Places Visitors Can’t Go

Jennifer Novicki, Ping (Daisy) Lei, Abby Faelnar

Project Pitch | Timeline

May 07, 2020 

Description of final deliverable 

Guidelines and specification of concept for  museums/ next group to make the prototype

Link to Guidelines & Other Resources

APRIL 30, 2020

WHAT WE DID THIS PAST WEEK

  • Continued to work on project guidelines for concept
  • Started collaborating for final presentation 

USER JOURNEY

The act of storytelling is a tool that helps people connect to others. As humans, we need connection. And through stories, humans are able to satisfy this connection. Stories can be told through a book, or through a conversation with a friend over lunch or at the water cooler in your office, or stories can be told through letters to loved ones. Stories can link us to our past and draw connections to our future. Therefore, this experience will feature copies of original letters, an embossed braille version that visitors can take home, and a transcribed version. The copied original and transcribed letter will be laminated for preservation. 

Each collection of letters will include a QR Code that visitors will scan using their phones that will take them to a website. One potential idea for making these QR codes accessible is to utilize the “Berman Corner”, which is a tiny 45-degree diagonal cut on the corner of the paper. The tactile clue would signal that within 3.5 inches of that corner that there is a scannable QR code. The website will contain the letters, audio descriptions, and a prompt that users will be asked to respond to and post to Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter and tag with a hashtag, which can be customized by each historic site.

The purpose of prompts is to establish a connection between the visitor and the author of the letter. In one of the letters our group has been analyzing is by William Aubrey Harvison who seemed to be having trouble adjusting to a new life on the Intrepid. A possible prompt could be to reflect and share a time in your life where you experienced a change that was difficult for you to adjust to. Through this experience we are facilitating the sharing of stories from both the past and the present.

WHAT WE’LL DO THIS COMING WEEK

  • Continue working on final document with all standards and specifications for museums/ next group to make the prototype
  • Make and record final presentation 

OUR REMAINING TIMELINE UNTIL FINAL PRESENTATION

  • May 7: 
    • Final Presentation
    • Provide Google Drive folder with research, content, and prototype specifications and notes for the next group

APRIL 23, 2020

WHAT WE DID THIS PAST WEEK

  • Met with Advisor and concluded that the project will move away from the desk and focus on letters and developing different mediums for the letters to be interpreted. Final product will be to create a guideline with all standards for next group to utilize
  • Met with Disability Core Group member to get insight on how to make the experience accessible and interesting for a blind audience
  • Started working on final guidelines
  • Selected 3 letters and created prompts

USER JOURNEY

The act of storytelling is a tool that helps people connect to others. As humans, we need connection. And through stories, humans are able to satisfy this connection. Stories can be told through a book, or through a conversation with a friend over lunch or at the water cooler in your office, or stories can be told through letters to loved ones. Stories can link us to our past and draw connections to our future. Therefore, this experience will feature copies of original letters, an embossed braille version that visitors can take home, and a transcribed version. The copied original and transcribed letter will be laminated for preservation. 

Each collection of letters will include a QR Code that visitors will scan using their phones that will take them to a website. One potential idea for making these QR codes accessible is to utilize the “Berman Corner”, which is a tiny 45-degree diagonal cut on the corner of the paper. The tactile clue would signal that within 3.5 inches of that corner that there is a scannable QR code. The website will contain the letters, audio descriptions, and a prompt that users will be asked to respond to and post to Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter and tag with a hashtag, which can be customized by each historic site.

The purpose of prompts is to establish a connection between the visitor and the author of the letter. In one of the letters our group has been analyzing is by William Aubrey Harvison who seemed to be having trouble adjusting to a new life on the Intrepid. A possible prompt could be to reflect and share a time in your life where you experienced a change that was difficult for you to adjust to. Through this experience we are facilitating the sharing of stories from both the past and the present.

AREAS WE NEED HELP

We need help in developing a story and designing the environment based on the letters provided by The Intrepid and choose tactile objects that would pair well with the story.

We need help in thinking of ways to make a make a QR code accessible to all visitors

WHAT WE’LL DO THIS COMING WEEK

  • Continue working on final document with all standards and specifications for museums/ next group to make the prototype
  • Will create examples for other sites to incorporate this idea into their spaced

OUR REMAINING TIMELINE UNTIL FINAL PRESENTATION

  • April 30: 
    • Continue working on final document with all standards and specifications for museums/ next group to make the prototype
    • Will create examples for other sites to incorporate this idea into their spaced 
  • May 7: 
    • Make final presentation
    • Provide Google Drive folder with research, content, and prototype specifications and notes for the next group

APRIL 16, 2020

WHAT WE DID THIS PAST WEEK

  • Selected letters to transcribe and build storyline, some letters have been transcribed 
    • Created a description for why the storyline was chosen 
  • Reached out to disability core group member to learn more about printing braille documents 
  • Researched accessibility standards for text and low vision best practices 
  • Researched on QR codes and how to create access for blind or low vision visitors
  • Reached out to Intrepid for more information about selected narrative, possible tactiles that can be included, and images of desks to continue to build on the story line
  • Gathered and analyzed midterm feedback from museum sites and working groups 
  • Developed structure for website 

USER JOURNEY

With our concept, a replica of this desk will be made and paired with letters a crew member aboard the USS Intrepid wrote to his family during his time of service along with tactile replicas of other objects found in the space. This will be a seated experience where visitors can either sit in front of the desk or pull up to the desk with their wheelchair to explore the contents within it. The desk will be replicated to be 28-34 inches in height. 

At these desks, there will be copies of original letters These desks will feature more original letters, an embossed or braille version that visitors can take home, and a transcribed version. The original and transcribed letter will be laminated for preservation. Embossed or braille versions of the original letter, can be taken home by visitors. 

Each collection of letters will include a QR Code that visitors will scan using their phones that will take them to a website. One potential idea for making these QR codes accessible is to utilize the “Berman Corner”, which is a tiny 45-degree diagonal cut on the corner of the paper. The tactile clue would signal that within 3.5 inches of that corner that there is a scannable QR code. The website will contain the letters, audio descriptions, and a prompt that users will be asked to respond to and post to Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter and tag with a hashtag, which can be customized by each historic site.

The purpose of prompts is to establish a connection between the visitor and the author of the letter. In one of the letters our group has been analyzing is by William Aubrey Harvison who seemed to be having trouble adjusting to a new life on the Intrepid. A possible prompt could be to reflect and share a time in your life where you experienced a change that was difficult for you to adjust to. Through this experience we are facilitating the sharing of stories from both the past and the present.

AREAS WE NEED HELP

We need help in developing a story and designing the environment based on the letters provided by The Intrepid and choose tactile objects that would pair well with the story.

We need help understanding the process and cost of printing braille

We need help in thinking of ways to make a make a QR code accessible to all visitors

WHAT WE’LL DO THIS COMING WEEK

  • Continue connecting with intrepid to build the narrative
  • Continue connecting with disability working group member
  • Begin creating design mock-ups of desk and letters
  • Develop specifications for desk
    • ADA standards 
  • Start building website

OUR REMAINING TIMELINE UNTIL FINAL PRESENTATION

  • April 30: 
    • Record audio and transcripts for letters with suggestions on material, fonts, and letter sizes
    • Create prompt(s) for website
    • Finalize prototype design
  • May 7: 
    • Make final presentation
    • Provide Google Drive folder with research, content, and prototype specifications and notes for the next group
      • Recommendations for QR code vs. NFC (WayAround)

April 9, 2020

What We did This PAST Week

Gathered and analyzed feedback from fellow students

User Journey

With our concept, a replica of this desk will be made and paired with letters a crew member aboard the USS Intrepid wrote to his family during his time of service along with tactile replicas of other objects found in the space. This will be a seated experience where visitors can either sit in front of the desk or pull up to the desk with their wheelchair to explore the contents within it. The desk will be replicated to be 28-34 inches in height. 

At these desks, there will be original (or printed copies) of letters These desks will feature more original letters, an embossed or braille version that visitors can take home, and a transcribed version. The original and transcribed letter will be laminated for preservation. Embossed or braille versions of the original letter, can be taken home by visitors. 

Each collection of letters will include a QR Code that visitors will scan using their phones that will take them to a website. One potential idea for making these QR codes accessible is to utilize the “Berman Corner”, which is a tiny 45-degree diagonal cut on the corner of the paper. The tactile clue would signal that within 3.5 inches of that corner that there is a scannable QR code. The website will contain the letters, audio descriptions, and a prompt that users will be asked to respond to and post to Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter and tag with a hashtag, which can be customized by each historic site.

The purpose of prompts is to establish a connection between the visitor and the author of the letter. In one of the letters our group has been analyzing is by William Aubrey Harvison who seemed to be having trouble adjusting to a new life on the Intrepid. A possible prompt could be to reflect and share a time in your life where you experienced a change that was difficult for you to adjust to. Through this experience we are facilitating the sharing of stories from both the past and the present.

Areas we need help

We need help in developing a story based on the letters provided by The Intrepid and choose tactile objects that would pair well with the story. We also need help to determine whether our group should create a braille or embossed solution for our letters.

What We’ll do this COMING week

  • Meet with working group from The Intrepid to do a deeper dive into the letters to learn more about the author and develop a story.
  • Gather and analyze feedback from working groups.
  • Based on collective feedback, we hope to:
    • Finalize prototype
    • Start building out website
    • Choose letters for story and begin transcribing
    • Look into braille solutions and create braille version of letters
    • Design desk and provide design specifications for our final deliverable

OUR REMAINING TIMELINE UNTIL final presentation

  • April 16: Start building out website, choose tactiles and letters for story and begin transcribing. Research braille solutions and creating braille version of letters.
  • April 23:Create mock-ups of desk design and letters (copy of the original, transcribed version, and braille version) with QR codes, develop specifications for desk, look into materials for tactile objects.
  • April 30: Record audio for letters, create prompt(s) for website, finalize prototype design.
  • May 7: Make final presentation; provide Google Drive folder with research, content, and prototype specifications and notes for the next group.

April 2, 2020

Midterm presentation

Watch our midterm presentation on NYU Stream.

View slides for Places People Can’t Go midterm presentation

questions for feedback

  1. What are your thoughts on the user journey interaction with the letter “desk”?
    1. Are the instructions clear?
    2. Do you understand the process?
    3. Does the journey make sense?
  2. What did you like? Was there anything you didn’t like, and what would you do differently?

questions for mentors

  1. Do you see any other accessibility issues/challenges in any parts of the project that we need to address?
  2. What other knowledge/insight do you have to ensure visitors can locate and access QR Codes?

MARCH 26, 2020

What We did This PAST Week

As part of NYU’s response to COVID-19, all classes have been moved remote until the end of the semester and access to University facilities is restricted until further notice. These limitations (which impacts our ability to fabricate physical prototypes) ultimately might change the scope and expectations of this project as we navigate working with our group and working groups remotely. Nevertheless, we were able to research story ideas from the Minnesota Historical Society Gale Family Library. In addition, we had a conference call with Fort Ticonderoga about potential letters and objects we could use for content.

Further conversations will take place tonight during class as we determine the expectations of this project and how we may execute it moving forward.

User Journey

(Describe how the museum goer will interact with your prototype. Can be a graphic with an image description or a numbered list of steps.)

Areas we need help

We need more content and storytelling pieces that we can use for our prototype.

What We’ll do this COMING week

  • Research online storytelling and virtual tours/experiences.
    • Google Arts & Culture:
      • They have an app that provides virtual experiences that includes audio tours, street view virtual tours, an artwork projector (utilizing augmented reality to place real-sized artworks in the user’s home). Although this makes museums, cultural sites, and artwork accessible to a wider audience, is the app and website accessible, as most of it is visual content?
    • Research on “Places People Can’t Go”

OUR REMAINING TIMELINE UNTIL MIDTERM

  • April 2: Continue to source content and to start sketching out idea for prototype to prepare for midterm

March 12, 2020

What We did This PAST Week

  1. Sourcing content:
    1. Scheduled a phone call on Friday, March 13th, with Miranda Peters and Matt Keagle from Fort Ticonderoga to discuss what content is available to us (letters, other literature, etc.)
    2. Maren Levad from the Minnesota Historical Society linked us to the Minnesota History Center Gale Family Library for Images & Artifacts and other resources to use for our prototype.

User Journey

The letter desk will be a replica that is adapted to the historical period of the site it is located in. The desk will be designed to be wheelchair-accessible (have the appropriate width and height) and have a matching chair (in the same historical period) that can be used/removed as needed. Letters displayed on or near the desk can tell the narrative. Example: a visitor can pull a written letter off the shelf that could be read or can trigger an audio version of a letter read by a voice actor. Additional artifacts or objects that might be on a desk can also be interactive touch points such as tactile maps, photos, figurines, or books. The tactile map can include geographical elements that are unique to the historical site.  

Areas we need help

  1. How to adapt to different narratives:
    1. How does the act of letter writing tell a story of a place people can’t go? Should it be in a replica of an inaccessible room/place?
    2. Ellen’s suggestion: letters to sailors who had been on the Intrepid, occupants of the historic site, soldiers at Fort Ticonderoga.
    3. Are there geographic elements unique to each historic site that can be adapted on a tactile map?
    4. Are there additional artifacts or objects that might be on a desk and can also be interactive touch points such as photos, figurines, or books?
  2. Understand low tech and high tech tools that are already available:
    1. Research how to make / display tactile graphics
    2. Interaction flow using braille. (What’s the process of letter writing? Define purpose: who are the letters being written for (loved ones)? What is the motivation? Will we provide a prompt that is thoughtful/meaningful? Will (and how will) the visitor take it home?)

What We’ll do this COMING week

  1. Start sketching out ideas for the design of the desk and come up with possible artifacts and objects for storytelling
  2. Group check-in and group visit to the Rubin Museum “Measure Your Existence” exhibit

OUR REMAINING TIMELINE UNTIL MIDTERM

  • Spring Break
  • Class 8 –  Thursday, March 26, 2020
    • Start creating a list of needed materials (such as the desk, objects, tactile graphics) and where to source/obtain them
    • Group check-in over phone
  • Class 9 – Thursday, April 2, 2020
    • Midterm presentation
    • Have desk and objects available for presentation and user testing

March 5, 2020

Project Documentation

  • [Define experience for someone using and interacting with the desk: how do they approach it? What are the steps to go through the interaction?]
    • The letter desk will be a replica that is adapted to the historical period of the site it is located in
    • The desk will be designed to be wheelchair-accessible (have the appropriate width and height) and have a matching chair (in the same historical period) that can be used/removed as needed
    • Braille writing slate/stylus or Perkins typewriter
    • If we don’t have something conclusive by Thursday’s class, we can note to the group that we still need to do more research and user testing to solidify what the exact interaction will be for letter writing?
    • The letter writing can be low tech because it is low tech
  • Letters displayed on or near the desk can tell the narrative 
    • Example: a visitor can pull a written letter off the shelf that could be read or can trigger an audio version of a letter read by a voice actor
  • Additional artifacts or objects that might be on a desk can also be interactive touch points (they don’t all have to incorporate tech, but can just make the whole letter desk more experiential and immersive in a historical period)
    • Tactile maps, photos, figurines, books (Cheryl was excited about the idea of having tactile books because they can be experienced on-demand instead of a visitor searching for the place/staff to find them)
    • Fort Ticonderoga: Cloths
    • Objects could even have QR codes or braille?
  • Sites can have their own version of the desk (Alli suggested maybe there’s a way to show all the versions and compare the themes between the sites)
    • Jen’s friend who worked in an engine room had a work bench + tools
    • Fort Ticonderoga: officer’s desk: Military map 

Issues to further research and address:

  • How to adapt to different narratives:
    • How does the act of letter writing tell a story of a place people can’t go? Should it be in a replica of an inaccessible room/place?
    • Ellen’s suggestion: letters to sailors who had been on the Intrepid, occupants of the historic site, soldiers at Fort Ticonderoga
  • Interaction flow for braille keyboard and printing out letter
    • What’s the process of letter writing?
    • Define purpose: who are the letters being written for (loved ones)? What is the motivation? Will we provide a prompt that is thoughtful/meaningful? Will (and how will) the visitor take it home? 
  • Speech-to-text (voice to text/dictation/speech recognition) technology vs. typing/printing braille
    • Dragon software
    • Braille printer: 2,000-5,0000
    • If a typewriter: retrofitting keys with braille keys (3d print new keys?)
    • Perkins typewriter (700-800)
    • Slate and stylus 
  • Other issues identified from feedback:
    • Possibly designing for multiple seats/users to interact with desk at the same time — or are there ways to engage in groups?
    • Making sure that the desk is not just used for resting
    • Wear and tear, and maintenance (such as repairing graffiti, especially if not staffed full time)
  • Understand low tech and high tech tools that are already available
    • Research how to make / display tactile graphics
  • Sitting – make sure its at a height accessible to wheelchair users
    • Review ADA guidelines / Smithsonian exhibit design guidelines
  • Conduct more competitive analysis, look at exhibits for more inspiration:

Timeline: Week by Week Prototyping Goals

  • Class 7 – Thursday, March 12, 2020
    • Research other exhibits that have an interactive writing experience 
    • Get more feedback from working group on letter writing experience for visitors with low vision or who are blind
    • Touch base with Miranda at Fort Ticonderoga about potential narratives for letters (e.g. objects/artifacts, concept of an officer’s desk
  • Spring Break 
    • Start sketching out ideas for the design of the desk and come up with possible artifacts and objects for storytelling
    • Group check-in and group visit to the Rubin Museum “Measure Your Existence” exhibit
  • Class 8 –  Thursday, March 26, 2020
    • Start creating a list of needed materials (such as the desk, objects, tactile graphics) and where to source/obtain them
    • Group check-in over phone
  • Class 9 – Thursday, April 2, 2020
    • Midterm presentation
    • Have desk and objects available for presentation and user testing

Project Pitch Ideas for 2/27/20

Feedback Form (Google Forms)

Feedback Form (.rtf)

Pitch Idea #1

Solution (Describe your idea in one short sentence.) 

Interactive Story Book
Target Audience (Who does this solution satisfy?): 

This solution will address the accessibility barriers for individuals with limited mobility and/or use a wheelchair and visitors with limited vision by providing a different medium to experience and receive information about the areas they cannot physically get to or experience visually. 
Competitive Analysis (Do solutions already exist? If so, describe them and explain why your solution is better. Two sentences max.):  

Currently, photo books and video tours have been used in various museums and historic sites as a means to provide visitors insight to the places they cannot go, however, this solution only provides a visual sensory experience. For example, the Minnesota Historical Society Alexander Ramsey House currently provides an album of photos (a volunteer may be requested to read the printed descriptions) for those unable to access the upper floors of the home. 

An interactive story book will provide visitors a multisensory experience through tactile, auditory, visual, and olfactory  input.

How it Works (How are you going to build it? What support do you need?): 

An interactive story book will provide a mini touch/audio/visual tour for visitors. The physical book can be constructed to incorporate tactile graphics as well as the materials and textures of objects found  in the inaccessible spaces. The pages will also include QR codes that can be scanned by the user (using their phone) to hear an audio description of visual items and of stories/information about the space. This will allow the site to control the narrative and interpretation of the space. Another option for the QR codes would be a link to a video as a visual tour. Smell can also be incorporated into the story book through the use of scratch and sniffs.

Pitch Idea #2

Solution (Describe your idea in one short sentence.) 

Letter Desk
Target Audience (Who does this solution satisfy?): 

This solution will provide an experience with a piece from the space to visitors with limited mobility and limited vision. It can also enhance the experience of all visitors with various abilities at the site.
Competitive Analysis (Do solutions already exist? If so, describe them and explain why your solution is better. Two sentences max.):  

In 2014, Ai Weiwei, Chinese Contemporary artist and activist, created an interactive installation at Alcatraz in San Francisco, CA titled Yours Truly as part of his larger exhibition @Large Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz. It was located in the cafeteria at Alcatraz (long lunch-style benches for a lot of people to sit) and invites visitors to write letters on postcards illustrated with different types of flowers to a list of over 100 political prisoners across 20 countries. At the time of the exhibition, there weren’t any writing options for those with limited mobility or visual disabilities.
How it Works (How are you going to build it? What support do you need?): 

This solution would be to create a replica of a desk or area where people at the historical site would have written letters to family/friends. It will include audio recordings of letters written by people who once lived at the site. The desk can also be built out with a shelf of books that could contain tactile graphics and images. In addition, visitors will be able to create their own letter by typing, handwriting, or using speech to text, that may be taken home or sent out. This letter will serve as memorabilia of the place they visited and allows visitors to take part in an experience that previous residents of the space had also taken part in.

 

Pitch Idea #3

Solution (Describe your idea in one short sentence.) 

Interactive Map and Audio Tour
Target Audience (Who does this solution satisfy?): 

This solution will provide an experience to various places a typical tour at the site would have to visitors with limited mobility, limited vision, or limited hearing.
Competitive Analysis (Do solutions already exist? If so, describe them and explain why your solution is better. Two sentences max.):

Virtual reality and videos can be used to provide visitors information and access to various places, for example, the Museum of the City of New York’s exhibition, Who We Are: Visualizing NYC by the Numbers, is a map table and projected video presentation of the issues facing New Yorkers today and maps out the effects on different areas of the city. However, these solutions can be expensive and only offer a visual experience, whereas this solution will provide audiences with a tactile, auditory, and visual experience.
How it Works (How are you going to build it? What support do you need?):

This solution involves a mini replica of the places on a tour. Visitors with limited vision will be able to get a tactile tour of the places/trails and visitors with limited mobility will be able to visually see the places on the tour. By touching a place on the map it will trigger audio describing the place and also voice acting of events that had occurred at the place. Kinetic typography can also be used for visitors with limited hearing.