What Makes a Bad Interactive Media Idea?

Reader C.L. wrote in about that time Phil & Monique outdid each other with bad ideas for touchscreens. Phil won with “Touch the screen to hear messages from each donor.”

The question was: why was that the worst idea? Great question!

Those ideas were all bad for the same reason.

“Touch the screen to see the content that didn’t make it into the movie”
“Touch the screen to give us exhibition ideas”
“Touch the screen to try the professional database our curators use”

It’s not enough for an idea to be something the museum wants. It must also be something the visitor wants. The museum might want to please donors by putting personal messages out for the public to choose from. But the public isn’t going to choose any of them.

Here’s the thing:
Any idea for any visitor experience needs to be tested by asking one obvious question: Is it something the visitors will want? 95% of the time we remember to ask. But sometimes we don’t. And then Phil wins.

Warmly,
Jonathan

P.S. Have your own reader question or suggestion? Hit REPLY and LMK.