Turner Contemporary x Storythings — Week 4
Catalyst Development Programme Weeknotes 15–19th Feb
Research Insights
Following the user research calls on Thursday and Friday last week, Storythings highlighted some key takeaways from the research which have been incredibly insightful. Storythings’s research has focussed on understanding the different “content formats” that users engage with day to day. This could mean reading newspapers and magazines, watching television, listening to the radio, and being online, as well as all the genres and formats within those mediums. The idea is to start with the behaviours of the users which already exist, what works for them and what they are interested in, and build on those or translate them into a format for delivering the learning content that we would like to share with them. It’s a very interesting way of working that I’ve really enjoyed learning about and seeing their process.
Research highlights
- A number of the research participants had previously been participants of projects and groups at the gallery, which were remembered fondly.
- Participants were interested in quiz formats where they can test their knowledge and learn at the same time.
- Also a big interest in detective/crime dramas.
- Participants enjoyed things like Grayson Perry’s Art Club, book clubs (all the participants were big readers), and Lockdown University — enjoying the element of discussion and sharing around content.
- There was interest in crafting and making classes.
- All generally found phone and email to be the easiest ways of keeping in touch, a smaller number enjoyed using WhatsApp and Facebook messenger, and preferred being in contact with close friends and family online rather than with new communities through Facebook groups.
- Viewing content takes place in the evenings, learning activities takes place in the daytime.
- Stronger interests in reading local newspapers over national ones.
Playing Detective
Since then, we’ve been pulling on the thread of puzzles, detective stories, quizzes — what makes these so intriguing and enjoyable? What is the journey and what are the cadences to the experience of engaging with these formats that can be replicated in a remote learning experience?
