As interactive exhibit software specialists we are well experienced in using client data to create exhibits and using data collected from exhibit use to inform clients’ future decisions. Both are important aspects of developing an effective interactive exhibit.

Where the use of data collection and display becomes even more interesting is when it is part of the experience of using the exhibit, adding a further level of interaction for the visitor.

Building a digital wall

At the Great North Museum, visitors can participate in the creation of an exhibit – a digital version of Hadrian’s Wall. Using an interactive screen they can “carve” their initials and the place they have come from onto a virtual stone which gets placed into the projected wall. On further visits they can seek out their brick and see how much further the wall has developed since that brick was first placed.

Compiling a personal interpretation of exhibits

The Intelligence Centre exhibit at Manchester Art Gallery holds no pre-determined interpretive content. Instead it uses a question and answer technique to enable visitors build a structured personal response to artworks themed on conflict and resolution as well as using collected data to collate trends in responses.

Generating your own results

At Whitehill and Bordon Eco-town’s Eco-station visitors’ own efforts generate the results that are displayed as their activity on an eco-generator bike displays how much hard work it takes to provide energy for everyday requirements such as powering a TV, making eco issues directly relevant to their daily lives.

User-generated data is a great way to ensure that an interactive exhibit becomes directly relevant to each visitor’s experience and helps to keep the exhibit fresh and stimulating over time.

Since Chris gives guest lectures at the University, he was in contact with Cheyanne’s tutor who introduced the two as he knew that Wide Sky’s portfolio would be a perfect example to research for her final project, an interactive experience in digital and print formats called Commemoration through Conversation which brings people together to share their stories of war, conflict and human loss. With elements of archiving and education, the project is very much in line with the aims of many of our clients so it made perfect sense to keep in touch throughout the last months of her degree.

We’re very impressed with Cheyanne’s achievements which include being shortlisted for the prestigious Penguin Random House Design Award for her cover of Carrie’s War and for the 5^th Sheffield International Artists Book Prize for Tear Away The Taboo, a handcrafted direct mailer and leaflet insert inviting the public to an event to discuss taboos in today’s society.

Cheyanne’s ability to work with interpretation, archiving and education around themes of war and conflict are informed by time she spent prior to her studies as an army nurse in Hawaii where she was struck by the poignancy of survivors of the Pearl Harbour attack visiting the USS Arizona Memorial, possibly the last that these visitors, now in their 90s, will make. This sensitivity is clearly reflected in her work.

We’re so pleased to have such a talent on the team and have been keeping Cheyanne very busy with modelling, animation and graphic layout for a project interpreting the history of the 13^th century church at Bedwas. She is certainly rising to new challenges and we look forward to presenting her with even more!

Rob has been hard at work improving the user interface of this system so it will be even easier for clients to work with and will underpin our tablet tours, interactive touchscreen exhibits and other products. We’ll make a full announcement when it’s ready to go.

But by doing this you run the risk of corrupting the data on your hard drive which is not such a great idea.

Our policy for clients is to make the necessary changes internally to the computer using our own software which runs in the background and powers the computer off and on at pre-determined times. If you want to run your exhibit outside your regular hours – say, for a special event – then you simply override the pre-set times by switching the computer on again. It will revert to the regular schedule by itself.

It’s a reliable way to save time and eliminate the risk of corrupting data by switching off at the wall and we recommend it to all our clients.

But, if you’re running hardware that has not been set up in this way, please follow our tip: simply power your computer down properly. It doesn’t take that long really and can save you a lot of hassle in the long term.

An IR (Infra Red) or SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave) touch screen has its “send” and “receive” sensors at the top, bottom and sides of the screen. These can become blocked if dust and debris build up which in turn might make them less effective or even stop working entirely.

We recommend using an air duster to blow out the dust and debris quickly and easily.  Importantly, it does so without wiping dust into the sides and corners of the screen as is so easy to do when using a cloth.

With public money so often at stake, a price that reflects excellent value for money is essential as, of course, is the demonstrable ability to fulfill the contract requirements.

Experience counts for a great deal too. Not just the body of work but how each project is dealt with right from the start. One thing that our clients report back to us as being particularly valuable is our structured development process. It allows us to manage time and cost (supporting the client requirements for clear pricing and meeting their deadlines). It also enables us to communicate project progress and manage any design changes, a regularly recurring theme in our industry.

In any project you need to manage time, cost and quality. Getting the development process right is what makes the right package work.

With a strong project management background Rob will fit in nicely with our structured development ethos. He also brings with him extensive experience in e-learning and technology for education, for example, in developing online assessments and resources.

Rob says, “I am interested in how the disciplines involved in e-learning can enhance the experience that users have of interactive exhibits. One of the key things about online learning is to keep people interested and engaged throughout the whole experience, enhancing the quality of their interaction. I’m looking forward to bringing this experience into a new field and, hopefully, opening up new possibilities and choices for Wide Sky Design’s clients.”

If you have an interactive exhibit but have not been provided with a back-up copy of the software, we’d strongly recommend that you make a copy, backing it up safely. A solid state hard drive need cost no more than £50-60 so it’s a cost effective investment that can prevent all kinds of problems, even the complete loss of your exhibit should the worst happen.

Our top tips for a contingency plan:

1. Make sure you have a back-up of your software, either from your original developer or one you take yourself.
2. Make sure it is kept safe, somewhere where it will not also be affected by any disaster that strikes your exhibit.
3. Allocate responsibility for maintaining that back-up to a specific individual so that you always know where it is kept – and make sure that the details are passed on should that individual leave.

The common thread that we’ve observed is about bringing a “wow” factor to locations where you perhaps wouldn’t expect it and in ways that address particular challenges the organisations face.

One natural attraction has a fascinating tour but the logistics inherent in a visit to the site tend to cause, at one stage, a little bit of a slump in the visitor experience. It’s the ideal point at which to create a “wow” factor that enhances the visit, brings consistency throughout what is otherwise an experience that has plenty to boast about, and complements the human interaction with the guides.

We’ve also been talking to people at a church who are considering how best to use an interactive installation to appeal not only to their existing congregation but to also help inform, educate and engage different types of visitors.

School groups will be an important focus and the exhibit will explain the activities and services at the church, its artefacts, and its social history in ways that support the curriculum. The “wow” factor will certainly be an essential part in ensuring that they are successful in reaching out beyond their established audience.

One little-known thing is that your computer contains a small battery to remember the date and time. It’s seems like a small thing but, if the battery dies, your computer doesn’t work. It’s worth checking whether this is the cause of a non-functioning computer because the battery costs around a mere 50p – it looks like this…

I you don’t fancy tinkering inside your computer yourself it can be easily fitted by your local IT repair specialist. That’s much more efficient and cost effective than sending your computer back to be repaired or replaced, not to mention saving the considerable hassle of re-commissioning it.

This battery usually lasts for 4-5 years so, if your hardware goes on the blink after this time period, it’s well worth checking to see if a new battery will help.