case study: museum interactive for the alchemical quest exhibit

7/21/2019 Case Study: Museum Interactive for The Alchemical Quest Exhibit

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I n 2 0 1 2 , C H F d e b u t e d T h e A l c h e m i c a l Q u e s t , a n e x h i b i t f e a t u r i n g r a r eb o o k s o f t h e g o l d e n a g e o f a l c h e m y f r o m t h e 1 6 t h a n d 1 7 t h c e n t u r i e sd r a w n f r o m t h e c o l l e c t i o n s o f t h e O t h m e r L i b r a r y o f C h e m i c a l H i s t o r y .

T h i s r e p o r t d o c u m e n t s e f f o r t s t o m a k e t h e s e t e x t s a c c e s s i b l e a n da l i v e t o v i s i t o r s v i a t o u c h p r o j e c t i o n t e c h n o l o g y .

PROJECT

REPORT

@ C h e m h e r i t a g e

INSIDEExhibit & Project Background

Experience Object ivesLearning Objectives

Hardware and SoftwareFeedback and Evaluation

Related digital mediaProject Management & Milestones

P r o j e c t G o a l s :

• Reinforce the depth and complexity presented in the exhibition content• Implicitly reiterate the exhibition narratives while allowing for visitors to enjo

the imagery of the books through the interactive experience• Provide vis itors with a lternate means of experiencing the books in the exhibit io• Foster curiosity and encourage deeper exploration of images and text• Demonstrate an example of an alchemical process in its entirety• Reflect the fantastical and practical balance found within the books

http://www.chemheritage.org/visit/museum/exhibits/alchemical-quest/interactive.aspx

The Alchemical quest Rare books interactive


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/case-study-museum-interactive-for-the-alchemical-quest-exhibit 2/12 • Alchemical Quest Interactive Project Report

Alchemical Quest

Rare BooksInteractive

Project Report(with Tactical

Helps for Cultural

Institutions)

PROJECT OVERVIEWThe Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF) developed an interactive installation foran exhibition entitled The Alchemical Quest, which explored the history of alchemythrough CHF’s rare books from the 16th, 17th, and 18th century. The interactiveinstallation provided an exciting interpretive layer that encouraged visitors toengage further with the exhibit’s fascinating content, captured in the exhibition’smission to challenge alchemy’s occult reputation by illustrating its importance inearly chemical industry and pharmacology, while at the same time addressing thedream of transmutation pursued by natural scientists as respected as Sir IsaacNewton.

Since the museum opened in 2008, visitors routinely provided positive feedback inthe paper-based visitor log about the space, the stories, and the objects. The mostconsistent suggestion for improvement is for more interactive experiences.

The “Alchemical Quest” was the first exhibit-based interactive project managedby CHF’s new manager of emerging media, who would manage the project. Therare books featured in this exhibit provided a rich source of interactive material,including art, history, philosophy, religion, and science. However, their arcane

nature, complex allegorical image and archaic languages provided challenges giventhe allowed time, budget and subject matter expertise.

The interactive was approached on the premise that communicating historic objectsauthentically in a new medium requires new thought patterns. This documentexamines the creative technology-driven approaches coming out of the interactivedevelopment process for The Alchemical Quest.

INTERACTIVITY AS A VALUE

The interactive project began six months before it was due to launch, with much ofthe conceptual groundwork for the exhibit already established. As this was CHF’s

first interactive based on a temporary exhibit, it proved to be a labor-intensiveprocess that redirected a substantial amount of energy from development of thephysical exhibit.

While the exhibit and development teams sought to align the milestones of thebook exhibit and the interactive, they are not parallel processes, with technologyrequiring more lead time. Changing the narrative or look-and-feel of an interactiveis not like switching placement of exhibit cases. The physical books wouldultimately be opened to single points behind display cases and interpreted inbig-picture concepts with limited label text; the interactive will require a kind ofrelationship with the user with its two more in-depth i l lustrated narratives.

DEFINING ROLESA timeline for development tracked through the Basecamp project management webapplication helped establish a framework for the project. The manager of emergingmedia served as the single point of contact between CHF and the technology vendor.Getting feedback from the entire team was important for concept development.After matters of audience, purpose, and basic visual treatments were settled,a subcommittee from CHF worked closely with the developers for content andexperience refinement. As the launch date approached, this group met frequently ina “war room” setting to ready materials for the development agency.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Jeffery K. GuinManager of Emerging Media

[email protected]: @heritagevoices

FOR AN ONLIN E DEMO OF THEINTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE VISIT

chemheritage.org/alchemicalquest



CHEMICAL HERITAGE FOUNDATIOCHF collects, uses, and shares the history of science and technology, withparticular attention to chemistry andmolecular science. CHF’s resourcesinclude a l ibrary and oral history collection, museum collections of sc ien-tific objects and artwork, and exten-sive archives (including the papers oseveral Nobel Laureates). The Founda

tion organizes exhibits and symposiaand has an active Fellowship programfor scholars. CHF also grants severalsignificant awards.

PROJECT WEBSITE:

http://www.chemheritage.org/visit/museum/exhibits/alchemical-quest/index.aspx

DEVELOPMENT TEAM:

Rosie CookMarge GappJeff GuinJennifer LandryChristy SchneiderGreg TobiasJim VoelkelPat Wieland

NIGHT K ITCHEN INTERACTIVE PROJECT WEBSITE:http://www.whatscookin.com/#C|873|941

DEVELOPMENT TEAM:

Matthew DonadioMatthew FisherDan KuetemeyerStacey MannSean McBreartyKathy McHoesJanneken Smucker

USER EXPECTATIONS

Abstraction was a guiding value for conceptualizing this project. Members of theteam worked to avoid a literal interpretation of objects, wanting CHF’s visitors/users to gain an appreciation of them based on the authentic story behind them. Inthe age of smart phones and tablets, expectations for interactive technologies havechanged significantly. Visitors can often be seen in museums using pinching motionto zoom text on a digital display monitor to no effect other than amused glances

from the docent staff. In much the same way, expectations have also changedregarding how museums and heritage institutions tell these stories effectively.The goal is to create enough novelty to intrigue. Use just enough story to evokeemotion. Inspire memories from the experience. Leave the user with a thirst fordeeper meaning in the museum and beyond. CHF worked to achieve these objectiveswith The Alchemical Quest, an approach that will continue to improve in theinstitutions future interactive endeavors.

REFINING THE CREATIVE VISION

The possibilities for this project were dizzying. Initially, the project team imaginedrecreating the alchemists’ labs out of CHF’s Transmutations exhibit. Imagine abroad, rough-hewn work table, with glass-blown replicas of alchemical flasks. Inthe middle of these objects is a large leather-bound “book” that magically comesto life at the touch of the user, who can then explore these historic texts andset up virtual experiments based on the processes described in them. It didn’ttake long for the constraints for time, budget and space to make way for a morepractical implementation of the idea. Dreaming big opened the team’s eyes tothe possibilities, though. It also helped them recognize instantly when the rightapproach for available resources came along, making consensus much easier toachieve.

DEVELOPMENT VENDOR

Philadelphia is home to a number of nationally respected interactive agenciesthat cater to cultural heritage clients. CHF contracted Night Kitchen Interactivein early 2012, and remained the project vendor throughout the process. Workingwith a compressed time schedule they took the time to understand what the CHFteam valued in the physical objects and the interactive. Night Kitchen is an award-winning design firm with 17 years of experience partnering with museums, sciencecenters, and arts and cultural heritage organizations.

CREATIVE VISION

The interactive experience within the Alchemical Quest exhibition presents thevolumes through an interactive interface while preserving their inherent beauty andcomplexity. The imagery features small animations that indicate certain elements ofthe images (e.g., steam in a bottle, waving banner, etc.) and use visual cues to alertvisitors of additional information about the image. Sequences of related imageryare presented through larger animations in order to present specific phases of thealchemical process in succession. Hotspots will be integrated with the imagery inthe books so that visitors can enjoy an unobstructed view of the imagery while alsoproviding interpretive clues, all through an intuitive and user-friendly interface.CHF prepared high-resolution photographs from the Elementa Chemiæ (1718)



InterpretiveValues

Audience

Prole

The goals of the Alchemical Questinteractive were foundationally based

on interpretive values originating fromthe exhibit itself. These included thefollowing:• Present alchemy as a valid

scientific process.• Challenge modern day conceptions

that alchemy and chemistry weredistinct sc ientif ic ventures.

• Reveal how alchemy was a seriousand valid pursuit of scientists inthat t ime period.

• Demonstrate how alchemyinfluenced the development of

modern science — Many alchemicalprocesses are the basis for modernchemistry.

• Show that the processes and ideasof alchemy and chemistry wereinterchangeable in the 16th, 17thand 18th centuries.

The Alchemical Quest exhibitiondraws together a diverse audienceranging from high school students toenthusiasts of CHF’s “First Fridays”events. Specific audience groupsinclude:• General CHF Vis itors• 30-50 years old• Approx. 17% international vis itors• Close to 50/50 split of men and

women• Science researchers• Chemists and Scientists visiting

CHF for conferences and events• First Friday fans• Tourists to Philadelphi a and

Independence Hall• High school chemistry students• Science professionals and

enthusiasts• Philadelphia and area locals

and Pandora (1582) of the pages selected for inclusion in the interactive andlarger animations. All accompanying translations, interpretive text from selectedpassages within the two volumes, along with introductory text were produced bythe CHF project team.

TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

The Night Kitchen project team discovered the MediaScreen Monkeybook Flipbookas a real ist ic refinement of the original vis ion. This interactive virtual book isan elegant touch desk presentation system with a convex projection screen in anauthentic book design.

The transparent acrylic form factor fit the design of CHF’s museum. An integratedcontinuous operation capable Micro-PC and a highly precise camera tracking systecreate a user experience similar to that of an actual book. The experience is justlike reading a digital book, complete with the ability to turn a page and evenembed videos.

CHF purchased the interactive from its exclusive retailer in the U.S. – AV RentalDepot in Boca Raton, Florida.

http://www.sales.avrentaldepot.com/monkeybook.html

ENHANCING OBJECTS

CHF was the third organization—and first museum—to purchase the Monkeybookin the U.S. It closely fit the original vision of gesture-based projection with theform factor of a book. The base is clear acrylic rather than ancient wood, butit serves a long-term purpose. Because the basic page-flip programming onlyrequires scans of the page, CHF has the ability to re-use the device in the museumand Othmer Library after the exhibit was over. Over time it can potentially drivethe digitization of the organization’s rarer titles, and save wear on them byserving as an access point.

In the meantime, The Alchemical Quest is testing the Monkeybook’s limits:sequential animations with contextual boxes enhance the stunningly arcaneetchings throughout. The development team had to tweak page sizes to matchthe proportions of the Monkeybook’s screen sizes and re-evaluate visual concepttreatments. The concept remains true, however, and continues to spur interest andunderstanding of the books even while it entertains as a standalone project.

TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES

Surfing the wave of tech innovation comes with benefits and risks. While theMonkeybook was acknowledged as the right tool for The Alchemical Quest exhibit,it presented challenges related to projector calibration, touch sensitivity andsub-par performance when ambient light shifts. After several weeks of trying toovercome these issues, Night Kitchen was able to determine with the manufacturethat there was a defect in our particular device. CHF received the replacementmodel with only a month of development time left on the clock. The project wasreleased on time, but with fewer features and a glitch in projector proportionson its launch night. The situation reinforced the importance of extensive testingwith newer technologies, particularly when the plan is to fully explore theircapabilities.



Anatomy of aMonkeybook

1The Monkeybook soft ware

unifies the FlipbookMac software produ ct

“Megazine” the uniquehardware for m factor. Thiscan be booted, restarted or

shut down using icons in thecomputer’s application dock.

2The book-shaped form

factor that userstouch to swipe th rough

pages is actually two piecesof removable plastic. The

translucent surface captures

the projection and infraredlight signal.

3The Mon keybook’s base

contains three majorcomponents – a C asio

projector, an infrared sensorgrid and a Mac mini. TheCasio’s light is projec ted ontoan angled mirror that reflects

upward into the “book”surface.

FEATURES & FUNCTIONS• Transparent Acrylic-Body• Precise camera tracking system• Integrated Micro-PC• Integrated 1 Chip DLP Projector• Control content via touch interactivity• Bril l iant and high contrast image• Homogeneous projection screen• Special models upon request TECHNICA L DATA• Screen size: (BxH) 18.8” x 12.5” (24“

Diagonal)• Size: (HxBxD) 39” x 23.6” x 16”• Weight: 88 lb• Projector: 1 C hip DLP, WXGA, ca. 2500

Lumens• Material: Acrylic-Body/coated steel• Inputs: USB & Ethernet

•Formats: Video & Image Files



DesigningNarrative

Based on the established interpretivevalues, the exhibit and developmentteams further refined the followinginteractive goals based on timeframe, budget and capabilities of thetechnology platform.

1. Reinforce the depth and complexitypresented in the exhibit ion content

2. Implicitl y reiterate the exhibitionnarratives while allowing forvisitors to enjoy the imagery ofthe books through the interactive

experience3. Provide visitors with an alternate

means of experiencing the rarebooks in the exhibition

4. Foster visitor curiosity andencourage deeper exploration ofimages and text within the bookson display

5. Demonstrate an example ofan alchemical process in itsentirety by taking imagery fromtwo books on display within theexhibition: Elementa Chemiæ

(1718), Barchusen, Pandora (1582),Epimetheus

6. Reflect the fantastical andpractical balance found within thebooks

7. Complex imagery and symboliclanguage are grounded in practicalscientific applications.

CHF worked with Night KitchenInteractive to identify and lock-downcontent types for this experience

before Alpha development. This ensuredthat the wireframes and functionalityspecifications addressed the differenttypes of content and fields ofinformation for each content type (e.g.t it le , body text, images, etc . ) .

Above: A script was developed from prospective texts by Jim Voelkel, CHF’s rare books curato

and Marge Gapp, curator of art. They further color coded the type of content to provide th

technical developers a good sense of how it should be distinguished for the interactive. Thexcerpt of script above references the animation of the lab in Barchusen’s “Elements of Chem

istry.” The lab image was the only non-allegorical image, and the only two-page spread. Below

is the resulting image on the Monkeybook in the midst of interpretive animation.

INTERPRETIVE DEVELOPMENTTRANSFORMING THE COMPLEX WORLD OF THE ALCHEMISTS



ANIMATING ALLEGORYLOOSING PANDORA’S SECRETS FROM AN ALCHEMICAL BOOK

The images below illustrate the transformation of the iconic image from “Pandora”(1582), from the historical book page into a sophisticated animation. They alsorepresent the process CHF undertook to translate each of the pages ultimately usedin The Alchemical Quest interactive. This process includes the following steps:1. Photographi ng the relevant pages in RAW and high-resol ution TIFF formats.

2. Each page image was printed. With logistical support from the project team,the rare books curator broke down into its component concepts by simplyhighlighting them on the photocopy.

3. The script (referenced left) was printed, and the narrative elements were cutout with scissors and pasted over the appropriate areas of the image. Adhesivesticky notes were used for additional animation direction.

4. The development team took the digital images and instruction from CHF andseparated the discrete graphic elements for storyboarded animation.

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IMAGE SPECSSpecifications for image productionincluded the fo l lowing:

1. Digitized images in high-qualit yuncompressed formats (at least300 dpi).

2. Uncompressed images that areat least 2300 x 2500 pixels for“zoom” capacity.

3. Source images for manipulati on eps or Adobe Illustrator formats

4. Clear licensing agreements forimage use.

SOFTWAREImaging and Illustration:• Adobe Photoshop• Adobe Illustrator

Animation & Rendering: • Adobe Flash• Adobe Air• MegaZine 3 PageFlip (http://www

megazine3.de/home.html)

BUDGETDiscovery & Planning, $5,000Explore an Interactive Book, $30,000Configuration & Testing, $2,000Promotional Marketing Plan, $5,000

DEVELOPMENT TOTAL$42,000

MediaScreen MonkeyBook waspurchased directly by CHF

$10,000



Based on visitors’ ratings of specific methods of information delivery, theChemical Heritage Foundation can assume how the visitors would like to seefuture information delivered. By a large margin, Observing Artifacts was the

most enjoyable activity for CHF visitors (about 95% of people responded with~4.4 rating). Watching videos, using the Digital Flip Book, and the Touchscreenfollowed. The least enjoyable activities were reading labels (~98% responded witha ~3.8 rating) and using the Guitar Strings (~45% responded with a ~3.4).

This information can also be compared to the fact that the Digital Flip Book hadthe greatest drawing and holding power combined, but that the didactic exhibitshad the greatest holding power overall.

In reference to labels, some visitors commented about their design and content. Avisitor who worked in a field affiliated with chemistry stated, “The labels are hardto understand. English is not my first language, and I do not understand.” Anotherdeclared, “The colors used are not contrasting enough. It is to hard to read.”

Visitors were also asked to rate their digital capabilities and comfort levels inreference to the use of computers, smart phones, and tablets both independentlyand in a museum setting. Overall, visitors rated their comfort level of the use ofcomputers in both environments higher than the other devices (4.7 independentlyand 4.4 in a museum setting).

RECOMMENDATIONS

Since CHF’s visitors enjoy the artifacts the most, it is recommend that theartifacts be incorporated more into educational programming, and that the

museum provide artifact replicas for visitors to touch. Due to the fact that allmedia components rated between ~4.0 and ~4.3, it can be assumed that visitorswould enjoy more types of media (videos, touchscreens, Digital Flip Book) beingused to deliver the content of exhibits.

Due to the Guitar Strings’ labels and design, and the fact that the piece is set intothe exhibit, it is likely that visitors may not know it is something they can touch.It is recommended that it be changed to better engage visitors in the interactive.Based on the statements concerning labels, it is again recommended (as statedabove) that the labels be updated in terms of design and readability. Due to thefact that visitors rated their comfort level of using computers in a museumsetting higher than other electronics, it is recommended that the Chemical

EXCERPTS FROM U NIVERSITY OF T HE ARTS

ANALYSIS OF MU SEUM INFOR MATION DELI VERY

EVALUATION AND FE EDBACK

Leading up to the launch of Alchemical Quest, CHF staff members and invitedguests tested the interactive extensively. The senior adult demographic expectedfor the physical exhibit was given particular focus. As a result of this feedback,one sentence of instruction was added to the device, a clear strip of plastic clingadhesive with the words “Swipe to turn the page, and watch.” CHF’s museumwas selected as an interactive study project for Museum Studies students at the

University of the Arts in the fall of 2012. The study provided valuable insight intohow visitors responded to the museum space overall, and how interactives like theMonkeybook could inform future museum experiences. The following two pagescontain relevant excerpts from the result ing UArts report.

“The animated ‘e-book’ display in ‘TheAlchemical Quest’was just as fabulousas you promised! I hadso much fun going

through each and ev-ery page. It’s a terrificexhibition, andI’ve recommended itto several friends whowork in archiving.What a great way tomake texts acces-

sible!”

-Lisa, doctoral student in art

history/alchemy



SOURCE: “The Museum at the Chemical Heritage Foundation: Final Evaluation Report, Mu-

seum Audience 603-02.” Authors: Louise Barrett, Kara Gafken, Kathryn Greeninger, Daniel

Kennedy, University of the Arts, November 27, 2012.

Visualizing Visitor ResponseUser success, drawing & holding power of the Alchemical Quest Flipbook

Heritage Foundation incorporate the useof this technology in its exhibits and/orprogramming.

ANALYSIS OF MUSEUMINTERACTIVES

The overall museum element with thehighest drawin g and holding power, wasthe digital flipbook in the temporaryexhibition, ‘The Alchemical Quest.’In fact, many visitors often camespecifically for this exhibition. Theoverall museum element with the lowestdrawing and holdi ng power was theChemical Heritage Foundation’s VisitorStation. This did not include whenVisitor Service staff members greetedvisitors upon entrance, but whenvisitors stopped at the Station on their

own accord.

In comparing the interactive anddidactic exhibit elements, overall thedidactics’ drawing and holding poweroutweighed the interactives’. Theinteractive exhibit elements were notfar behind, however many visitorsmissed them, most likely due to lackof signage. Though the difference inthe drawing and holding power resultswere slight (aside from the elementswhich received the highest and lowest

powers), visitors had both positivesand negatives reactions to either bothelements.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the use and response tomultimedia elements in the museum,the introduction of additionalcomponents would be a welcomeaddition for most museum visitors.It is probable that the drawing power ofthe interactive elements may be low due

to the fact that they do not stand out.The drawing power of these elementsmay increase if they possessed moreprominent labels or additional signagefor visitors. It is recommended thatsuch components be added or updated,and later tested through prototypingand further survey evaluations.



WEB-BASED VERSIONSoon after the successful launch ofthe Alchemical Quest interactive, CHFbegan receiving requests from visitorsfor a version that would allow deeperexploration of the experience withoutthe limiting factors of standing at

a kiosk or sharing the experiencewith visitors. The web version of TheAlchemical Quest included the followingfeature enhancements (numberscorrespond to graphic below):

1. Sl ider bar al lows resizing of pages to

view detai l

2. Point-and-click bookmarks for

navigating between volumes

3. Cl icking book edges with mouse

activates page fl ip effect

4. Mousing over index dots activates pop-

up preview of additional pages for easynavigation

The web version ca n be accessed at

http://www.chemheritage.org/Visit/

Museum/Exhibits/Alchemical-Quest/

Demo/index.aspx

FUTURE MONKEYBOOK USESWhat if the original product manuals for instruments in CHF’s archives couldfind new life as a novel interactive in CHF’s library, and on its website?

CHF acquired the necessary equipment and expertise to make this a possibilitywith the purchase of the Monkeybook. The equipment is has the form factor ofa book on a kiosk, but is powered by a sensor with touch projection technology.

This allows visitors to “turn pages” on what is essentially a beam of light. Whatthe Alchemical Quest exhibit did for rare books can be extended.

These assets can be adapted to produce an even richer and more engagingexperience using CHF’s archived instrument manuals. CHF archivists areencountering numerous manuals that contain elaborate photographic schematicsof the interiors of their non-functional instrument counterparts in the museum.

The first project being produced in this series is a technical manual for theBeckman DU spectrometer. In the same way the interactive book is able toanimate the alchemical images and explain their workings, This experience willanimate the interiors views of the analytical instruments and explain how theyworked in the context and design sensibilities of the 1960s technical manual forthe Beckman DU. CHF’s Instrumentation Committee is providing knowledgeablesupport for interpretive textual commentaries and video interviews to beincorporated into the experience as well.

The interactive will include a scan of the original cover of the manual withstylized tweaks, Content areas will include “History and Development”; “How itWorks”; “Popularity in Industry”; “Use in Academia”; and “Modern Legacy.”

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MEDIA PRODUCTION FOR OTHER PLATFORMS

The Chemical Heritage Foundation brought all of its outreach platforms to bearfor engaging online audiences with the Alchemical Quest exhibit and interactive.It sought to achieve transparency in all aspects of the process with the goal ofshowcasing the people behind the organization. CHF used the following platformsand tactics as part of this outreach:

Periodic Tabloid Blog: A series of posts were written by project team membersthat showcased their unique voices and roles in exhibit development. Theseincluded pieces by the rare books curator, museum director and the manager ofemerging media.

Distillations iTunes Podcast: A conversation between two alchemy experts:James Voelkel, who curated CHF’s exhibit The Alchemical Quest, and LawrencePrincipe, author of The Secrets of Alchemy. http://www.prx.org/pieces/86320-distillations-episode-158-the-alchemical-quest

Additional online multi-media:

Two-minute time lapse of exhibit install:

http://youtu.be/3gPsorJUdw8

Interview with Matthew Fisher of Night Kitchen Interactive about development of

the Monkeybook :

http://youtu.be/U76Y4aBhkLU

Video walk-through of exhibit design rationale with rare books curator:

http://youtu.be/rgW3OSlmUZo

CHF developed a mobile tour of Alchemical Quest special exhibit usToursphere, a framework CMS tspecializes in place-based experienlike museums and historic sites.

Special point-of-site (POS) pages wbuilt for the discrete cases of the rbooks exhibit. Special features of ePOS page included the following:1. Detailed images of the book pa

that were inaccessible to them unthe glass cas es.

2. Additional text not featured incluin the physical exhibit.

3. Audio “curatorial notes” by the books curator that offered persoinsights on the books and thistories .

4. Ability to orient themselves in exhibit with an interactive map.

5. Survey for feedback.

The tour was responsive, meaningformatted the content to provide the bexperience for users’ devices. The wbased nature of the virtual tour madan effective product for promoting tour to potential visitors accessingfrom their desktop computers as well

D E V I C E - R E S P O N S I V

MOBILE TOUR

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PROJECT MANAGEMENTUSING BASECAMP FOR COMMUNICATION BETWEEN STAFF & DEVELOPERS

J A N U A R Y Kick-off meeting

Scope of Work (SOW) deliverySOW contract approval

f e b r u a r yDiscovery Phase complete

Project Plan approvalPreliminary Visual Creative

Treatment (VCT) deliveryPreliminary VCT approval

m a r c hDelivery of f inal VCTsApproval of f inal VCTs

Delivery of prel iminary contentSocial Media Campaign

a p r i lDelivery of Alpha version

Approval of AlphaDelivery of f inal ized content

Delivery of Beta version

m ayApproval of Beta

Delivery of Gold versionApproval of Gold

J u n eDelivery of Final Fi les

Instal lation of interactive

julyIn it ia l testing and debugging

Public launch

O c t o b e r - n o v e m b e rUniversity of the Arts user study

The project was managed through the web-based application Basecamp(Basecamp.com). CHF and Night Kitchen used Basecamp in the following ways:

D ISCUSSIONS:The Discussions function was useful for posting project updates and questionsrequiring official response that would not need further editing. In particular,delivery of Alpha, Beta and Gold releases were posted to Basecamp for projectstaff to provide opinions, which were then eventually assimilated into an finalresponse.

TO-DO L ISTS :While the traditional use of to-do lists for assigning discrete tasks toindividuals was used, for this project it also served as an outlining and trackingtool. Two of the tracking categories are illustrated below:

F ILES SHARING:The “Files” area of Basecamp was used to share interpretive documents,prepared digitized images and official contractual documents.

Timeline

case study: museum interactive for the alchemical quest exhibit

Documents