Less Fuzzy

Be less fuzzy. As the New Year approaches, that's my resolution for my own work, as well as my advice for my clients.

There are lots of "fuzzy" terms in the museum business: Interactivity, Prototyping, Evaluation ...

Everyone has a basic idea of what they think those terms mean, but it often becomes clear(er) as a discussion or design meeting progresses that the use of a term like "interactive" could cover everything from a simple flip-up label to a more complicated design activity.  If you don't lay down some markers at the beginning of your discussions, you can really end up in a bad spot further into the design process.

This has come up recently as I've been speaking with clients and colleagues about "Maker Spaces." "Maker" and "Making" have become a sort of nebulous (and essentially so fuzzy as to be nearly worthless) shorthand for "spaces where visitor do creative things."  (Also, true to Museums loving to jump on a marketable bandwagon, the term"Maker" latches onto both the success and notoriety of Make magazine and Maker Faires.)

Unfortunately, without being a bit more specific, one museum's "Maker Space" could be an unstaffed table with glue sticks and recycled scraps, while another museum's space could be a staffed area where people could use tools like soldering guns and 3D printers.

While shorthand terms like "Maker Space" are a reasonable place to start a design conversation, the devil really is in the details.  Find a way, early in the process, to get specific about each person's starting point and expectations.

So as 2013 beckons, I wish all my ExhibiTricks readers a happy, healthy, and less fuzzy New Year!


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Your 2012 New Year's (ExhibitFiles) Resolutions

I normally hate the idea of New Year's resolutions.  Why wait until January to start making improvements?

But here are two easy resolutions for museum/exhibit/design folks to make (and keep!) as the yearly calendar transition approaches:  1) Join ExhibitFiles 2) Post something on ExhibitFiles.

What is ExhibitFiles you ask?  ExhibitFiles is a website (funded by the National Science Foundation) for museum professionals (and aspiring museum professionals) from around the world to post Reviews of exhibits they've seen, or to post Case Studies of exhibition projects they have been involved with.  (There's even a category called "Bits" that lets you quickly post bite-sized observations about a particular exhibit element or feature you may have seen.)

So what are you waiting for?  Click on over to the ExhibitFiles website now.  (It's a lot easier than resolving to lose ten pounds!)

Don't miss out on any ExhibiTricks posts! It's easy to get updates via email or your favorite news reader. Just click the "Sign up for Automatic ExhibiTricks Blog Updates" link on the upper right side of the blog.

P.S. If you receive ExhibiTricks via email (or Facebook or LinkedIn) you will need to click HERE to go to the main ExhibiTricks page to make comments or view multimedia features (like videos!)

5 Designer Resolutions For 2010

Not to rush the New Year, but here are the "Designer Resolutions" I want to focus on in 2010.

I've included a link to one related ExhibiTricks posting (that really stirred people up!) from this past year with each resolution:

1) Check the Tech
Try to be more mindful of the reasons for using technology effectively, and not as "electronic wallpaper."

2) Think Small(er)
Celebrate the opportunities to employ smaller, subtler touches in design projects.

3) Cheaper and Faster and Edgier
Prototype early and often --- let ideas fly without over analyzing them in mindless meetings.

4) Use the Underutilized
Look for ways to stretch budgets (and minds) by using existing resources to better advantage.

5) Don't Start with Hype
Focus on the heart of the idea, the story, not the marketing campaign.

What are your "Designer Resolutions" for 2010? Let us know in the Comments Section below.

Don't miss out on any ExhibiTricks posts! It's easy to get updates via email or your favorite news reader. Just click the "Free Updates" link on the right side of the blog.

P.S. If you receive ExhibiTricks via email (or facebook or LinkedIn) you will need to click HERE to go to the main ExhibiTricks page to make comments or view multimedia features (like videos!)