-Write about the challenges you encountered when you were making this prototype. Write about problems you couldn't solve while building this prototype, write about issues that you were able to solve and the progress you made.
The first challenge I encountered was that the guide rail on the band saw in Room 36 was too small to cut a 12 inch square. I tried going to the wood shop and the metal lab, but those band saws also did not have enough clearance for my piece which was 24"*36". Eventually, I decided to modify my design to make the cuts feasible.
I also had issues with the switch that controlled the lights in the box, as the PRL was all out. I had to make do by reusing the switch from my earlier project. The LEDs I selected also were not ideal, and need to be changed if I pursue this direction.
-Write about your experience on the Exploratorium floor. What did you observe? In what ways did the users' interactions with your piece correspond to your expectations, and in what ways did they not?
I really enjoyed getting a chance to watch users interact with the exhibits on the floor. I observed many points of the interaction that needed to be modified in my piece.
People did not know where to look. After reading the instructions, people did not know what to do with the light source, and where they were supposed to look. A lot of people also peered into the box from afar, which also seemed counter intuitive to me but I need to fix.
People also seemed to have a hard time with the rod mechanism
-Write about anything interesting you may have noticed regarding the visitors' interactions with any of your classmates' exhibits.
The younger audience really enjoyed playing with Winnie's cityscape. It was very interactive and groups of children could use it at the same time. They also seemed to enjoy knocking the pieces down.
Kids loved the buttons on Clementine's exhibit. I wonder if there is a way to play up that aspect of the interaction. Maybe have one button cause a drastic shift in lights or something.
People seemed to have a hard time finding the correct place to put the object in Alex's shadow exhibit.
All the laser exhibits involved kids pointing lasers into eyes.
-Write about any other changes that you think would improve the piece based on your experience on the floor. Changes could be informed by your observation of visitor interaction, seeing your piece in the museum environment, seeing your piece in a certain light condition, on a certain table.
-tell us which of the above changes you would like to make by friday
I need to make the stand more robust, so that I does not slide around on the table as much.
I would also like to try lighting the entire panel below the box. Some feedback I received from the Exploratorium staff was the interaction felt very removed using the stick and handle. I am thinking of ways how I might be able to make this interaction feel more personal. Perhaps if the users user their arms instead of the stick. I am also thinking of ways to increase user input on the shapes. Many people lamented the inability of increasing the length of the rectangle on the iphone.
Although this would be a big change, I hope to make the exterior of the box look presentable. Perhaps creating a wood frame. Also better lighting to make the sign more present and to dict people's attention the exhibit.
The first challenge I encountered was that the guide rail on the band saw in Room 36 was too small to cut a 12 inch square. I tried going to the wood shop and the metal lab, but those band saws also did not have enough clearance for my piece which was 24"*36". Eventually, I decided to modify my design to make the cuts feasible.
I also had issues with the switch that controlled the lights in the box, as the PRL was all out. I had to make do by reusing the switch from my earlier project. The LEDs I selected also were not ideal, and need to be changed if I pursue this direction.
-Write about your experience on the Exploratorium floor. What did you observe? In what ways did the users' interactions with your piece correspond to your expectations, and in what ways did they not?
I really enjoyed getting a chance to watch users interact with the exhibits on the floor. I observed many points of the interaction that needed to be modified in my piece.
People did not know where to look. After reading the instructions, people did not know what to do with the light source, and where they were supposed to look. A lot of people also peered into the box from afar, which also seemed counter intuitive to me but I need to fix.
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| These guys kind of just looked in from afar, I need to make it more obvious that one needs to be close to experience it. |
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| This young boy pulled the rod out from below the stand and put it where I intended the user to look. He seemed to have a good time though. |
Some other key observations:
The entire exhibit would slide back along the table when groups of people interacted with it.
The stick would bump into the legs of the stand restricting motion.
It was too tall for some kids.
The unappealing nature of the exterior of the box did not attract visitors.
Some kids fogged up the inside of the box if they got too close to the box.
Kids' internal monologues are almost never internal
Kids recognized it was an iPhone and started switching pictures even though there was no mention of that in my instructions
People's reaction to the piece varied, but was on the whole very positive. I liked seeing the delighted reactions of the kids when they looked in. I need to consider how to make a longer interaction,
-Write about anything interesting you may have noticed regarding the visitors' interactions with any of your classmates' exhibits.
Kids loved the buttons on Clementine's exhibit. I wonder if there is a way to play up that aspect of the interaction. Maybe have one button cause a drastic shift in lights or something.
People seemed to have a hard time finding the correct place to put the object in Alex's shadow exhibit.
All the laser exhibits involved kids pointing lasers into eyes.
-tell us which of the above changes you would like to make by friday
Firstly, I am considering getting rid of the LEDs. The did not add any meaningful interaction, and usually ended up confusing the users.
I need to make the stand more robust, so that I does not slide around on the table as much.
I would also like to try lighting the entire panel below the box. Some feedback I received from the Exploratorium staff was the interaction felt very removed using the stick and handle. I am thinking of ways how I might be able to make this interaction feel more personal. Perhaps if the users user their arms instead of the stick. I am also thinking of ways to increase user input on the shapes. Many people lamented the inability of increasing the length of the rectangle on the iphone.
Although this would be a big change, I hope to make the exterior of the box look presentable. Perhaps creating a wood frame. Also better lighting to make the sign more present and to dict people's attention the exhibit.
Some pictures of people interacting with the exhibit.
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