The document discusses the evaluation and prototyping of 'generous interfaces' in collaboration with various Swedish museums. Key principles include promoting exploration, maintaining transparency, and prioritizing user testing. Lessons learned highlight the challenges of introducing new interfaces, the importance of collaboration, and the value of diverse expertise in the development process.

1. Generous Interfaces Evaluated
Aron Ambrosiani, Nordic Museum
@AronAmbrosiani
Albin Larsson, Swedish National Heritage Board
@AlbinPCLarsson

2. What Is a Generous Interface?
(Mitchell Whitelaw, 2012 and onwards)
• show first, don’t ask
• provide rich overviews
• encourage browsing/exploring
• show relationships

3. Project: Evaluate & Prototype
Participants:
• Swedish National Heritage Board (facilitating mission)
• Nationalmuseum
• Nordic Museum
• Swedish Museums of World Culture
• Malmö museer

4. A Collaborative Process
Design sprints + coding in between
Participants: collections staff, digital media producers & developers
• always use open data & open source
• lots of user testing
• shared project workspace in between design sprints

5. We Evaluated a Few Interfaces
• Barnes Foundation: Collection Online
• Münzkabinett Berlin: Coins
• Google Arts & Culture: Art Palette
11 formal evaluations (30–45 minutes each)

6. Lessons Learned: Interfaces
• transparency is key!
• pick one: sorting or filtering
• two modes: browse content or use tools
• bonus: it’s a tool for finding data errors

7. Data: Europeana + Google Vision
We Built a Prototype

8. Lessons Learned: Prototype
• introducing a new interface is difficult
• don’t be afraid to remove functionality
• frequent user testing helps to set priorities

9. Lessons Learned: Collaboration
• the learning is in the process
• involve staff with different expertise
• involve all participants in face-to-face meetings
• fulfills the facilitating mission

10. Repository, report
& more info here:
bit.ly/2CNsNna
Thank You!