Talk at MuseumNext 2014 conference in Newcastle, UK.

1. How Museums Can Use the Design Thinking Process
to Engage and Delight Visitors
Dana Mitroff Silvers
19 June 2014
MuseumNext, NewcastleGateshead, UK
Image
courtesy
Jana
Byington-­‐Smith

2. Image
from
flickr
by
Knight
Center
of
Digital
Excellence
h?ps://www.flickr.com/photos/kcode/2879429718/
“Redesign the xyz feature of
xyz site…”

3. WWhat
Let’s
redesign
the
sharing
feature.
Users
want
a
new
image
viewer.
How
about
a
new
app?
Image
from
flickr
by
Knight
Center
of
Digital
Excellence
h?ps://www.flickr.com/photos/kcode/2879429718/

4. What if we start here?

5. Images
courtesy
Ahree
Lee,
J.
Paul
Ge?y
Trust

6. Today’s talk
What is design thinking?
How museums are using it.
5 takeaways

7. Who I am
Designing Insights
Design Thinking for Museums

8. Image
by
Vincent
Bloch
from
Wikimedia
Commons
11 years @ SFMOMA

9. So what is design thinking?

10. What is design thinking?
a human-centered framework for
problem-solving and innovation

11. Human-centered

12. Human-centered
starts with the needs of visitors

13. Image
from
flickr
by
The
Bees
h?ps://www.flickr.com/photos/thebees/4982556761/
people + stories behind your data

14. Image
©
P.M.
Carlson
not just the what, but the why

15. so we can develop better products,
services, and experiences

16. that delight and engage
Image
by
Jim
Richardson
/
SUMO

17. Image
by
the
Stanford
d.school
The framework

18. Empathize Define
Prototype
Test
Ideate
REPEAT!
Image
by
the
Stanford
d.school

20. Image
courtesy
Michael
Edson,
Smithsonian
Ins_tu_on
it starts here

21. get away from your desk

22. observe

23. seek stories + listen

25. look for insights + surprises

26. discover + define the
problem/opportunity

27. WWhat
Let’s
redesign
the
sharing
feature.
Users
want
a
new
image
viewer.
How
about
a
new
app?
Image
from
flickr
by
Knight
Center
of
Digital
Excellence
h?ps://www.flickr.com/photos/kcode/2879429718/
before you jump to solutions

29. Image
copyright
P.
M.
Carlson
generate ideas + defer judgment

30. flesh out ideas to test

32. fast + lo-fidelity
Image
copyright
P.
M.
Carlson

33. Image
by
Jim
Richardson
/
SUMO

34. Image
courtesy
Michael
Edson,
Smithsonian
Ins_tu_on
Image
courtesy
Ahree
Lee,
J.
Paul
Ge?y
Trust

36. Image
by
Jim
Richardson
/
SUMO

37. Design thinking in action
Image
by
Roman
Fuchs
from
Wikimedia
Commons
CC
BY-­‐SA
3.0

38. Redesign exhibition web pages

39. -visitors check the website before a visit
-arrive with agenda in mind
Assumptions

40. Why did you visit
today?
Walk me through
your visit…
Tell me more…
Image
courtesy
Cathy
Bell,
J.
Paul
Ge?y
Trust
Empathy interviews

41. Images
courtesy
Ahree
Lee,
J.
Paul
Ge?y
Trust
Define + ideate

42. Findings + insights
-most visitors don’t check Getty website in
advance
-overwhelmed when arrive
-need help getting started once on-site
Image
by
Roman
Fuchs
from
Wikimedia
Commons
CC
BY-­‐SA
3.0

43. Images
courtesy
Ahree
Lee,
J.
Paul
Ge?y
Trust
Prototypes for digital

44. Images
courtesy
Ahree
Lee,
J.
Paul
Ge?y
Trust
Prototypes for digital

45. Image
courtesy
Ahree
Lee,
J.
Paul
Ge?y
Trust
Prototypes for in-gallery

46. Images
courtesy
Amanda
Ramirez
©
J.
Paul
Ge?y
Trust
Please note: tour capacity
may be limited.
Orientation Film
Museum Entrance Hall
Self-Guided Tours
Explore the collection and exhibitions with
an iPod touch, available for FREE at the Getty-
Guide® Desk in the Museum Entrance Hall.
10:15 a.m. Architecture Tour
Discover more about Richard Meier’s
architecture and the design of the Getty
Center site in this 45-minute tour. Meet
the docent outside at the bench under
the sycamore trees near the front entrance
to the Museum.
10:30 a.m. Exhibition Talk: Jackson Pollock’s “Mural“
This 30-minute talk examines Jackson Pollock’s
Mural (1943), an iconic example of 20th-
century American painting. See it for the first
time since its conservation at the Getty.
Meet the docent at the Information Desk.
11:00 a.m. Collection Highlights Tour
This one-hour tour provides an overview of
major works from the Museum’s collection.
Meet the docent at the Information Desk.
Architecture Tour (See 10:15 a.m.)
AT THE GETTY CENTER
Friday, May 2, 2014
Museum hours: 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
TODAY TODAY
AT THE GETTY CENTER
Friday, May 2, 2014
Museum hours: 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Self-Guided Tours
Explore the collection and exhibitions
with an iPod touch, available for
FREE at the GettyGuide® Desk in the
Museum Entrance Hall.
Orientation Film
Museum Entrance HallStart Here
Tours
Irises by Vincent van Gogh
A favorite of the Museum’s impressionist paintings collection.
Museum, West Pavilion, 2 Upper Level, Gallery W204
In Bloom: The Wisteria is in full force!
On the Arbor walkway adjacent to the Restaurant.
Jamie, a Web designer laughs at Joke Glass
This rare glass was designed to be as difficult as pos-
sible to drink from without spilling. See why else it is
no ordinary glass.
Museum, North Pavilion, Gallery N104
#GettyPose with The Vexed Man
Make a grimace or a scowl to match the sour expression seen
on this sculpture bust. Museum, West Pavilion, Gallery W102.
Audio Tour
A Royal Passion: Queen Victoria and Photography
Pick up an iPod touch in the Museum Entrance Hall and
visit the exhibition in the Museum, Center for Photographs,
West Pavilion
Highlights
STAFF
PICK
Before
After (in-progress!)

47. Photo
by
Andrew
Delaney/
Mindset and methodology
Summing up…

48. Design Thinking Approach
Traditional Approach
Insight-driven
Assumption-driven
Iterative
Linear
Rough prototypes
Beta versions
Doing + testing
Talking + talking

49. 5 big takeaways
1. Get away from your desk
2. Question assumptions
3. Define problems /opportunities
before solutions
4. Prototype and iterate early and
cheap
5. Spend less time talking, more
time doing

50. Blog:
DesignThinkingforMuseums.net
Web:
DesigningInsights.com
Email:
dana@DesigningInsights.com
Twitter:
@dmitroff
Thanks + stay in touch