I went today to see a few exhibitions at the V&A, the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum. And no, I was not going after the Indian Raj, not after the models of a spaceship and not after countless species of insects. I was chasing interactive, touch-sensitive screens, their design and technology. The trip has surely reinforced my believe in the digitalization of our world. It seems that if you want your exhibition to be successful you need to go for the interactive exhibits, something that people can play with, something that demands attention and provokes that 'wow' reaction. And clearly, you will need a digital notice board just to inform that a toilet is out of order.




The new space at the Natural History Museum was full of interactive toys far more advanced that those in 'The Future' section of the Science Museum. There were more touch screens than insects in 'The Cocoon' and some of them really wowed.

An image projected on what looks like an ordinary table, by what looks like an ordinary projector, can actually respond to your
touch! And to use this stuff you don't need a PhD in Computer Science. It actually is people-centered and elderly-friendly. The lady in the picture is enjoying herself and she is not in her spring!



The digitalization is not aiming higher! In the literal meaning, of course. Interactive touch-screens are 'the thing' among kids too. Just look at these delightful little cyber-addicts: they can hardly walk but are quite comfortable with digital interfaces.
But, what is really nice to see is that they actually interact with one another as much as they do with digital media.
Some of the objects are designed particularly for group activities and people seem keen on it. There is a chance that the Mother Nature is not going to erase the herd instinct from our DNA anytime soon.
I really get excited thinking how people might react when they see that massive multi-touch screen I am now designing for supermarkets. Will they be similarly wowed? Will they interact with each other?

The visit also made me aware that there are different levels of interactivity:
  1. (Inter)active reading - this is when you consciously read the digital content, absorb the information;
  2. Navigating and Browsing - this is when you browse through menus, searching for more information, seeing what other functions are, etc.;
  3. Messaging - this is when you actively participate in the content generation by posting comments under other pieces of information, when you express your own opinion or participate in a debate. Also, when you forward the information to someone else, share it.
The interaction of the third kind is clearly the most valuable in terms of building and maintaining communities and should be encouraged on my supermarket touch-wall.

QUIZ
It's time for a little quiz for you. Below, you will find several photographs taken during today's trip. Identify the levels of interaction represented by the pictures. Post your answers in the comment box.