Designing interactive exhibits for outdoor heritage sites presents a particular set of complex challenges including visitor interpretation, visitor access and variable environmental conditions. This case study describes work done in collaboration with volunteers at the Sheffield General Cemetery looking at how novel technological installations could support the activities of visitors. Following a co-design approach, designers and volunteers worked closely both in documenting and reflecting on the complexities of the site, and in exploring design ideas and rapid prototypes of tangible interaction concepts to be discussed and evaluated on site.
The initial co-design phase involved the meSch team carrying out observations at the site. Following this, the meSch team undertook Field Walks around the Cemetery. The volunteers were also shown sketches of the design concepts as created by the meSch design team, with the idea to inspire the volunteers to join in co-design activities and propose novel interaction concepts of their own. Subsequently, a creative workshop around the design concepts was organized by the meSch team at Sheffield Hallam University in order to encourage the volunteers to give feedback and to suggest their own ideas for tangible interactive artefacts, or modifications and add-ons to the concepts the team had shown them.
Following on from this, an initial set of prototypes was developed by meSch as an attempt to transform design ideas into working installations.
Through co-design, the meSch designers in collaboration with the volunteers at Sheffield General Cemetery have developed the Companion Novel prototype, a multi-point auditory narrative system for amplifying the emotional and interpretative dimension of the visit of outdoor heritage sites. The Companion Novel prototype was subsequently tested for a second outdoor site – the trenches of Nagià Grom.
Additional Information
If you would like to read more about this case study, check this blog post on the process followed at the Sheffield General Cemetery. You can also read about the Companion Novel trial at the trenches of Nagià Grom and its new incarnation – The Belt-, as well as about how the Companion Novel could complement the current educational activities organised by Museo Storico della Guerra using the Companion Novel.
Cultural Heritage Professional Testimonial:
Cultural heritage institutions and museums are very good at improving on the thing that they are already doing, they have a certain way of working but helping them to work and think in a different way, it’s a huge challenge.
