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I'm not a fan of the "scoring" of ideas. I think the scoring happens as you check off boxes of the criteria matrix. I think it is too easy to end up with a bunch of sexy exhibits that fall short on the goals. Not to say i don't like cool sexy exhibits, whatever that means. But i like the idea if having the team pick their favorites and then sorting thru those.

The process is also about managing a team and finding the individual strengths. For example one member may not be great at new ideas but they may have the best insight to what should be included. I have been on teams where only the designers were given credence or the other way around where the education staff ran the show. Things get lopsided either way.

Best practice of all is to have one person be the "keeper of the goal".  They are the person who is always the last voice of reason and logic*. And if you are lucky everyone trusts them and things run smoothly. 

* I was never that person...

Erich Rose

Erich Rose Design
Austin, TX 

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 11, 2013, at 5:30 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
> 
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