Notes from meeting with the DIA (May 8, 2009)

Owned by Alison Benjamin
Last updated: Mar 29, 2010 by Tona MonjoVersion comment
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Notes from May 8th meeting

Participants: Jess Mitchell, Alison Benjamin, Unknown user, Former user (Deleted)

Context for Alison's June/July time at the DIA

  • The Detroit Institute of Arts is abbreviated DIA - just don't try to pronounce it that way. It's the D-I-A!
  • Desire by DIA to get up to speed with the Fluid Engage design & development process.
  • Need for design/development team to better understand DIA partner: DIA is newly-renovated and has developed a new interpretive framework & philosophy for how visitors can approach the gallery's works. Alison will be able to see how the exhibition design/development process works
  • DIA: a re-installation process is occurring. Want to move this to the next level so that visitors can interpret beyond the gallery space. 
  • Logistics: Alison, Jennifer, David leave Toronto on June 24.
  • Unsure about return date - Alison's last day - return on July 2 or 10? Alison fine with either Depends on availability of David, Jennifer. July 4th is US long weekend.
  • Possibility of doing a 2nd visit later in summer/early fall to follow-up on designs. Purpose could be to do design/prototype reviews & support further iterations.

Brainstorm of possible deliverables

  • Accomplish Fluid Engage Design research tasks . These tasks include:
    • Benchmarking:
      • go-alongs: Exploration & observation of DIA
      • inventories (e.g. of the physical space, accessibility, of current IT infrastructure)
    • Ethnography:
      • use the ethnography toolkit, possibly plan for return/follow-up visit?
    • Contextual inquiry:
    • Survey:
      • Harness existing research about DIA users
      • Conducting research about DIA users: Former user (Deleted) - does visitor research. Could bring in friends of the museum, volunteers, other stakeholders.
  • Other deliverables:
    • Developing a job description for in-house IT staff @ DIA
    • Holding participatory design sessions with DIA staff. These could be facilitated meetings w/ gallery staff, volunteers, and/or visitors that produce:
      • Use cases or scenarios of Engage designs in the DIA context
      • Knowledge sharing about relevant technological information about Engage
      • Finding ways that DIA staff can be incorporated into the culture / iterative design and development process (& Vice versa)
      • If they are available, testing, analyzing, and making design improvements on early Engage prototypes
  • Upon return to Toronto:
    • Analysis and dissemination of research & design results

Next steps