Here are some of the things we discussed. I added links where possible.

Budget

  • Creating an iOS or Android App probably costs around $35K

Are there any grants out there that are specifically aimed at mobile?

  • Some states – Virginia has done this – tourist bureau (visiting Virginia).
  • Heritage tourism

What are the Platforms out there:

  • Websites optimized for mobile
  • Mobile Apps versus Web Apps
  • HTML5 is the next big thing
  • Think about iPad/Tablets – Flipboard as an example on the iPad
  • Museums with under 50,000 visitors typically won’t have a mobile app
  • Museums Mobile group has some data on museums who have created links to mobile museum apps and consultants
  • Twitter #mtogo

Contexts

Platforms

Permissions

  • Difficult to get licenses for images – especially art.
  • Closed app might be best platform for purchased use licenses – a one-time use licence is possible

Interpretations and Interactivity

  • Don’t miss out on an opportunity – don’t just replicate an analogue idea – i.e. more text
  • Ask new questions – maybe from the perspective of outside the museum – what do you see?
  • Mobile platform forces designers to think more about interpretation – single objects
  • Mobile Apps can help create a three step process for visiting a museum – pre-visit planning, interactive experience at the museum, and follow up on interests

 

Tours

GIS Data – Recycling for new use

Content Creation

Non-Location specific mobile apps

  • Louvre app as an example
  • Draw could be in education – limits access – not the entire web.

Why Mobile?

  • Demographics skewed toward poorer populations (US and Worldwide – see Nielson statistics)
  • Pew Foundation – Gardner Research both have statistics
  • iPad – these are different. There might be even greater potential for the iPad – has better functionality for interpretation and in-depth learning.

Games

  • scvngr – scavenger hunts that could be created with historical topics.

Favorite Apps?