An exploration of successful mobile interpretation experiences, as seen from the visitors perspective. Presented at the 2009 American Association of Museums conference, Philadephia. For more info see my blog post at http://musematic.net/?p=639

1. Visitor’s just want to know ‘why?’
Understanding Museum Handheld Guides
Loïc Tallon May 2, 2009
American Association of Museums Conference

2. My definition:
Handheld Guide
=
audio multimedia GPS RFID pod phone guide

3. My research question is asked from the visitor’s perspective:
“Why in the devil is there an
handheld guide, and why should I
take it?”
(especially if I have to pay extra for it…)
This presentation explores that question, (and I tell you why later).

4. THE SAMPLE GROUP… :-)

5. A summary of my travels and museum visiting

6. http://www.wordle.net/

7. http://www.wordle.net/

8. Piramids of Giza, Cairo, Egypt.

9. Reptile Centre, Alice Springs, Australia

10. Archeological Museum, Amman, Jordan

11. 257 museums visited
History Museums 77
Art Galleries 66
Discovery Centre 55
Historic Site 40
Zoo/Aquarium/Aviary 13
Natural History Museum 6

12. 63 museums ‘used’ handheld guides
50 were audio
13 were audiovisual / multimedia

13. 54 museums used dedicated players
9 used consumer devices
20+ different players
But that’s all I’m going to say about the hardware, as its
not the hardware that struck me as the important part.

14. SOME PRACTICE EXAMPLES…
Pecha Kucha style,
I.e. 20 slides, 20 seconds each

15. Mahrangarh Fort, Johpur, India

16. 228 Memorial Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

17. 228 Memorial Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

18. Future Lab / Louvre DNP, Tokyo, Japan
Image ©Photo DNP

19. Future Lab / Louvre DNP, Tokyo, Japan
Image © Photo DNP

20. Future Lab / Louvre DNP, Tokyo, Japan
Image ©Photo DNP

21. Future Lab / Louvre DNP, Tokyo, Japan
Image ©Photo DNP

22. Ubiquitous Art Tour, @ Galleria,
Tokyo, Japan

23. Ubiquitous Art Tour, @ Galleria,
Tokyo, Japan

24. National Museum of Science & Nature
Tokyo, Japan

27. National Museum, Singapore

28. National Museum, Singapore

29. Underwater World, Senosa Island, Singapore

30. Underwater World, Senosa Island, Singapore

31. Underwater World, Senosa Island, Singapore

32. Our Space @ Te Papa, Wellington, New Zealand

33. Our Space @ Te Papa, Wellington, New Zealand

34. Our Space @ Te Papa,
Wellington, New Zealand

35. Our Space @ Te Papa,
Wellington, New Zealand

36. The Museum of City and Sea, Wellington, New Zealand

37. The Museum of City and Sea, Wellington, New Zealand

38. The Museum of City and Sea, Wellington, New Zealand

39. WHY DO I SINGLE OUT THESE
HANDHELD GUIDES?
Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur
228 Memorial Museum, Taipei
Future Lab / Louvre DNP, Tokyo
Ubiquitous Art Tour @ Galleria, Tokyo
National Museum, Singapore
Our Space gallery, Te Papa, Wellington
Museum of City & Sea, Wellington

40. What do they all have in common?
Not technology / hardware
Not type of experience

41. Moreover, in these museums the…
Handheld guide integral to the
experience. And invariably:
• created an entirely new experience, one
otherwise not available
• designed for one specific audience

42. Moreover, in these museums the…
Handheld guide integral to the
experience. And invariably:
• created an entirely new experience, one
otherwise not available
• designed for one specific audience
AND this was communicated to the
visitor

43. To develop & run a handheld guide
requires the following:
• Hardware / Technology
• Content / (an activity)
• Content navigation
• Content management
• In-gallery design
• Hardware distribution (infrastructure)
• Hardware management
• Marketing
• Financial

44. For a museum, all this goes into creating a handheld guide.
Content
Navigation Hardware
In-Gallery
Design Content / Activity
A Handheld Guide
Marketing /
Hardware Communication
Management
Hardware Financial
Distribution Content Management
System

45. But, a…
Handheld Guides = Visitor Service.
It’s the visitor’s perspective
that’s important

46. From the visitors perspective, the most important thing is:
“Why in the devil is there an
handheld guide, and why
should I take it?”
(especially if I have to pay for it…)

47. How do we expect visitors to answer
that question?…
• Has the museum ‘given’ it to me?
• Do I like handheld guides?
• Is it important to my visit?
• Does it cost extra?
• Why do I need it?…
But how often do museums provide visitors with
information to make that decision?

48. So, in conclusion, the two most important questions
when developing a handheld guide are:
1. Why are we using a handheld
guide?
• Is it designed into the experience?
• Who is the target audience?
2. And how is this communicated to
the visitor?
And note that neither are about the technology

49. loic.tallon@gmail.com