Broaden 'Participation' in Design to Include Museum Staff and Spaces for Enhanced Accessibility

Why It Matters

This perspective shift is crucial for creating truly inclusive and usable assistive technologies. By engaging a wider range of stakeholders, designers can better understand the practical constraints and opportunities within the museum setting, leading to more effective and integrated solutions.

Key Finding

The review found that effective museum accessibility technologies need to be attractive and usable, and that true participation in their design involves not just the intended users but also museum staff and the broader museum context.

Key Findings

• Accessibility has nuanced meanings influenced by social values.
• The attractiveness of a technology is important for its real-life usability.
• The concept of participation should extend beyond end-users to include museum personnel and the museum environment itself.

Research Evidence

Aim: To explore the extent and nature of participatory research in the development of assistive technologies for museum accessibility, particularly for individuals with sensory impairments or learning disabilities.

Method: Systematized literature review and thematic analysis.

Procedure: A comprehensive search of research papers was conducted, followed by a detailed thematic analysis of a selected subset to identify key themes related to accessibility and participation in museum technology design.

Sample Size: 8 papers were analyzed in detail from an initial screening of 294.

Context: Museums and heritage sites, focusing on assistive technologies for individuals with sensory impairments or learning disabilities.

Design Principle

Inclusive design requires a holistic understanding of the ecosystem in which a product will be used, involving all relevant stakeholders.

How to Apply

Before commencing a design project for museum accessibility, conduct stakeholder interviews with a diverse group including potential users, museum educators, accessibility officers, and visitor services staff.

Limitations

The review focused on published research, potentially missing innovative practices not yet documented. The definition of 'participation' can vary, and the analysis is based on the interpretation of the reviewed literature.

Student Guide (IB Design Technology)

Simple Explanation: When making museum tech for people with disabilities, don't just ask the disabled people what they want; also ask the museum workers and think about how the tech will fit into the museum itself.

Why This Matters: This research highlights that successful user-centred design goes beyond just the direct user, emphasizing the importance of context and broader stakeholder involvement for practical and effective solutions.

Critical Thinking: How might the 'attractiveness' of a technology influence its adoption and usability for individuals with learning disabilities, and what design strategies can address this?

IA-Ready Paragraph: This research underscores the necessity of a broad participatory approach in design, advocating for the inclusion of museum personnel and the physical/social environment alongside end-users to ensure the effectiveness and integration of assistive technologies.

Project Tips

• Clearly define your target user group, but also identify other key stakeholders within the context of your design project.
• When conducting user research, consider how the physical and social environment might impact the use of your design.

How to Use in IA

• Reference this study when discussing the importance of stakeholder analysis and contextual research in your design project's methodology section.

Examiner Tips

• Demonstrate an understanding that 'user' can encompass multiple roles and perspectives within a design context, not just the primary consumer.

Independent Variable: Inclusion of diverse stakeholders (end-users, museum staff) in the design process.

Dependent Variable: Effectiveness and usability of museum accessibility technologies.

Controlled Variables: Type of disability (sensory impairment, learning disability), museum type, specific technology being developed.

Strengths

• Systematic approach to literature review ensures comprehensive coverage of existing research.
• Thematic analysis provides a structured method for identifying key insights.

Critical Questions

• What are the practical challenges in engaging museum staff in the design process?
• How can designers balance the needs of diverse user groups with the operational constraints of a museum?

Extended Essay Application

• An Extended Essay could investigate the specific needs of museum staff in co-designing accessibility solutions, or explore the impact of museum architecture on technology implementation for users with mobility impairments.

Source

Designing technologies for museums: accessibility and participation issues · Journal of Enabling Technologies · 2020 · 10.1108/jet-08-2019-0038