physical keys to digital memories - ciolfi
DESCRIPTION
Presentation of the paper "Physical Keys to Digital Memories: Reflecting on the Role of Tangible Artefacts in “Reminisce” at Museums and the Web 2011TRANSCRIPT
Physical Keys to Digital Memories: Reflec6ng on the Role of Tangible
Artefacts in “Reminisce”
Luigina Ciolfi & Marc McLoughlin Interac4on Design Centre
University of Limerick (Ireland)
Bunra@y Folk Park
“Reminisce”
a) access portal; b) smart phone app; c) tangible tokens; d) schoolhouse archive; e) website
The tangible tokens:
-‐ “Souvenirs” of small domes4c objects, different for each house, connec4on with ac4vi4es taking place there
-‐ Provide a clue about where to go next to keep following the character’s story
-‐ Provide access to the Schoolhouse Archive, where recordings made by other visitors can be heard
Threefold Role of the tangible tokens:
-‐ To provide par4cipants with a memento of their visit
-‐ To guide par4cipants to other memories available to them
-‐ To allow par4cipants access to the memories that other people leP at the site
-‐ Added value for BunraRy Folk Park: design focus on the lived nature of the place
-‐ The tangible tokens presented material, cultural and social connec4ons with the environment, from the content they provided, to the shape and material quality they took, to the ability to encourage social interac4on and sharing on the nature of the Folk Park.
-‐ The tangible tokens are elements for piecing together the overall ac4vity around Reminisce to bring the houses in the Folk Park to life
The tangible tokens trigger the display of new content
All visitors had no problem grasping the func4onality of the interac4ve desk, and all were able to understand the connec4on between the content and the sites on the trail. The interac4on with the desk was also something that onlookers no4ced with curiosity and interest
The tangible tokens acted as connectors
Connectors from one house to another through the clues they provided
They provided visitors with a physical ‘anchoring’ to the houses. The artefacts are on site, closely connected with what visitors are experiencing in the house, and a tangible representa4on of progress along the trail: the more tokens you have, the more memories you have collected and shared.
The tangible clues provide a link to ac6vi6es aGer the visit:
Provide par4cipants with ways of linking their visit to BunraRy with ac4vi4es to be undertaken at home (e.g. baking)
The tangible tokens provide a memento of the visit as well as an opportunity for a new ac4vity when a visitor returns home.
The pack containing a small piece of turf was one that par4cipants from abroad commented on the most, and that they decided to bring back home
The tangible tokens as links to other par6cipants
The tangible artefacts worked as a trigger for social interac4on, par4cularly in the schoolhouse
The content triggered by the tokens sparked discussion between visitors, but also made them somehow connect with other visitors across 4me and space
Lessons learned
Mixing high-‐tech and low-‐tech works well but only when both fit into the overall storyline
The design of tangible artefacts needs to be place-‐sensi4ve: physical objects easily connected to the place, not too much focus on the high-‐tech components
Simple and cheap but of value when perceived in the context of the ac4vity
They had a high-‐tech component that made them valuable within the overall “Reminisce” experience: they were keys to addi4onal content, part of the technical infrastructure, and not just as quaint trinkets.
Keep it simple and easy, don’t turn them into gimmicks
Thanks
• Acknowledgments: Failte Ireland, University of Limerick Seed Funding 2008-‐10, Shannon Heritage, management and staff at BunraRy Folk Park
• More informa4on: [email protected] • [email protected]
www.idc.ul.ie; www.reminisce.ie