Paper title: Two Birds, One Stone: Creating an iPhone App and Mobile Site Simultaneously

Abstract:

The Museum of Modern Art launched an iPhone app and a mobile version of their website, MoMA.org, in the summer of 2010. In an effort to maximize resources and minimize ongoing maintenance efforts, these projects were undertaken simultaneously. The iPhone app builds on the strategy developed for MoMA's earlier kiosk project (presented at MCN 2009) and features content pulled from MoMA.org, including calendar, visiting, and way finding information, access to the audio tours, collection, as well as information about the artists and art terms, all of which also appear in the mobile version of the site. In addition, features created specifically for the iPhone and iPod Touch are included in MoMA app.

This presentation will include a description of the approach taken, the pre-launch user testing methods and results, post-launch feedback and stats, as well as lessons learned and future directions.

Session Info:

• Type: Individual Paper
• Keywords: Mobile, iPhone, app

Presenters:

Allegra Burnette

Allegra Burnette is the Creative Director of Digital Media at The Museum of Modern Art, New York, overseeing the design and production for the museum's website, MoMA.org, as well as mobile devices, interpretive kiosks and digital displays. Online projects include two complete site redesigns, creating the online collection and audience-specific sites for teachers, teens, and kids, overseeing an ongoing series of award-winning exhibition sites, and extending the reach of MoMA’s content through iTunes U, YouTube, mobile, and elsewhere. Offline projects include lobby display screens and the launch of MoMA.guide, a series of interactive kiosks. Prior to working at MoMA, Allegra created and ran a media department at the renowned museum exhibition design firm Ralph Appelbaum Associates. She has an MFA in museum exhibition planning and design from the University of the Arts, where she has also taught graduate courses in museum media. She currently teaches in the online graduate program for Museum Studies at Johns Hopkins University.

Spencer Kiser

Spencer Kiser is Media Technology Developer in the Digital Media Department at The Museum of Modern Art. New York. He is responsible for front-end development and interaction design of several projects, including the MoMA iPhone app, the multi-platform MoMA Web app, and several data-driven sections of MoMA.org (calendar, members calendar, publications), as well as a cellphone picture-taking app and an accessible interface for the MoMA.guide kiosk. Before coming to MoMA, Spencer participated in the design and production of exhibits at the American Museum of Natural History, New York Historical Society and the Connecticut Science Center, and was a consultant at WNYC. He has a Master's degree from New York University's Interactive Telecommunications Program, where he now is an adjunct professor, and he teaches a sound art studio class at MoMA.