User eXperience (UX) Evaluation for MR Cultural Applications: The CEMEC Holographic Showcases in European Museums

Abstract

Within the EU CEMEC project framework, a novel approach for using holographic showcases in museums has been conceived and experimented upon in different venues in the context of an itinerant exhibition dealing with Early Medieval European collections. The purpose of this holographic showcase, the so-called “box of stories”, is to improve the link and interaction between real and virtual contents in the museum’s context, making the exhibited object “alive” in the visitors’ perception. An Avar sword and a Byzantine treasure have been used as the main case studies, and they have been experienced in the museums of several European regions by audiences with different cultural backgrounds. This has been a great opportunity to carry out user experience (UX) evaluations in order to collect feedback (from about 600 museum visitors) regarding the attractiveness of such a mixed reality (MR) system, its usability, the comprehension of the contents, the efficacy of the logistics and environmental conditions, as well as the educational impact. The results of such inquiries helped the CNR ISPC team to identify the most meaningful User eXperience Analytics (UXA) able to support the work of UX evaluators and UX designers to assess the efficacy of digital cultural products. Indeed, this manuscript presents UXA and tries to draft a concrete and effective evaluation model for future digital projects for museum contexts.

Re-Thinking Visitor Experience with Ancient Manuscripts via the Holographic Showcase: The Case of the Codex4D Project and Its First Public Results from a Mixed-Method Evaluation In Situ

“…In previous studies about visitors' experiences with holographic showcases [26,29], we observed some common patterns; for example:…”

“…The real and the digital co-exist in the same showcase. During the CEMEC project, we experienced this installation in many European museums with different audiences, collecting several hundreds of pieces of data about its usability and the visitors' reactions [29].…”

“…We compared this approach with other methods, tools, and results regarding digital installations in museums [41] and, more specifically, holographic showcases made by CNR ISPC [26,29]. We also integrated some of the tools available from the Interview Kit by Designers Italia and the last version of "Manual of Design" for public administrations in Italy [42,43].…”

Advanced systems and technologies for the enhancement of user experience in cultural spaces: an overview

“…The system developed enables readability and recontextualization of the artifact and the emotional narrative activates the transfer of knowledge to visitors [38].…”

Which Are the Needs of People with Learning Disorders for Inclusive Museums? Design of OLOS®—An Innovative Audio-Visual Technology

“…As in the case of the European CEMEC project (2015-2019), a collaboration between universities, museums, and technical partners led to the development and evaluation of holographic showcases to promote Early Medieval arts and cultures across Europe. A traveling exhibition showed the holographic showcase's impact on the public, emphasizing a coherent communication ecosystem integrating real and digital contents, narrative approaches, and scalability [11].…”