Project Summary:

Martin Lockley, Ph.D., the director of the Dinosaur Track Museum approached us to design and build an interactive kiosk for the museum’s extensive dinosaur track exhibit. The exhibit aimed to educate college students and general public, making it essential to design a kiosk that was accessible, educational, and captivating to visitors.

Our goal was to create a digital experience that complemented the physical exhibit by:

• Providing detailed information about dinosaur tracks

• Offering animated bits of information in a fun way

• Capturing attention with a visually appealing quiz

Design Challenges

Audience Diversity: The kiosk needed to be engaging for both college students and general public.

Content Depth: Balancing simplicity and depth of information was critical to cater to varying levels of interest and understanding.

Design & Development Process

Research & Discovery: We collaborated with the director and curator of the Dinosaur Track museum to understand exhibit theme, and educational goals. Through on-site observations, we analyzed how visitors engaged with previous installations.

Concept Development:

• A touchscreen interface for navigation.

• Quick facts for casual visitors and in-depth content for enthusiasts.

• Interactive quiz “Test Your Tracking Skills!”.

Content Creation:

• We worked with the Dinosaur Track content specialists to create engaging visuals and animations.

• Renderings of dinosaur tracks that visitors could tap on and explore.

• Bite-sized trivia to encourage exploration.

Interface Design: Bold, earthy tones inspired by prehistoric landscapes. Large, easily tappable buttons for ease of use. Prehistoric sound library with dinosaur sounds.

Hardware Integration: The kiosk used a robust, tamper-proof touchscreen with a custom stand. For best visuals, we adjusted graphics appropriately for light conditions in the museum.

Results

Visitor Engagement: The kiosk saw a 60% increase in interaction compared to previous digital installations. Its interactive features became a favorite among school groups, with many people citing the “Test your tracking skills” quiz as a highlight.

Positive Feedback: Educators praised the kiosk for contributing to the exhibit’s learning objectives in a fun way.

Key Takeaways

User-Centered Design: Tailoring the experience to diverse audiences ensured wide appeal.

Interactive Features: Adding gamified elements boosted engagement and retention.

Collaboration: Working closely with museum staff ensured content accuracy and alignment with educational goals.

This project highlighted the power of technology to transform museum experiences, setting a new benchmark for future interactive installations.