Creating Innovative Experiences . .

Ontario Science Centre •Over 40 Million visitors since opening in 1969•12,000 square meters public exhibition space• 33% of our exhibition halls have changed • 350 staff•Self-contained exhibit development & fabrication•Create and tour exhibitions internationally•Hosting the World Science Congress in 2008

Changes….Co-Development of Experiences - Not typical exhibit development approach

- New processes were needed –

Include an educator in experience development teams /Evaluation

OSC Vision

•Transform the way in which people see and think about the world around them.

•Expose the mysteries of life

•Show the wonders and possibilities of leading edge thought

•Translate complex information in ways that make learning fun

So, what is an exhibit?

Start with what it isn’t………..

It is not a lessonIt is not universal

It is not an end

It is not isolated

An exhibit…….

Is part of a conversation

Has a context

Has multiple outcomes

Involves doing

Involves learning

Is about the user

Is incomplete

……………is an experience.Is only a start

Ideas

Cooper-Hewitt

MIT

MOMA

Cal-Tech

Local hardware stores

NASA Ames

Prada Flagship Store (NY City)

Dupont R&D Centre

Read a lot

Play together

Bring others in

Visit others

Personal Interests

“Adults are always asking little kids what they want to be when they grow up because they’re looking for ideas.” -Paula Poundstone

Old ideas as raw materials

Tools• Rapid Idea Generation• Classical Brainstorming• Sketching• Blitz Prototyping• Storytelling• Improv collaboration

From Cub Cars to Racing Irons:

What Next? -Prototyping (Durability, Safety, Usability)

-Design Drawings

-Fabrication

-Evaluation continues..

-Iterations

So what exactly do we do?

Experience development …..

Is Collaborative

Is Iterative

Is Non-linear

Is Experimental

Requires testing, prototyping, designing, engineering……