ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************

Hi,

I'm with Erich... plus this is a big question without knowing audience.

If you're talking exhibits, and early stage/conceptual ideas that
ultimately will be physical, then some sort of visual is good.

If you need to rank across types then you'd of course have to sort across
types in a table. Excel probably best unless you need to put it up on a
wall and stand back.

I've used any of the following depending on what it is, who for exhibits:

- sketch
- storyboard
- diagram
- design reference image (looks like/feels like)

On one project we all posted sketches and everyone got stickers to vote and
those were the ideas that got built and tested during R+D.

You could say it was random but everyone at the table was extremely
well-informed on the project and from exhibits, eval, etc., and it worked
out just fine.

Best,
.
Maria Mortati
.
(415) 235-8994
[log in to unmask]
.
site: http://www.mortati.com
blog: http://www.mortati.com/blog
.


On Mon, Mar 11, 2013 at 3:30 PM, Ian Russell <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
> institutions.
>
> *****************************************************************************
>
> A matrix seems a sensible approach, but it won't work if the criteria are
> inappropriately selected or inaccurately evaluated.
>
> But instead of yes/no check-boxes, wouldn't it be better to give each
> criterion a score, say, from one to six (not 5 or everything will be given
> a
> 3)? For clearer visual judging, how about colours ranging from blue (cold)
> to red (hot)?
>
> Don't allow a panel of scientists or teachers to judge everything either!
> Your most important evaluators are under ten years old. Others are exhibit
> specialists able to warn you which things will cause most maintenance
> hassles, and which things will be most costly to develop.
>
> And there's simply no substitute for aptitude and experience right from the
> beginning. The brutal truth is, if you start with dumb ideas, you just wind
> up with time-consumingly, expensively evaluated dumb ideas...!
>
> Promoting public engagement with science
> through a contagious delight in phenomena
> *
> [log in to unmask] * http://www.interactives.co.uk
> *
> http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/ian-russell/0/636/305
> *
> Give people facts and you feed their minds for an hour.
> Awaken curiosity and they feed their own minds for a lifetime.
> *
> Ian Russell
>
> ***********************************************************************
> For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and
> the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
>
> Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at
> www.exhibitfiles.org.
>
> The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-Soft.
> To learn more, visit
> http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html.
>
> To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
> message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
> [log in to unmask]
>



--

***********************************************************************
For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.

Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.

The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-Soft. To learn more, visit
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html.

To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]