Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion

Contextual Inquiry Research with Diverse Audiences: A Different Approach to Museum Evaluation

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Evaluation has long played an important role in museums. All too often, though, evaluation methods unintentionally bar participation by many of the audiences museums seek to attract. The methods may require random sampling when diverse visitors are not present, for example, or they may not assess the very features of a program or exhibition that are exclusionary. Discover an accessible alternative—contextual inquiry research—that enables museums to gather rich and sometimes unexpected responses from audiences often prevented from offering them.

Learning Objectives:

• Explain contextual inquiry research and how it differs from traditional museum evaluation methods.
• List qualities of contextual inquiry research that make it effective for collecting responses from individuals with disabilities and older adults.
• Analyze uses for contextual inquiry research in your museum, and consider the subjects, tools, and support necessary to use it successfully.

Moderator(s)

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  Janice Majewski

  Director, Inclusive Cultural and Educational Projects
  Institute for Human Centered Design

Panelist(s)

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  Valerie Fletcher

  Executive Director
  Institute for Human Centered Design
• 

  Ashley Grady

  Senior Program Specialist
  Smithsonian Institution
• 

  Beth Ziebarth

  Director, Access Smithsonian
  Smithsonian Institution