This document discusses Nina Simon's views on participatory museum design based on her experiences. It shares three lessons she learned: 1) More scaffolding and constraints lead to better participation. For example, providing specific prompts for posters at Denver Art Museum increased engagement. 2) Different prompts and input mechanisms elicit different contributions from users. 3) Responsiveness is the most important factor, as feedback encourages continued participation. The document asks how users can help improve various projects and institutions.

1. FROM PLACE TO PRESENCE
A DISCUSSION WITH NINA SIMON
nina@museumtwo.com @ninaksimon #nodem10

2. place

3. presence
balboa park online collaborative
boston children’s museum
calgary science center
chabot space science center
chicago history museum
denver art museum
experience music project
girls math and science partnership
international spy museum
monterey bay aquarium
museu picasso
oakland museum
SFMOMA
smithsonian museum of natural history
statens museum for kunst
tech museum of innovation

4. Authority is content provider
focus

5. Authority is content provider Authority is platform provider
focus

6. THREE SURPRISING THINGS
I’VE LEARNED ABOUT
DESIGN FOR PARTICIPATION

7. LESSON 1:
MORE SCAFFOLDING! MORE CONSTRAINTS!

9. Denver Art Museum

10. Denver Art Museum
90,000 visitors, 37,000 posters made
average time spent making a poster: 25 minutes

11. Project 9/11 MEMORIAL MUSEUM 9

12. Project 9/11 MEMORIAL MUSEUM 10

13. Project 9/11 MEMORIAL MUSEUM 11

14. Project 9/11 MEMORIAL MUSEUM 12

15. Project 9/11 MEMORIAL MUSEUM 13

16. GoMA

17. GoMA
Find someone about your height to help you with this exhibit

18. GoMA
Find someone about your height to help you with this exhibitAsk a stranger of your gender to do this activity with you

19. LESSON 2:
PEOPLE CONTRIBUTE DIFFERENT THINGS WHEN
GIVEN DIFFERENT PROMPTS & INPUT MECHANISMS.

24. cph!! here i am

25. Lowell National Historical Park

28. “The percentage of ‘unrelated’ responses
decreased from 58% (white cards) to 40% (blue
cards), and ‘specific’ responses nearly doubled,
from 28% (white) to 50% (blue).”
http://www.participatorymuseum.org/ref3-16/

29. Lowell National Historical Park

30. LESSON 3:
RESPONSIVENESS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN
ANYTHING ELSE.

32. http://museumtwo.blogspot.com/2010/03/participatory-museum-process-part-2.html

33. “At first, I wasn't sure whether
or not my responses were
useful to anybody. It took a
long time for any feedback to
filter through. When it did
come I really appreciated Nina's
thanks and encouragement.
That's what kept me coming
back to the site.”
http://museumtwo.blogspot.com/2010/03/participatory-museum-process-part-2.html

34. HOW CAN USERS MAKE
THIS PROJECT BETTER?

35. http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/textiles/lawty/world_beach/

36. http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/textiles/lawty/world_beach/

38. Worcester City Gallery and Museum

39. Worcester City Gallery and Museum

40. Worcester City Gallery and Museum

41. Minnesota History CenterAuckland Museum
participation can be for everyone

42. HOW CAN USERS MAKE
YOUR INSTITUTION BETTER?
nina@museumtwo.com @ninaksimon #nodem10