Digital exhibition design: boundary crossing, Intermediary Design Deliverables and processes of consent

ABSTRACT

We present an exploratory case study of the nature and role of Intermediary Design Deliverables (IDDs) in digital exhibition design. Specifically, how they mediate boundary crossing across museum-designer teams; and facilitate the evolution of a shared exhibition-idea by mediating future and embodying past processes of consent. We bring together literatures on intermediary objects, boundary objects and design representations to conceptualise IDDs as representations of an evolving shared exhibition-idea and, thereby, as progressive objectifications of the digital exhibition. Through the case study, we demonstrate how deliverables capture progress in the exploration of the design space by embodying the consents that propel the exploration. The role of the museum team in these processes of consent (and thus in the production of the deliverable) is emphasised, suggesting a shift of focus for museum teams from appraising digital products to contributing to the digital exhibition design process.

KEYWORDS:

• Digital exhibition design
• collaborative design
• boundary crossing
• Emerging Issues Commons exhibition
• processes of consent
• Intermediary Design Deliverables

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the IEI for granting them permission to conduct this case study, in particular to Patrick Cronin, Assistant Director for Policy & Programs. This research would not have been possible without the generous availability of those who worked on the design of the EIC exhibition. We gratefully acknowledge contributions from: Wendy Burkland, Melinda Walker and Anita Brown-Graham (The IEI); Chris Dewan, Daniel Meyers, David Brewer, Thomas Wester, Michael Godfrey, Sorob Louie, Jennifer Dolan, Kirsten Southwell, Norman Lau, Alex Cho, Marc Lehman, Jinu Yang, Swanny Mouton, Sam Jeibmann, Philippe Laulheret, Matthew Fargo and Donald Richardson (Second Story); Cybelle Jones and Sujit Tolat (Gallagher & Associates). We extend our thanks to David Waingarten and Brad Johnson from Second Story for their essential support in organising interviews with the design team at Second Story. We wish to thank Dr Viv Golding, Dr Stamatina Anastopoulou and Dr Suzanne Macleod for commenting on earlier drafts of this paper and motivating us to rethink the paper’s structure.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Dr Giasemi Vavoula is Lecturer in Museum Studies at the University of Leicester, UK, where she is Postgraduate Research Director (external) and teaches and supervises research in digital heritage. She has a background in Computer Science and Human-Centred Design and holds a Ph.D. in Electronic and Electrical Engineering (Technology-Enhanced Learning). Her current research comprises three strands: digital design for heritage, focusing on approaches and practices of design for digital interactions in heritage settings; digital transformations of media archives, focusing on the potential of digital to re-define the archive-user relationship and transform the archive itself; and digital learning and participation in heritage, focusing on the potential of mobile technologies to enrich the visitor experience of heritage sites and organisations in terms of learning, enjoyment and situated interactivity.

Marco Mason with a Ph.D. in Design (2012), is specialised in Design Research for digital media. Since 2007, he has carried on different research and teaching activities in the field of digital media design for cultural heritage in Italy, USA, and UK. His research is at the intersection of Museum and Digital Heritage studies, Social Science and Design Research for the study of digital media design and its practices in cultural heritage institutions.

The first Marie Curie research project - titled 'Digital Media for Heritage: Refocusing Design from the Technology to the Visitor Experience' FP7 2012-2015 - investigated the phenomenon of digital media design in the museum context by analysing and interpreting existing design practices. The project was conjunctly conducted with the Program in Science, Technology and Society at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the School of Museum Studies at the University of Leicester UK. The current Marie Curie project - titled “Design Thinking for Digital Heritage: Developing Communities of Design Practice for Visitor Experience H2020, 2016-2018 - aims to advance Design Research by conducting a systematic analysis of Design Thinking in the particular domain of museums engaged in digital heritage projects. It is conjunctly conducted with School of Museum Studies and the University of Cambridge Fitzwilliam Museum.

Marco obtained his master’s degree in Architecture at Iuav University of Venice, Italy. At the Faculty of Architecture he conducted research and teaching activities before moving to the Faculty of Design and Arts where he obtained his doctoral degree in Design Sciences in 2012.

Notes

1 We use the term ‘museum’ to refer to heritage and cultural institutions generally.

2 Timeglider (http://www.timeglider.com/) is a web-based timeline software with applications in education, genealogy, project management, and history. We adopted its use for the analysis of collaborative design activity.

Additional information

Funding

The research leading to these results has received funding from the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007–2013/ under REA grant agreement n° PIOF-GA-2011-302799. The article reflects only the authors’ views and the Union is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. The funding source had no involvement in study design; the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; the writing of the report; or the decision to submit the article for publication. Giasemi Vavoula wishes to acknowledge support provided through a period of one semester’s academic study leave granted by the School of Museum Studies, University of Leicester, UK. Marco Mason would like to thank Professor John Durant, Outgoing Host Supervisor of the Marie Curie Fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.