Rough Model!

Yesterday (Wednesday, January 29th) we took our rough model to the Natural History Museum to collect data about how people interacted with it.

There are several things we decided we needed to change, looking at what people needed or wanted from it. 

           a) It needs to be shorter. It's 8 feet tall, and it would probably be more manageable for the user to take in as a whole if it were more condensed. 

           b) We need a clear indication of which floor you're on, because the assumption would be that you're on the 3rd floor, but you start out on the 4th, which is somewhat confusing. 

           c) We needed more exhibit information from each floor on the signs for each floor

           d) Indicators of the restrooms are a must, seeing as there are not restrooms on each floor (There are some on the 3rd floor and some on the 5th floor). 

           e) Perhaps make it more interactive and kid friendly.

           f) The next draft will most definitely have color.

-RM

Natural History Museum Wayfinding

 Let's identify the important elements of the Natural History Museum's layout before we go wayfinding in there, shall we?

Paths: include the stairs on the right hand side within the building and the hallways that weave in, out of, and around the various exhibits.

Edges: The walls between exhibits and the main lobbies of each floor, the walls separating exhibits, etc.

Districts: Each floor should be categorized as its own district, with all the exhibits on that floor linking to each other in one way or another.

Nodes: the central node of the Natural History Museum would definitely be the main lobby, which branches off into the gift shop on the left, exhibit straight ahead when you walk forward, and the staircase on the right. In addition, each floor has a central lobby, all though it's considerably smaller than that of the first floor.

Landmarks: include the giant hanging skeleton just above the central lobby that can be seen from the fourth floor, and the exhibits in each of the main lobbies.

-RM

Wayfinding Project: AEIOU

AEIOU

Activity: Viewing the bug exhibit at the Natural History Museum on Jayhawk Boulevard.

Environment: Lobby, stairways, and exhibition rooms at the Natural History Museum.

Individual: Kids who have come to the museum on a field trip, people practicing drawing for various art classes, people looking to be better educated about scientific discovery in a "hands on" environment.

Object: A tower in the front lobby is the main wayfinding object, with scattered markers along the floor and wall leading to the various exhibits, along with complementary signs.

Understanding: As opposed to using words on our main tower, we're using a color coded system and drawings/silhouette cutouts of the various exhibits that can be easily recognized by the user.

-RM

Concepts for Wayfinding in the Natural History Museum

I think these would definitely make things easier if you lost your way for many reasons;

1) People appear to recognize and remember colors quicker and better than words, hence the color-coded floors

2) Pictures can send the message to someone's brain faster than 4 or 5 words in a short sentence, so people will be able to find what they're looking for in the museum faster. 

3) Aerial view maps with your current location marked within them make it easier to distinguish the route to which you will arrive at your destination using "landmarks" within the museum that you can see from your location. 

4) Color coded maps with easily recognized symbols help you, should you lose your way. 

Enjoy. 

-RM

Ethnography and Prototypes

After reading two articles on Ethnography, which is best described as observing people and analyzing their behaviors, etc. for use in a productive manner, I realized that I do that all the time. I would imagine everyone does to some degree. However, now I have a word for it! Seeing how people interact in their own environment to understand why they do what they do and how their experience could be improved is critical in the design world. It helps us create things that are better and easier to use for the people who matter, the users. 

An example in the text was within a car manufacturer, putting in a cupholder for the driver was crucial. However, they went the non-traditional route of putting an individual cupholder on the left for the driver to avoid distraction whilst driving. Rather innovative, as the cupholder on the left is within the driver's line of sight if they are watching the road as they should.

The article I read next, "Design Moves" by Sharon Helmer Poggenpohl, talked about observing how a design communicated with it's user. It also talked about how design is really a way to envision the future by making the abstract reachable and engaging users in actively finding solutions, among other things. 

The last large point was education on the different types and purposes of prototypes, and where they fall in the design process. The four types are conceptual prototypes, behavioral prototypes, procedural prototypes, and appearance prototypes. The conceptual merely displays a particular aspect of the final product and may not resemble the outcome at all. Behavioral are designed to collect data about how people interact with the product through their use. Procedural prototypes check for kinks in the overall process of the product. Lastly, appearance prototypes are created to see how users react to the aesthetic of the product and whether its design is associated with negative or positive connotations by the general public.

What interesting things to know. Defining human behaviors and processes like this that I, as a designer, utilize is the first step to honing these skills within myself. 

-RM

Things Found On Pinterest That Are Relevant In Class... Ideas

These are all "Design" things that I've found and enjoy. Cool, right?

-RM

P(eaking an)interest For Design

Over winter break, I've discovered and utilized the marvel that is Pinterest, and let me tell you, you can find just about anything on there. From ornate headdresses to cosplay, how-to drawings to blue prints, it is all at your finger tips. Best of all, they even have their own "Design" section, so you don't have to search for what you want! It has been quite a useful tool in expanding my design pallet, and I'm truly grateful for this user-friendly miracle.

-RM