QR Code Pros and Cons

QR Code Renaissance generated a lot of mail. (Thank you!) Here are some thoughts in reply.

QR codes in exhibition labels are a communication medium, akin to footnotes in a book—optional, often overlooked, but potentially transformative if used well. Like any medium, they have pros and cons.

PROS:

QR codes can …

… serve accessibility — audio description, ASL video, Spanish translations. (Take particular note of that last one.)

… add video content without adding video screens.

… bring more depth for the scholars, without cluttering the physical space for the streakers and strollers.

… be affordable, quick to produce, and (post-pandemic) familiar to most.

CONS:

QR codes can …

… fragment the experience.

… privilege smartphone users with generous plans.

… risk digital decay when links break (or not work if you have bad wifi).

… be ignored. If they unlock amazing content, some might use them. If they don’t, be grateful for even 1% bothering. (Low adoption is the biggest negative.)

Here’s the thing:
QR codes in exhibitions have pros and cons. Done well, they are a bridge for some visitors. Done poorly, they’re an ignored sticker on a wall.

Use them thoughtfully … if you do.

Warmly,
Jonathan

- - - - - - - - - - - -

MtM Word of the Day:
Condition report. A detailed record documenting the physical state of an object or artwork, including its condition, any damage, and previous conservation treatments. It is a guide for conservation decisions and a record of an object's history.