UX Practices in Cultural Spaces

Project Title: Cyprus Insula — Interactive Screens

Description: The exhibition showcases the history of Cyprus over the past 50 years through sketches, maps, and postcards archived and presented on interactive touch screens, projections, and artworks created before and for the exhibition.

Research Goal: How can we offer visitors an unbiased and authentic experience? How can we present perspectives they have never encountered, considered, or been taught? This case study explores ways to highlight different aspects of a country — in this case, the reason behind and main protagonist is the Republic of Cyprus — whether the land they know or the one they are currently exploring — by unveiling elements that are either uncharted, latent, undiscovered, or esoteric and therefore unfamiliar.

To achieve this, the information architecture due to the volume of new data presented must be designed to create an intuitive, easy-to-navigate interactive experience (IxD) that caters to a wide range of user profiles, including varying demographics and geographic backgrounds.

Given the nature of this project and the client’s preferences, conducting user interviews was not required. Consequently, in collaboration with the exhibition curator, we conducted secondary research, uncovering valuable examples of similar national archives presented through interactive methods in previous practices.

The research provided valuable insights into selecting and installing hardware and software within the given space. I will give further details on this topic below. It was fascinating to observe the market's fluctuations in costs and budgets and the options available to designers, curators, and museum directors. Additionally, the dynamics between these roles and their respective approaches to addressing budgetary concerns relating to hardware, software, and space were particularly intriguing.

Here are the key findings from the research as promised. The deliverables outline the three leading software companies that specialize in creating interactive prototypes for multitouch screens and developing a collection browser:

1. Intuiface — https://intuiface.com/

2. Eyefactive — https://www.eyefactive.com/en

3. Museumsys — https://museumsys.com/

In addition to identifying your competitors and potential sources of inspiration, it’s important to categorize your targets based on your users' hypothesized pain points, needs, and goals. Some of the primary categories that came up during this meeting were:

Interactivity,

Education,

Gamification,

Age-bending experiences.

Creating a problem statement for a project that does not directly cater to market demand or address an existing issue can be quite difficult. Nevertheless, we must understand that User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) practices are closely connected and dependent on each other.

No matter what the client needs, it’s important to pay attention to the fundamental meaning of any term. “Quest” and “Client” are undeniably connected, with “question” originating from the same root word “ques.” This connection can result in ambiguity and uncertainty, so careful consideration is necessary for resolution.

Irrespective of the requirements of the client, it is vital to recognize the etymological underpinnings of every term. The close semantic relationship between “Quest” and “Client,” with “question” stemming from the common root “ques,” gives rise to potential ambiguity and uncertainty, demanding meticulous consideration for effective resolution.

UNFAMILIARITY: Residents and visitors to Cyprus seek an authentic experience but often encounter biased or familiar narratives that limit their understanding of the island’s rich and diverse heritage. The challenge lies in presenting a wide volume of unprecedented archives allowing visitors to discover aspects of Cyprus that were up until today uncharted, latent, or esoteric.

COMPLEXITY: Given the complexity and volume of this new information, the design of the information architecture must be intuitive and easy to navigate. It should create an interactive experience (IxD) that accommodates a diverse range of user profiles, taking into account varying demographics and geographic backgrounds. The goal is to ensure that every visitor can seamlessly explore and appreciate the multifaceted nature of Cyprus.

In tackling any problem, team members should present multiple solutions. It is essential to take regular breaks and hold iterative meetings when time allows. The most critical phases in designing a digital product are brainstorming and iteration.

Allow extra time for brainstorming,

Be open to team solutions even if it’s comprised of the project curator (or manager), project auxiliary and the company director himself,

Iterate this meeting if time allows it,

Be a flexible mindset, ready to adjust your ideas,

Before moving on to this next phase, remember to refer to the problem statement/problem tree.

Due to the sensitive nature of these collaborations, it is imperative to maintain strict confidentiality. Contacting user testing before the exhibition launch is non-negotiable, as the content is not only a national heritage or a museum’s exclusive collection but also restricted to local access only for the designer or any external collaborators.

However, you can get creative with your testers. Large institutions also mean a variety of staff members. Testing can be customized not only to fit the product’s needs but also to align with the type of testers available to you. Engage your temporary colleagues from different departments in this process; it’s a great way to forge new connections. Before or after your regular meetings or morning project updates, invite them to participate in this enjoyable moderated usability testing for optimal project results.

During the medium-fidelity phase, the navigation bar was positioned similarly to an app. Nevertheless, in the final version depicted in the image on the right, the navigation bar appears as a vertical scroll on the right side.

Cyprus Insula Archival #CollectionBrowser by Stavroula Gregoriou