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The question of perception is important.  Very often, the interactive is 
functioning, but the interface isn't, or the instructions aren't clear, 
etc., giving the impression that it is broken (and, from a learning 
perspective, it is).  Example - at another institution, we had a solar 
train exhibit, and visitors were supposed to crank a handle to generate 
enough power to light a lightbulb.  As the light came on, a small train 
rigged with photovoltaics would start to move.  After extensive use, the 
crank broke (although some suspected it walked off...!)  The exhibit 
folks replaced it with a toggle switch - which lasted about two days.  
In frustration, they installed a "fancy livingroom" rheostat - a flat 
plate you rub to turn the lights up and down.  The public was pretty 
unfamiliar with it, and complained that it was broken.  The moral of the 
story is, if the public can't figure out the interface, it's considered 
broken.
Beryl

Erich Rose wrote:
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
>
> One valuable version of the daily checklist is to at least keep a
> running log of what is being fixed and how often.  I've done it on a
> weekly and monthly basis and it really made it a great deal easier when
> I had to report to the powers-that-be about the need (=$$s) for a major
> overhaul of an exhibit.  Also came in handy when planning the next
> year's budget.
>
> I also agree that from the visitor's viewpoint one or two exhibits being
> down or working poorly is always perceived as "nothing is working!" Our
> floor staff now will ask a visitor who makes a complaint to actually
> point out what they feel wasn't right.  Many are happy to do so and we
> will then get their name and number and send them a follow up describing
> what was done to remedy the situation.  We often offer free admission
> for a return visit so they can come back when things are right.  
>
> Erich Rose
> Exhibit Manager
> Austin Children's Museum
> 201 Colorado Street
> Austin, TX 78701
> 512-472-2499 x207, fax 512-472-2495
> [log in to unmask], www.austinkids.org
>  
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Informal Science Education Network
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jeff Courtman
> Sent: Friday, March 07, 2008 10:00 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Percentage of working interactives
>
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
> Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
> institutions.
> ************************************************************************
> *****
>
> Sean:
>
> Years ago when I used to get that very question, I had to go by 'gut  
> feel.'  And then I got irritated enough to try and quantify the  
> number.  It was a big ol' pain in the booty, but we created a  
> checklist with each exhibit in each gallery.  Someone in exhibits, on  
> a rotating basis, was responsible for going through the galleries  
> each morning during startup and noting whether an exhibit was  
> operational or not - did it physically do what it was supposed to  
> do?  did it need consumables? etc.  Someone also had to do this after  
> lunch.
>
> After about a month of this pain, we were indeed able to show that  
> 95% to 98% of the exhibits were working at any given time.
>
> Of course the paperwork is a stupid thing; who's ever going to look  
> at the paper?  But it sure got a couple of people off my back.....
>
> To me, a person who likes theory as much as anything else, there are  
> a couple of more subtle questions that enter into the equation.   
> First, it often seemed the case that if one exhibit was broken, the  
> perception was that 'lots of things were broken.'  The other:  crappy  
> exhibits...If the visitor didn't get 'something' - say it wasn't  
> intuititve, it was just a bad exhibit, it wasn't a chunk they could  
> understand, the perception was this was an exhibit that wasn't working.
>
> Exhibit maintenance is perhaps the most thankless job i can think of;  
> its never a job finished, there's something always needing fixing,  
> and you're battling perception as much as reality....
>
>
> 	
>
>
>
>   
>
>
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-- 
Beryl Rosenthal, Ph.D.
Director
Tsongas Industrial History Center
Boott Cotton Mills
115 John Street
Lowell, MA 01854
(978) 970-5081 (t)
(978) 970-5085 (f)
[log in to unmask]
www.uml.edu/tsongas/index2.htm

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