Research on 'Quality' in Online Experiences for Museum Users
Measuring Quality of Existing Online Museum Products in the Virtual Museum Portal
In-Depth Site Analysis for a Sample of Five VMC Products
Haida Spirits of the Sea
Figure 8: Haida
Subject:
Invites discovery of the Queen Charlotte Islands and the Haida Gwaii people's profound relationship with the sea.
Producer, Creators, Funders:
Old Masset Village Council (OMVC) and a consortium of organizations (the Haida Gwaii Museum at Qay'llnagaay, Museum of Anthropology at UBC, Royal British Columbia Museum, and Department of Indian Afairs and Northern Development).
Quality of User Experience
- At time of creation, the technical use was avantgarde and innovative.
- Sories and images welcome user into cultural events such as traditional weddings and potlatches.
- Offers optional animation with Flash and Realplayer.
Potential for User Engagement
- Design approach resonates with the Haida style. Site is inclusive and representative of native voice.
- Site navigation is simple and content is compelling.
- A fair bit of information available here on Totem Poles, Canoes, Haida art.
Engagement Factor vs. Engagement Experience
- Older site means that it is more well-known.
- Use of first person narration provides cultural access and intimacy.
- Reliable online resource about the Haide people.
- Rich media content - watching videos and listening to audio takes time.
Factors that Contributed to Higher Quality in Online User Experiences
- This Virtual Exhibit has been successful in sharing unique content and raising consciousness about Haida as a living culture. Because the two Curators responsible for the content development of
Haida Spirits of the Sea represented the Haida community, they were able to provide a fresh, unique and inclusive approach to the creation and development of the site. Its first person narrative approach helps to make the content representative of native voice. The design approach resonates with Haida style, as does navigation, which is in the form of a wheel, circle of life, or life cycle.
- The technology used to produce the site was 'cutting edge' in 1997 (with Java and horizontal scripting).
- Summative evaluation observing visitors interact with the site at the Expo '98 kiosk in Portugal indicated that the Virtual Exhibit had successfully hit its targeted market.
- Searching for 'Haida' in a Google search string puts the site on page one, as does 'totem pole!' Users spend an average of 15 minutes on the French, Spanish, and Portuguese versions of this site and 8 minutes on the English version. Haida is also included in the site's interactive game. A 'canned search' or pre-created and selected collection related to Haida increases links to the site.
- Feedback messages indicate how impressed users are with the site, and that some users plan to add the site to a links page.
Framework for Creation, Development, and Production
Launched in 1998,
Haida Spirits of the Sea was a 'labour of love' for all contributors to the project. The two curators responsible for content development were from the Haida community, while Ananas Productions managed the multimedia production. The team used a traditional museum model of developing materials for multiple audiences with 'an onion skin approach,' providing information in layers to give people access to as much or as little as they choose to take away.
Strategies for Engaging Online User
There are 12 versions of
Haida Spirits of the Sea - versions in 4 languages (English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese) and 3 levels of technological access. The technological versions include:
- A kiosk version where the user interacts only with the online buttons
- A Java version, which was brand new in 1997 and very controversial
- A non-Java version.
The kiosk was one of six multimedia displays at Expo '98 in Portugal. The Virtual Exhibit's content was diplomatic in approach (e.g., issues related to fishing as a very major aspect of Haida life).
Challenges
Since online exhibits were very new in 1997, the development team for Haida Spirits of the Sea had few models upon which to base the development process. The entire project was developed via teleconferences and there was an unforgiving deadline - the kiosk presentation of the Virtual Exhibit had to be ready and burnt on disk for launch at Expo's Canada Pavilion in Portugal in early May 1998.
Successes
The development team for
Haida Spirits of the Sea was extremely sensitive to the needs of the community.The open door policy from the Royal British Columbia Museum and the Museum of Anthropology enabled curators to choose what they wanted and feel supported. The technology was leading edge at the time. For example, a special server was made available for sound, which had not been used on previous products. Horizontal scripting in the canoe section enables users to paddle their way through the interpretive text (vs. top to bottom scrolling).
Use of Learning
A number of copies of
Haida Spirits of the Sea were burned on CD for limited distribution, which are used in the schools in the Haida communities. The interactive game on the Virtual Exhibit, The First Totem Pole is in the Haida language, as well as the 4 other languages of the site. The Museum of Anthropology developed The 'Respect to Bill Reid' Pole for the VMC Investment Program using some oftheir experience from working on this project.
User Testing
A Grade 6 class of gifted students in Ottawa gave feedback on what they liked about the Virtual Exhibit. The project manager did some basic observational summative evaluation at the kiosk in Portugal during the last month in Portugal (e.g., what people were looking at; gender / age trends) and found that the development team had 'hit the market,' which was very rewarding to learn.
Feedback Messages
Patterns in overall messages during 2002:
- Very impressed, so much to see, wonderful information.
- Request for more info about Haida art.
- Support for political and environmental issues.
- Plans to add the site to a links page (e.g., a northwest coast artist).