Quality in Online Experiences for Museum Users

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Quality in Online Experiences for Museum Users

• Barbara J. Soren, PhD

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Research Methods

• Online / in-print literature conceptualizing
  quality in online experiences for users of
  museum Web sites.
• A comparative approach to measuring user
  engagement using statistical reports for 11 VMC
  products.
• A more in-depth look at how development teams
  attempted to engage users for 8 of the higher
  engagement VMC products.

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The Sample of VMC Products
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Engagement Factor
No of visits x length of time online No. of
visitors

• A way of ranking VMC products statistically

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Value of Engagement Factor as a Measure of Success

• Visits / Visitors monitors traffic, which may be
  dependent on publicity, referrals, competition
  for topic, and length of time on the Web.

Visits/Visitors
Butterflies North/South
5.00
Xmas Tradition
4.50
4.00
Explore Herschel Is.
3.50
Haida Spirits
3.00
Visits/Visitors
Hockey
2.50
2.00
Panoramas
1.50
The Adventure Train
1.00
Staying in Tune
0.50
0.00
Astonishing World of
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2
3
4
5
6
7
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9
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Musical Instruments
Yukon Photographers
Month
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Value of Engagement Factor as a Measure of Success

• The Duration statistic is highly variable.
• Users spend more time in non-English language
  versions.

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Project Managers Multimedia Developers
Interview Topics

• Models or frameworks.
• Strategies for engaging online visitors.
• Challenges in developing products.
• Successes related to online user experiences.
• Potential best practices for developing quality
  in online experiences for VMC users.

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Successes that Impact on the Quality of User
Experience

• Development process that is sensitive to the
  needs of users constructivist learning.
• Multimedia companies who work with leading edge
  technologies.
• High quality museum and heritage organization
  partners, nationally and internationally.
• Excellent quality of content and images.
• Different language versions for global access.

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Issues to Explore in the Future

• VMC Portal Statistics
• - notes on each set of statistics
• - further Engagement Factor research
• - where users go after a visit
• VMC Feedback Messages Types of VMC Products
• - type/s of user interactions
• - involving target users
• Museum/Heritage Organization Partners, and
  Multimedia Companies

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Coming soon to http//www. chin.gc.ca
Quality in Online Experiences for Museum Users
Barbara J. Soren, PhD