THe New face of Informaton
Museum label copy had not changed much over the years. Label copy is either provided on a wall with vinal text or an a slanted board in front of the object. Often times there are small numbers near the object and the visitor will have to find the corresponding label copy number. Often times the label copy is limited in scope and over time is torn or defaced. New technology would now allow for the ability to display this label copy digitally.
Moving from paper (analog) label copy to digital (tablet) gets complicated as there are several factors to take into consideration. The first step in the process is to understand the needs of both the curator and exhibitions. Both have different requirements that will need to be addressed in order to proceed with a project of this scope. It was important to think everything through as the first version will set the tone for the 3 other versions slated for the next year.
The curator requirements: The curators have a love hate relationship with label copy. First there is what is called the tombstone, this provides the name of the object, the year, what medium that was used, the size and providence of the object. Curators write the label copy but right away they are limited to how much text can be written because of the existing tombstone information. Also another issue is that curators don't want the text to distract from the object. Curators want a way to provide as much information as possible and allow for the possibility of have sections for the adults, students and families.
The exhibitions requirements: The exhibition team is where the rubber hits the road. Exhibitions is the group that will translate the curators idea on how the objects should be presented. The exhibition designer has to take into account visitor flow, how long people linger, and to create a gallery that invites and engages with the visitors. The exhibition designer needs the new technology to be compact, easy to use, upgradable and easy to swap out if needed and power requirements, the less wires to hide the better.
Type: Precision Shopper - Age: 28
Location: Dallas, Texas - Title: Manager
Status: Married, homeowner
Wants: A chic pen that reflects his identity and makes a statement.
Needs: A fast, straightforward website for seamless purchases.
Desires a swift buying process, unwilling to expend unnecessary time. Seeks a durable, refillable product of high quality.
Type: Informed Explorer - Age: 22
Location: Phoenix, Arizona - Title: Artist
Status: Single, Renting
Wants: Innovative tools that enhance her artistic skills to express herself through art.
Needs: Affordable markers, pens, and pencils for ongoing artistic endeavors.
To ensure optimal buying choices and avoid unnecessary expenses. Seeking a site with ample details for informed decision-making.
At the time many museums were starting to look at tablet devices to provide the deeper level of content that many visitors wanted like more information about the object and videos. The main question was how do you implement a technology like a tablet but make it robust for daily use by visitors that may not be as comfortable with the tablet technology as people are today. Many museums tethered their devices so they would not be stolen and because they were handled daily many had broken screens or to save the screen from screen-burn (this is where ghost images of previous screens still appear) the tablets would be set to go to sleep and would look like they were off or did not work.
It was important to build user experience for the lowest visitor skill level. First part of the discussion was since all of the interactives will be available throughout the museum and some may be adjacent to each other it was important to set some standards so as visitors started using the devices the experience would be the same as regardless to what tablet they used or exhibit they were in.
Common UI
1. Buttons will be big and clear, when in a section but will switch from the main color white to a visited color museum red.
2. Buttons will have common icons that represent the button this would help with visitors that English is not their first language.
3. To select an object to view, an image of the objects will appear and mimic the objects above. No numbers required, visual matching.
4. A tutorial will be available to help visitors navigate the tablets better.
Common UX
1. Each object will have tombstone information
2. Each object will have an image gallery and a Zoomify, zoom feature that allows a 400x or more zoom
3. When available some objects will have 360 degree rotation allow the visitor to see the back of an object which many times are not visible.
4. If available videos about the objects that will help to expand upon the general object information.
Other interactives that were created required unique visitor engagement that were more tailored to the exhibit. Below is the Magic Mirror which worked in conjunction with the Jewelry Exhibition. The curator was looking for a new way to engage with the visitors. All jewelry exhibits the jewelry is behind glass never giving the visitor the opportunity to try it on. The Magic Mirror allowed visitors to take a snapshot of themselves and allow them to digitally put the expensive jewelry on. The monitor was a touchscreen and I developed the code using Flash which at the time was the best coding platform. Visitors were able to scale, rotate and move the jewelry over their image. It was very popular with over 1000 visitors using it within the first 2 months.
There are two types of consumers that require two separate journey maps (the Informed Explorer and the Precision Shopper) the ultimate goal is converting each to a sale but both will have much different journeys. It is import that both types of consumers get the content that they need throughout their journey.
In this consumer journey, precision reigns, ensuring a seamless path to purchase. Additional shortcuts exist to further streamline the buying process.
The consumer's journey may lengthen due to detailed brand research. On the brand page, popup images, videos, and activities emerge, ultimately guiding consumer towards shopping.
Initial wireframes positioned highlighted products at the page's top. Through design iterations and consumer insights, we improved access to products higher up, reducing friction for the "Precision Shopper."
Constructing the website from the wireframe allowed for creative enhancements and emphasized product highlights. Users no longer guess about a brand's offerings. Product brand pages instantly showcase key features with easy exploration of images and videos. A standardized shopping experience, with optional features and "Add To Cart" placed higher, was implemented. Cross-selling and upselling enhance value and boost conversion.
Our research indicated smartphones dominated web traffic, yet consumers often completed orders on desktops. Recognizing this, we ensured both mobile and desktop versions offered a consistent user experience for consumer convenience. Additionally, we incorporated a favorite feature, allowing consumers to resume where they left off in their journey.
After a thorough analysis of the old Zebra Pen website and gathering research data from existing consumers, we identified key pain points. This deeper consumer understanding allowed us to streamline access to essential information. Efforts were made to ensure the mobile site closely resembled its desktop counterpart, enabling a seamless transition between devices. Ongoing development, guided by analytics and heatmaps, ensures an optimal user experience. Additionally, an AI 3D chatbot was introduced for entertainment and to address consumer inquiries about Zebra Pen products (Ask Zen).
