Interactives 101: Peak Touchscreen

“Let’s go to the museum so we can use some touchscreens!” 
— No Visitor, Ever

Have you been in a newly-opened exhibition lately, filled with touchscreens worth millions, that nobody uses? I have. A big, famous one. (Not, ahem, one of mine.)

The time is upon us. We have reached … [ominous music cue] …

… Peak Touchscreen.

I get why this happens. Exhibition teams are under pressure to incorporate interactive media. Museums believe it helps … word of mouth? Engagement? Recall? *

But teams aren’t given the funding, time, or know-how to invent new kinds of interactivity. And touchscreens are really easy to design with. So we end up with them in every project. Sometimes waaay too many.

Like restaurants that put fries that no one finishes in every order, it’s not healthy. Neither for the customer nor the industry.

Here’s the thing:
We’ve reached Peak Touchscreen. The New Rules: **

1. Use touchscreens very sparingly.
2. Only when truly ideal.
3. Never as an experience unto itself.

Warmly,
Jonathan

* What problem do you think having more interactive media solves for a museum? Hit REPLY and LMK.

** Note: New Rules are same as Old Rules.