Wonder document
This is a wonder document for our project in INF3260/4260. It
will explain our early plans for what we would like to do in
this project, including definition of the problem space, our
assumptions for aspects vital to the project, metaphors and
plans for the work ahead. Our plan is to work out a
Course:
INF3260/4260
Project name:
”The Interaction Device”
Group members:
Knut Andreas Ruud (knutaru)
Ole Fredrik Von Krogh (ofkrogh)
Mats K. Smedstad (matsks)
product/device relevant for the children’s museum, making the
museum interactive and user friendly. Writing this document will hopefully help us focus on
what we would like this project to accomplish, but still making it open enough for further
developments and ideas. The project is for now called “the interaction device”, leaving our
possibilities pretty open. Hopefully we would come up with a better name as the project
develops.
Problem space:
Entering a museum can be an exciting experience, but it can also be an overwhelming one. A
museum contains a massive amount of information usually spread out over a substantial
amount of space; some of this information the user already knows about, some of it is
completely new. Catching and organizing all this information can be a real challenge. Is it
likely that every visitor can handle this amount of information and fully benefit from all the
aspects of what the museum has to offer? Our claim is that it is not. We believe that in many
cases, a visitor leaves a museum without picking up all the information and experiences that
they could have. Especially since we are working with a children’s museum, it is important to
think of what amount of information a child can handle. As we know, a child’s cognitive
capacity is not as developed as adults. We assume that visitors, both old and young would like
to get the most out of their museum experience, and conquer the world of a museum, getting
the full value for their time, energy, and money. We also claim that the best way of solving
this is by letting the visitor play an active part in the museum process, interacting with
different parts of the museum, and leaving the space between the visitor and information as
small as possible. If we can develop a solution that can accommodate this problem end being
fun and enjoyable, then we think the world of museums (starting with the children’s museum)
can be a better place. Our target group will obviously be the visitors off the children’s
museum, but who they are will need a thorough examination.
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What we would like to do:
“Like a tennis player needs a racket, the museum visitor needs the interaction device!”
Our project is a device that makes the museum experience easier, more active, more fun and
more rewording. Imagine a device that allows the visitor to get the information from every
exhibition, when they want, and at their will, not being dependent of a guide or even to read.
Imagine a device that activates exhibitions, making things move, light up and present itself so
you can better understand what it do, and what it is. Imagine a device that can tell you where
you are in the museum, where you have been and maybe even where you are going. Imagine a
device that is your tool in a big room full of games, challenges, presentations and other
activities that allows you interact and communicate. A device that can do all these things is
what we would like to create. It may sound a little over the top, but we believe that we have
found a way to make this possible, with one single instrument. To better understand what we
would like to do, let us present a day at the museum.
The day starts in “the start up room” when the child enters the museum, with its parents,
grandparents or maybe it’s school class. In the “start up room” the child and other visitors are
given “the interaction device” and information to go with it.
There will be a short personalization process that allows the
device to save information about the user (name, picture,
favourite things and things like that). Then the child is set out
to explore the museum. Throughout the museum there will be
certain points where the child can use its device to interact
with its exhibitions. Possible interactions is shown to the
child through signals (shapes, lights, vibrations, signs) both
on the device and on the walls and different objects in the
museum. For example, when the child gets close to an
exhibition the device will light up yellow. Yellow means, as
the child has been told, that now it can look for a yellow
square. The yellow square is placed on a visible and logical
place connected to the exhibition, and as the child takes its
What does it look like?
What it would look like is
not yet decided, but
something like a pen,
magic wand, a crystal ball,
or some other small and
handy design is what we
are thinking at the
moment. It will need a
communication point,
where it can send and
access information, Some
kind of light signal/ and or
vibration, telling the user
that something is going
on, and a one-ear
headphone set, that allows
the user to listen to
information, but not
blocking the rest of the
world out.
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device and touches the yellow square with it, information about the objects in the exhibition is
given to the child audiotive through headphones connected to the device in an understandable
and logical way. This way, the child can get information when they want and, about what they
want, with out being dependent of reading or asking an adult. A green light and a green circle
will tell the child that now it can make something happen. Touching the green circle with the
device will activate some kind of movement and activities in the exhibition, making the wind
blow, the train run, the lights blink or the music start, considering what kind of exhibition it
is. The museum will also contain a special room with activities dedicated to the device. This
room will have its own colour/light/sign code telling the child that now it is all about
exploring the wonderful interaction possibilities in the games, challenges and other activities
placed in the room. As the child finds its way trough the museum the device will also tell the
child where it is. Through the headphones the child will be told where it is, and what sort of
environment it is visiting. At the end of the day the child will turn the device in and, thanks to
the device which not only gives information, it also saves information the child will be able to
get a full report of its activities during the day to take home.
With a device like this we hope that the museum experience will be better, and more
fullfilling. Having a powerful tool like this will not only help the child in itself, but hopefully
encourage learning, and give confidence to the user that the museum and its content is theirs
for the taking. It is in a childs nature to ask, point and wonder and with this device they can
accommodate their curiosity. The always reoccuring question, “what is that?” now hopefully
will have a easier way to be answered, just by pointing the device at the right place. As we
can see there are many things to consider in the development of this device. Presenting a day
at the museum hopefully gives you an idea of what we are planning to do, and probably raises
a lot of questions too. Every step of the process needs a full evaluation taking interaction
design, psychology, technology, pedagogic and many other things into account. Many of
these things are already under consideration and we will probably encounter many unexpected
challenges as the development process evolves. In the section below we will present some of
the main things that we are going to handle in the future.
Further plans and developments
-
Specifying the target group
-
Talking to the target group
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-
Consider the psychology off the user process
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Thinking of what technology to use
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Designing the device
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Will it work for everybody, including the blind and deaf children and others with
different disabilities?
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There are almost endless possibilities for games and other activities specialised for this
device, to what extent do we consider all these possibilities?
-
Going into each part of the user process and consider what the best solution is.
+ Many many many more things!
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