Mobile technology @ M&W2009 Silvia Filippini Fantoni Lecturer University Paris I – Sorbonne Project Manager Multimedia Guide, British Museum

Papers Samis & Pau, SFMOMA (Frida Kahlo MMG + cell phones) Botturi et al., (City Treasure: SMS based treasure hunt) Baldwin & Kuriakose, (RFID based prototype) Waag society, (various mobile phones applications) Tarasof et al., National Park Canada (Explora project) Puig et al., (mobile phone annotation system)

Samis & Pau, SFMOMA (Frida Kahlo MMG + cell phones)

Botturi et al., (City Treasure: SMS based treasure hunt)

Baldwin & Kuriakose, (RFID based prototype)

Waag society, (various mobile phones applications)

Tarasof et al., National Park Canada (Explora project)

Puig et al., (mobile phone annotation system)

Mini workshops & workshops Pre-conference workshop: Dagenhard (Adlib BV, NL): programming the iPhone/iPod touch for your museum Unconference session on handheld devices 2 mini workshops: Proctor & al., Handheld Handbook: Capturing best practices in mobile interpretation for museums Gabriels et al., Mobile guides and context-specific educational games

Pre-conference workshop:

Dagenhard (Adlib BV, NL): programming the iPhone/iPod touch for your museum

Unconference session on handheld devices

2 mini workshops:

Proctor & al., Handheld Handbook: Capturing best practices in mobile interpretation for museums

Gabriels et al., Mobile guides and context-specific educational games

Demos Paul Clifford, Museum of London “Learning in the galleries using portable devices, websites and digital content”: iPhones PSP Digital cameras

Paul Clifford, Museum of London “Learning in the galleries using portable devices, websites and digital content”:

iPhones

PSP

Digital cameras

Exhibitors Guide by Cell (IVR, text messaging solutions) NousGUIDE (CMS for iPhones and iPod touches) Antenna Audio (Pentimento)

Guide by Cell (IVR, text messaging solutions)

NousGUIDE (CMS for iPhones and iPod touches)

Antenna Audio (Pentimento)

Representatives of museums that are developing or plan to develop a handheld guide Rijksmuseum US Natural History Museum British Musuem Van Gogh Museum Whitney Museum of American Art Smithsonian……..

Rijksmuseum

US Natural History Museum

British Musuem

Van Gogh Museum

Whitney Museum of American Art

Smithsonian……..

Interest in using mobile technology as an interpretation tool in museums is constantly growing, especially solutions that are delivered on visitors’ own devices

Proliferation of mobile platforms Museums

Proliferation of functionalities Handheld devices Web-access AV commentaries Gaming Wayfinding Bookmarking Twittering or texting Recording and annotating Taking pictures

Have all these new platforms and functionalities improved the visitor’s experience?

Development costs are high Take up rates are often relatively low, especially when it comes to complex functionalities Most wayfinding solutions that have been tested so far have proven unreliable. There are often usability issues, especially with complex systems Not to mention technical problems………

Development costs are high

Take up rates are often relatively low, especially when it comes to complex functionalities

Most wayfinding solutions that have been tested so far have proven unreliable.

There are often usability issues, especially with complex systems

Not to mention technical problems………

Aren’t we trying to do to much?

Aren’t we forgetting about the core audio guide audience?

Are people interested in using their own devices?

Apparently…………………………NOT YET Even though developing content and applications for visitors’ own devices could be the way of the future, in the short and medium term we should continue to provide solutions that can be rented out at the museum.

Even though developing content and applications for visitors’ own devices could be the way of the future, in the short and medium term we should continue to provide solutions that can be rented out at the museum.

These solutions should be………… Touch screen devices are easier to use Simple interface without too much bells and whistles Limit advanced functionalities

Touch screen devices are easier to use

Simple interface without too much bells and whistles

Limit advanced functionalities

These solutions should be………… Focus on the content: AV messages and Touch and Listen Focus on helping visitors find the objects with commentaries rather then helping their overall orientation. If you can, develop your content in such a way that it can easily made available on users’ own devices.

Focus on the content: AV messages and Touch and Listen

Focus on helping visitors find the objects with commentaries rather then helping their overall orientation.

If you can, develop your content in such a way that it can easily made available on users’ own devices.

Importance of sharing and learning from best practice

Efforts M&W papers Website: http://tatehandheldconference.pbworks.com/ Handheld online conference: http://www.handheldconference.org/ Initiative to create a open source Content Management System for mobile guides

M&W papers

Website: http://tatehandheldconference.pbworks.com/

Handheld online conference: http://www.handheldconference.org/

Initiative to create a open source Content Management System for mobile guides

Contact details and relevant resources Email: [email_address] Relevant resources from the author: Filippini Fantoni S., Bowen J.P., Mobile Multimedia: Reflections from Ten Years of Practice. In Tallon L, Walker K. (eds) Digital Technologies and the Museum Experience. Alta Mira Press, 2008 Filippini Fantoni S., Proctor N., Evaluating the Use of Mobile Phones for an Exhibition Tour at the Tate Modern: Dead End or the Way Forward? In Eva London 2007: Proceedings, London 2007. Filippini-Fantoni, S. and J. Bowen, Bookmarking In Museums: Extending The Museum Experience Beyond the Visit?. In J. Trant and D. Bearman (eds). Museums and the Web 2007: Proceedings . Toronto: Archives & Museum Informatics, 2007

Email: [email_address]

Relevant resources from the author:

Filippini Fantoni S., Bowen J.P., Mobile Multimedia: Reflections from Ten Years of Practice. In Tallon L, Walker K. (eds) Digital Technologies and the Museum Experience. Alta Mira Press, 2008

Filippini Fantoni S., Proctor N., Evaluating the Use of Mobile Phones for an Exhibition Tour at the Tate Modern: Dead End or the Way Forward? In Eva London 2007: Proceedings, London 2007.

Filippini-Fantoni, S. and J. Bowen, Bookmarking In Museums: Extending The Museum Experience Beyond the Visit?. In J. Trant and D. Bearman (eds). Museums and the Web 2007: Proceedings . Toronto: Archives & Museum Informatics, 2007