Lindsey Heyd 
Final Design
Video walk-through:
This mini game is targeted toward young kids learning about the water cycle. The way it works is kids use a parent’s phone to scan QR codes in the museum that will lead them to a series of basic science questions. This game is designed to connect the guest to the artifact (the water cycle), the museum, and other guests (leaderboard).
Website
Video walk-through:
This website design is targeted toward the parents and teachers of young kids. It explains what The Great Lakes are and their significance. It would be used as a learning tool to teach kids these topics. By including a Discussion section, guests are able to connect with the museum and other guests by posting science questions they may have.
Physical Design
These take-home items enhance the museum experience by allowing kids to share the experience they had and what they learned while at the museum. I am using the avatar design from the mini-game to connect these physical items to it. These items are designed to create connections between the guest and the artifact, the museum, and other guests.
The Problem
Museums often struggle to bridge the gap between presenting factual data and fostering a deep, personal connection with visitors. My goal was to design a suite of digital and physical touchpoints that move beyond simple information delivery to spark genuine emotional engagement both inside the museum and beyond its walls.
Connection Requirements
Guest and Artifact: Connect guests with an artifact or idea. These connections should help guests understand or feel emotionally connected to the artifact’s meaning.
Guest and Museum: Connect guests with the museum. These connections should help guests feel a sense of belonging and partnership with the museum. When guests leave the museum, they should feel they had an experience worth sharing.
Guest and Another Guest: Connect guests who come from different backgrounds. These connections should enhance learning between guests or joy and excitement. You get to decide what kind of connections these are, but connections must be between guests with different backgrounds.
Ideation for Website and Mobile Design
This phase helped me visual how my designs would be used in a real world setting. I explored two different possibilities, which helped me finalize my concept for the project.
Ideation for Physical Item Designs
This rapid sketching phase helped me get an idea for what I wanted to do for the take-home items. At this point in my process, I needed to commit to the mobile and website designs before starting the physical items. Rapid sketching made it easier to explore ideas that matched the work getting put into the mobile and web designs.
Digital Versions of Physical Items
