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

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

Mar 29, 2010

Notes from May 8th meeting

Participants: @Jess Mitchell, @Alison Benjamin, @Unlicensed 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