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

Charlie,
I think one area of our exhibit development that has benefited 
tremendously from evaluation is Universal Design.
Bringing in constituents from a variety of communities, blindness, 
learning  disabled, etc. we can learn a tremendous amount about what 
will work and what will not.  Ultimately, in  the end, all visitors gain 
from what we learn with exhibits that can be heard, touched or just more 
easily accessed.  Without prototyping we would not have gained access to 
that information and in the process we create valuable links with the 
very communities we want to bring in.
Lynn Baum
Senior Content Developer
Jan Crocker Museum Associates
www.ja-ma.biz

On 10/28/11 2:30 AM, Charles Carlson wrote:
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
>
> Well said. ( I don't consider myself old-style anything, by the way.)  I very much concur with your insight that that there is a difference between evaluation and research (I'm not sure museums generally are the best test-bed, but will set this that aside for another time).  And evaluation can undoubtedly play a valuable role.  But please identify one single exhibit or exhibition that has greatly benefited from the tender hands of evaluation.  And by greatly, I mean been changed from flop  to star.  From my experience, these are even further and far between.  This is not to condemn evaluation, nor the hand of another brain, but simply to highlight the inescapable fact, that evaluation hath not a better exhibit made.
>
> C
> On Oct 27, 2011, at 11:06 PM, Carey Tisdal wrote:
>
>> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
>> *****************************************************************************
>>
>> Charlie,
>>
>> What exhibit evaluation can do is free up that creativity by letting designers take a shot a those wild ideas you mention find ones that really hit the target. It can also find the sweet spots to make the exhibit experience even better. Of course evaluation can be about creativity! I always consider it the nuitients in the soil to support that creativity. (And if you are really creative you'll spot a great come back in that metaphor.)  It all depends how it is done and the colleagiality the built into the exhibit development process through honesty, good will, and respect.
>>
>> The old-style single combat warrior model for the "artist/designer" is not the only game in town. Sure the single great creative genius works sometimes, but so does creative collaboration. It's not either and or proposition.
>>
>> I love to work with exhibition development teams! It's exciting and fascinating and fun! Evaluation can play a role in making is exciting and fascinating and a great experience for visitors.
>>
>> I don't like the increase drift in the field toward confusing evaluation and research, increased formality in reporting, and writing for "the field" rather than the exhibit team. . Formative evaluation should be right there in the midst of the design process, in the nitty, gritty and give designers authentic insights, open up new perspectives, and shake up old assumptions to make room for new ones. Evaluation isn't about "voting" for the best design--it's about understanding how that design creates a connection to visitors.
>>
>> Carey
>>
>> Carey Tisdal
>> Tisdal Consulting
>> [log in to unmask]
>> 314-496-9097
>>
>> ***********************************************************************
>> 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]
> The opinions and thoughts expressed here are my own and should in no way be construed or attributed to the Exploratorium or related organization, and do not represent an institutional position.
> Charles Carlson
> Senior Scientist
> exploratorium
> 3601 Lyon St.
> San Francisco, CA 94123
> [log in to unmask]
> Tel:   415-561-0319
> Fax:  415-561-0370
> http://blogs.exploratorium.edu/whyintercept/
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ***********************************************************************
> 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]