Reflect on theory through role-playing

Play a scenario with your collaborators to generate a common understanding of a particular theoretical concept related to your design idea.

When to use?

Scenarios are intended for design teams: curators, educators and digital designers who are in the process of designing a new museum experience. They are best introduced early in the process, and are particularly useful before an ideation exercise.

How does it work?

The scenarios can be played in less than 2 hours, and are designed for at least 4 players. The players act out a situation that illustrates a specific theory. This is followed by a debrief, allowing players to reflect on the theory and issues from their own context.

Why play scenarios?

Scenarios are a useful way to generate a common understanding of theoretical concepts that are central to your design idea. They encourage you to see things from different sides and discuss relevant design issues.

Scenarios

Scenario: The Gift

Gifting practices

The Gift

A scenario dealing with gift-giving. Gifting practices are entangled with museum visits in several ways and can be used as a resource in designing museum experiences. In this scenario, every person takes on a character at a family gift exchange party, and all both give and receive gifts.

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Scenario: The Space Race

Social play and games

The Space Race

This scenario is meant to be used by teams designing for games and play in museums. The purpose is to enable a deeper reflection on different ways in which people interact socially in games and play. The scenario also represents a range of design options and strategies in game design.

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Scenario: The Object

Museum objects

The Object

In this scenario, the participants trace an object from its creation, via the original cultural context, when it is collected, is put on display, and finally archived. The object plays the central role, and the participants play people that for one reason or another come in contact with the object.

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Scenario: My Museum

Interpersonal experiences

My Museum

A scenario where the participants act as the visitors of a museum. Through this scenario, the participants experience the different expectations and social background of different types of visitors and how this affects their interpersonal experience in the exhibition.

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I think that since we often really have this sort of discussions in the museum, it’s good to try to see things from the other side and make yourself create arguments for that.
Curator, playing The Object
We so seldom get a chance to reflect on how people actually behave in a museum, it made me think.
Project Leader, playing My Museum

How to use?


Set up a meeting: Invite relevant staff, partners and volunteers.

Print the chosen scenario and plan how to facilitate the session.

At the meeting, use the scenario materials to facilitate the session.