tools and messages.
In this workshop you'll:
- get an instructed to try out one quick & simple evaluation method in one of Experimentarium's new exhibitions. Working in small groups, we will each try out a different evaluation method (part 1).
- visit one of Experimentarium's exhibitions and observe two school classes in it (part 1).
- participate in a discussion about the strengths & weaknesses of the different methods (part 2).
- bring home several quick & simple evaluation methods that you can use right away (part 2).
- get an overview of methods that you can use 1) while developing your exhibition, 2) when it's open to your visitors or 3) afterwards (part 1 & 2).
Facilitator
PhD-Researcher & Lecturer Media Studies | Mediatised Experiences in Heritage
Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences
Amsterdam
Netherlands
Session speakers
Exhibition developer
Copenhagen
Denmark
Poul will introduce how developers and designers in the whole exhibition-developing department at Experimentarium together has evaluated news exhibitions during the mock-up in just 2-3 hours. The overall goal is that developers, designers and craftsmen discuss and interpretate in order to learn and make better exhibitions next time. But is this method good enough?
PhD-Researcher & Lecturer Media Studies | Mediatised Experiences in Heritage
Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences
Amsterdam
Netherlands
How can exhibition designers make more knowledgeable decisions regarding 4 engagement strategies (participation, storytelling, digital media & atmospherics) to improve the learning experience of visitors, to inspire them and touch them emotionally? Together with 12 Dutch museums and 4 design agencies Bernadette evaluated design choices of the museums and its impact on the visitor experience. Result: a toolkit that enables designers (from museums & agencies) to perform visitor research themselves.
Research Engagement Manager
Editage
London
United Kingdom
Iain has had extensive experience as a research impact manager in UK universities, in which establishing evidence of the significance of the impact of research is essential. This is particularly challenging with respect to public engagement activities. In the course of evaluating the impact of research-based exhibits in science centres and cultural institutions, he developed stripped-down questionnaires enabling evaluators to quickly gather the essential data to support case studies of impact.
Innovation Coordinator
Parque Explora
Medellín
Colombia
Based on a holistic framework informed by a systematic empirical and theoretical research, Jose has created a method to help museum professionals to support their decision-making process for the design and evaluation of the experiential qualities of interactive exhibits. Participants will work with this method by observing and interacting with visitors and exhibits and select design strategies to create engaging and meaningful visitor learning experiences.
Audience Analyst
London
United Kingdom
Working in the audience research & insights department at the National History Museum London, Catherine knows all about visitor research. She uses both resource intensive methods as well as quick and simple evaluation techniques (accompanied visits, quick interviews). Catherine will focus on the evaluation of the methods presented in this workshop and how you present the data to a variety of stakeholders if you do a very limited evaluation.