Project Name
Michael C. Carlos
Focus
Wayfinding
UX Design
UX Research
Time Frame
10 weeks
Role
UX Research Lead
Visual Design Lead
Problem Statement
The Michael C. Carlos Museum is the heart of cultural and educational prosperity.
Michael C. Carlos Museum visitors experience contextual disconnect and navigational confusion, desire to explore interactively, and seek memorable moments of community.
We selected the Michael C. Carlos Museum and spent 10 weeks researching, testing, and building concepts to bring life, function, and interactivity to the home of a remarkable ancient art collection at Emory University.
Michael C. Carlos Mission Statement
The Michael C. Carlos Museum of Emory University collects, preserves, exhibits, and interprets art and artifacts from antiquity to the present in order to provide unique opportunities for education and enrichment in the community and to promote interdisciplinary teaching and research at Emory University.
How Might We
How might we craft a journey that plants excitement in the hearts of visitors prior to their arrival and utilize interactive design to bridge the gap between all levels of expertise, leaving them with newfound curiosity?
Competitive Feature Analysis (Socials)
Competitive Feature Analysis (Before Visiting)
Competitive Analysis (Initial Impressions)
Competitive Analysis (Initial Impressions)
Competitive Feature Analysis (Exhibition Design)
Competitive Analysis (Information Design)
Competitive Analysis
In the initial phase of secondary research, we conducted a competitive analysis of museums that are connected or affiliated with the University, such as the Michael C. Carlos Museum.
Survey and Interview Analysis
Through the surveys and interviews, we found out that for our respondents the
Michael C. Carlos Museum is...
A successful museum...
More Than Just a Museum
The interview insights revealed that a museum has more than one meaning.
The Fundamentals of Exhibition Design
The Expert Interviewer gave us valuable insights into the exhibition design.
Persona
We created the user personas, based on our research to gain a better understanding of our audience and their needs
Branding Elements
The primary color palette is inspired by the teal used across the Michael C. Carlos’s handouts and website.
The secondary color palette is in honor of the Michael C. Carlos’s bold design choices.
We were inspired by their use of color to indicate a shift in exhibitions. Hence, we used colors painted on the walls or in existing signage to draw connections between their brand identity, collections, and ease of wayfinding.
Creating a Map
After interviewing the Director of Exhibition Design and affinity mapping our interview insights, we realized our research and the Michael C. Carlos’s needs aligned. We were both in agreement that the museum map desperately needed a rebrand so that guests could navigate the space with ease, stay up to date on current and future exhibitions, and solidify their first impression with a thoughtful takeaway.
Current Museum Map (2023)
Map Sketches
We used the original blueprint (floor plan) as a basis for creating an isometric sketch of our map.
Medium Fidelity Map
User Testing
Before prototyping and producing the high-fidelity version of the map we conducted user testing. We received and applied a lot of valuable feedback. In addition, the prototype received a
75,6%
score from our users using the System Usability Scale (SUS).
The System Usability Scale (SUS) consists of a 10 item questionnaire with five response options for respondents; from Strongly agree to Strongly disagree. It allows us to evaluate a wide variety of products and services, while giving a global view of subjective assessments of usability.
Map Final Layout
Stamps
After conducting an extensive competitive analysis and hearing about the Michael C. Carlos’s active efforts for accessible design, we decided to expand upon the power of multi-sensory experiences. We were inspired by the MET, and their touch tours for the partially blind/visually impaired. Hence, we combined it with our research on the power of tactile learning to produce stamps for visitors to use and contextualize a portion of the Art of Americas exhibit.
