Two kinds of mobile exhibit
Mobile in a gallery usually means one of two things. In the first, visitors use their own phones, perhaps by scanning a code to open a page or by installing an app. In the second, the venue provides devices, typically tablets or handheld players, that are loaned or fixed in place. The design questions overlap, but the trade-offs differ, so decide which you are planning early.
Visitor-owned devices
Using a visitor’s own phone has real appeal. People already know how their device works, including its text size settings, screen reader, captions and language. There is no hardware for the venue to buy, charge or clean. For many accessibility needs, a personal device is better than anything a venue could supply, since it is already set up for that person.
The downsides are practical:
- Variety. Screens, browsers, operating system versions and capabilities differ widely. The experience has to work on older and less powerful phones, not just recent ones.
- No guarantee of a device. Some visitors do not have a smartphone, have a low battery, or prefer not to use their phone in a museum. An alternative must exist for them.
- Data and signal. Many galleries have weak mobile reception, and some visitors do not want to use their data allowance. Free wifi helps but may be overloaded or patchy. Plan with exhibit networks in mind.
- Downloads. Asking people to install an app is a significant hurdle. Many visitors will not do it for a short visit. A web page opened from a QR code avoids installation, and the choice between web or app is worth thinking through carefully.
- Privacy. Visitors may be wary of apps that ask for location, camera or contacts. Ask only for what the experience needs, and explain why. See visitor privacy.
- Attention. A phone can pull people out of the room. Good mobile design points back to the objects and space.
Visitor phones as a second screen is a pattern in its own right, and the choices around QR codes belong there. Here the focus is on the design of the content itself.
Loaned and venue-owned devices
Provided tablets or handhelds give control. You can set the size, test on one model, guarantee captions and audio, lock the device to a single experience, and ensure everyone has the same experience. That consistency makes accessibility testing simpler.
The costs are different:
- Money and logistics. Devices must be bought, charged, updated, cleaned, tracked and replaced. Plan for loss, damage and wear.
- Handing out and returning. Queues at a desk can frustrate visitors. Staff time matters.
- Hygiene. Shared devices need a routine for cleaning, as with other shared touch surfaces.
- Security. Lock down settings so visitors cannot leave the experience or change settings, but allow adjustment of volume and text size.
- Maintenance. Batteries age, operating systems change and cracked screens appear. Maintenance plans and remote monitoring help.
A hybrid is common: offer a few loan devices for those who want or need them, while supporting visitors’ own phones for everyone else.
Screen size and layout
Phones are small, and designs from a large touchscreen do not transfer.
- One idea per screen. Short text, a single image and one clear action work better than dense layouts.
- Readable type. Use sizes comfortable on a small screen, and respect the visitor’s own text size settings rather than overriding them.
- Thumb-friendly controls. Place frequent actions where a thumb reaches comfortably, and make touch targets generous with good spacing. See touch targets for sizing principles.
- Portrait and landscape. Support both unless there is a strong reason not to. Some visitors lock rotation or use a mount.
- Zoom. Let visitors pinch to enlarge images and text. Do not disable zoom.
- Short interactions. People often use a phone for quick moments between looking at objects. Design so a visitor can start, pause and resume without losing their place.
Tablets give more room but are heavier, so consider how people will hold them and whether a strap, a stand or a seated position helps.
Connectivity and offline use
Do not assume a good signal. A few strategies:
- Build pages that load quickly and work on slow connections, with compressed images and a minimal amount of script.
- Where a native app is justified, support an offline mode, with content downloaded in advance over wifi, ideally before the visit.
- Load essential content first and optional media later, and give clear feedback when something is loading.
- Test in the actual galleries, in busy periods, on a range of phones and networks. Signal strength in a quiet office tells you little about a crowded hall.
Battery and sound
Video, maps, cameras and location services drain batteries. A long tour that drains a phone can leave a visitor frustrated, or unable to contact their group. Avoid unnecessary use of power-hungry features and let visitors choose when to turn them on. Remember that many visitors will not have headphones, so make sure content makes sense with the sound off, using captions, and offer a headphone option for those who want audio. Audio guides on mobile devices need clear advice about volume and respect for other visitors.
Accessibility on small screens
Mobile does not mean accessible by default. Check:
- Screen readers. Test with the built-in screen readers on common phones. Images need meaningful text descriptions, and buttons need labels.
- Contrast and size. Small screens in bright galleries need strong color contrast.
- Captions and transcripts. Provide captions for all video and a text alternative for audio.
- Motor needs. Avoid precise gestures, and offer simple tap alternatives to swiping.
- Language. Honor the device’s language setting where possible and offer an easy switch.
- Cognitive load. Keep navigation simple and predictable.
Keep the content independent of the device
Technology on phones changes quickly. Designing content that does not depend on one model, one version or one specific feature will last longer. Standard web technologies tend to be more durable than custom apps. Write plans for updates and for retiring the experience, so it does not remain online broken and unmaintained.
Test with real visitors
Prototype testing with different people on a mix of devices catches problems that lab testing misses, such as glare, one-handed use, tired fingers or a child grabbing the phone. Visitor observation in the gallery will show how people actually hold, share and put away their devices. Use what you learn to simplify.