Karoulis, A., Sylaiou, S., White, M., (2006). Usability evaluation of a virtual museum interface. Journal Informatica, Vol. 17, Num. 3, IOS Press, pp. 363-380. ISSN: 0868-4952, indexed, IF 2004: 0, 26 (original) (raw)

Usability Evaluation of a Virtual Museum Interface

Informatica, 2006

The Augmented Representation of Cultural Objects (ARCO) system provides software and interface tools to museum curators to develop virtual museum exhibitions, as well as a virtual environment for museum visitors over the World Wide Web or in informative kiosks. The main purpose of the system is to offer an enhanced educative and entertaining experience to virtual museum visitors. In order to assess the usability of the system, two approaches have been employed: a questionnaire based survey and a Cognitive Walkthrough session. Both approaches employed expert evaluators, such as domain experts and usability experts. The result of this study shows a fair performance of the followed approach, as regards the consumed time, financial and other resources, as a great deal of usability problems has been uncovered and many aspects of the system have been investigated. The knowledge gathered aims at creating a conceptual framework for diagnose usability problems in systems in the area of Virtual Cultural Heritage.

Combinatory Usability Evaluation of an Educational Virtual Museum Interface

Sixth IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies (ICALT'06)

This paper presents the usability evaluation study that has been undertaken for the Augmented Representation of Cultural Objects (ARCO) system. The main purpose of this system is to integrate an enhanced educative and entertaining experience to virtual museum visitors. The aim of the current research is the evaluation of the interface of the system. Users as well as domain experts were recruited to investigate the most effective combination of user-based and expert-based evaluation, in order to elicit the most valuable results. Quantitative as well as qualitative approaches have also been employed, thus providing a framework for a holistic evaluation of the usability of an interface of such kind.

Virtual Museum Interface Evaluation: the ARCO case

The Augmented Representation of Cultural Objects (ARCO) system provides software and interface tools to museum curators to develop virtual museum exhibitions, as well as a virtual environment for museum visitors over the World Wide Web or in informative kiosks. The main purpose of the system is to offer an enhanced educative and entertaining experience to virtual museum visitors. In order to assess the usability of the system, two approaches have been employed: a questionnaire based survey and a Cognitive ...

Usability Evaluation of Virtual Museums’ Interfaces Visualization Technologies

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2014

This paper reports on a user-centered formative usability evaluation of diverse visualization technologies used in Virtual Museums. It initially presents the selection criteria and the five museum websites involved in the analysis. Then, it describes the evaluation process, in which a group of subjects explored the museums' on-line resources and answered in two usability questions concerning overall reaction to the website and the subjective satisfaction of the users. After user testing, quantitative and qualitative data have been collected and statistically analysed. However, much research remains to be done on future research in terms of larger sample, different methodologies and varied contexts.

Usability evaluation of visualization technologies for virtual museums interfaces

This paper reports on a user-centered formative usability evaluation of diverse visualization technologies used in Virtual Museums. It initially presents the selection criteria and the five museum websites involved in the analysis. Then, it describes the evaluation process, in which a group of subjects explored the museums’ on-line resources and answered in two usability questions concerning overall reaction to the website and the subjective satisfaction of the users. After user testing, quantitative and qualitative data have been collected and statistically analysed.

Comparative study of interactive systems in a Museum

Proceedings of the …, 2010

Museums research new ways to offer positive experience to the visitors and encourage them to return, using modern communication and learning tools. To the effect, technologically advanced interactive ICT systems, are placed in modern-day museums. In this paper we describe and compare six different types of museum exhibits, one traditional and five interactive ICT exhibits. The five interactive ICT systems offer different types and level of digital information, different interaction constraints and different types of activities. The exhibits, which are located in the Leventis Municipal Museum in Nicosia, are the following: a traditional map learning activity, a virtual tour projection, a multi-touch table application and three different augmented reality applications. We evaluated the experience of young users with the exhibits and conclude that the experience scores top marks for the interactive ICT systems.

Usability of virtual museums and the diffusion of cultural Heritage

Priorities for museums are changing. The mission of the new museology is to convert museums in places of enjoyment and learning, making its financial management very similar to a social enterprise competing with the amusement industry. As time goes on, museums need to establish and apply criteria necessary for their survival, paving the way for other public institutions to open up in their attempt to communicate and spread their heritage. We can already start talking about some commonly accepted conclusions about visitors' behavior, which are needed in order to plan for future exhibits that consider learning as a constructive process, collections as objects that carry meaning, and exhibits themselves as communication mediums that should transform the way of thinking of the spectator, serving the message itself. Internet seems to represent an effective medium to reach these objectives, showing capable of: a) Adapting to the interests and intellectual characteristics of a diverse audience. b) Rediscovering objects' meanings and take socio cultural recognition of its value through its interactive potential c) Make use of attractive and stimulating elements for the enjoyment of everybody. For this purpose is essential to question ourselves: Which criteria should respect a virtual museum in order to optimize the diffusion of its heritage? Which elements stimulate users to stay on a web page and have satisfactory virtual visits? What role does the application's usability play in all of this?

Virtual museum system evaluation through user studies

Journal of Cultural Heritage, 2017

Virtual museum (VM) systems are a very effective solution for the communication of cultural contents, thanks to their playful and educational approach. In fact, these appealing technological systems have demonstrated their usefulness and value in science centres and traditional museums all over the world, thanks to the fact that visitors can view digitized artworks and explore reconstructed historical places by means of VM-hosted installations. This paper presents a methodology, based on user studies, for the comparative evaluation of different design alternatives related to the user interaction with VM systems. The methodology has been validated by means of a testbed related to a VM system hosted at the "Museum of the Bruttians and the Sea" of Cetraro (Italy). The results of the user study demonstrate that this methodology can be effectively adopted in the development process of VM systems to optimize its outcomes in terms of usability and potential for entertainment and education.

AN INTEGRATED METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH TO EVALUATE VIRTUAL MUSEUMS IN REAL MUSEUM CONTEXTS

User evaluations on virtual museums (VMs) projects are planned because of the necessity to conduct test-beds and user experience surveys to have feedbacks and improve criticisms in the interactive software applications. From a methodological point of view, no specific direction has been taken both in humanities or computer sciences fields, but several and different strategies are employed whenever we deal with VMs, given the diversity and complexity of each of them, the target, the context of use and so on. CNR ITABC has progressively developed a methodological approach for the user experience evaluation, focusing its attention on the pedagogical aspects and cognitive affordances. In the latest CNR evaluations, especially in the case of the " Virtual Museum of the Tiber Valley " and " Livia's Villa Reloaded " , we come up with solid considerations: what is relevant here is the centrality of the end-user who need to be the main protagonist of any cultural public transmission and thus of any investigation programme.