re-imagination of the wisconsin historical museum

-JJ&M Digital Consulting, in collaboration with the University of

Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Historical society

Hope Jackson, Quinn Jacobson, Andrew McOlash

JJ&M Digital Consulting—- Wisconsin Historical Museum Proposal Contractors: Andrew McOlash, Hope Jackson, Quinn Jacobson

“We work with

schools,

museums, large

corporations

and small

businesses:

there is no one

who couldn’t

benefit from an

upgraded level

of modern

technology and

organization in

the workplace.”

Who We Are - “Ideas With Direction”

JJ&M Digital Consulting is an innovative information technology and media based firm founded in Madison, Wisconsin. We work with schools, museums, large corporations and small businesses: there is no one who couldn’t benefit from an upgraded level of modern technology and organization in the workplace. Our group is geared towards helping businesses incorporate innovative and unique forms of communication through digital media. We propose ways to integrate the techniques of a new communication epoch into your business.

In an ever-changing world, we offer to bring your company into the digital age and connect with the modern consumer. Our consultants can fit the budget while also offering dynamic, sustainable, and eye-catching solutions. We currently have 3 digital media consultants on staff:

Andrew McOlash Hope Jackson Quinn Jacobson

Whether you are looking to spice up a

presentation or display for a larger audience, or

looking to overhaul your workspace for the digital age, JJ&M Digital

Consulting can help through each step of your project with you.


“The Wisconsin

Idea has always

been a

progressive

force for the

state; however,

at JJ&M, we

believe that the

University must

strengthen its

dedication to

helping

communities,

not just business

or industry, in

the coming

future.”

Points of Concern

In a society that is developing technology at rates unequal to previous generations, innovation is a necessity. Innovations and ideas can be seen all around us. Some of the best of these were initially developed in the great state of Wisconsin to locally help the community. As transportation and different forms of communication have come into existence, many of these ideas have spread all over the world. In the early 1900’s, the University of Wisconsin - Madison unfolded the concept of the “Wisconsin Idea”. This Idea began as a way to share political visions and extend the wealth of knowledge throughout the state.

A big part of what we’re examining in our current project involves the re-imagination of the Wisconsin Idea in the 21st century. The Wisconsin Idea has always been a progressive force for the state; however, at JJ&M, we believe that the University must strengthen its dedication to helping communities, not just business or industry, in the coming future. The Wisconsin Idea should be about improving the lives of Wisconsinites, and when taken in the context of digital media and the new paradigm of information sharing, this means giving access and utility of the wealth of information, knowledge, and technology available to the University for the common people. The museum exhibit is a perfect example of the way this could work:

by creating this interactive and dynamic learning experience about

the Wisconsin Idea, the UW will foster the desire to create and

cooperate in the community. This museum could then encompass

the past present and future; An exhibit, showcasing the history of

collaboration between the UW and progressivism within the state,

created in a modern

collaboration between the

University and the Historical

Society, to foster future

University, State, and Business

collaborations that advance

progressive values in a new age.


“Our

investigation

into the current

state of the

exhibit provided

insight into the

shortcomings of

the current

exhibit… From

our research at

the Institute for

Discovery, we

had observed a

museum fully

based around

interactivity

and

exploration.”

The Proposal This proposal outlines our suggestions for a redesign of the

fourth floor of the Wisconsin Historical Museum. This floor is dedicated to “Innovation” and presents many of the concepts that build the “Wisconsin Idea”; collaboration between university researchers and experts with state officials and industry, the progressive ideals that founded the link between the state and university, and worked to improve the quality of life for all the communities within the state, and the long history of this collaboration in the “laboratory of democracy”.

After research into modern museums, including the University of Wisconsin’s cutting edge Institute for Discovery, and a careful study of the fourth floor of the Wisconsin Historical Museum, JJ&M has come up with a redesign of the entire floor, which would streamline the organization of the individual exhibits into a chronologically organized experience that implies a stronger historical narrative and hints at the challenges and innovations of today.

Our investigation into the current state of the exhibit provided insight into the shortcomings of the current exhibit and allowed us to imagine how the University’s involvement in the exhibit could change it for the better. From our research at the Institute for Discovery, we had observed a museum fully based around interactivity and exploration. This gave us a good comparison with the current exhibit at the Historical Society.


The first issue that we noticed was a disjointed feel to the floor as a whole. While it was obvious that the overarching theme of the artifacts and stories on display was what we came looking for, the Wisconsin Idea, the words “Wisconsin Idea” were nowhere to be found, and the theme of University and State collaboration was spread out over the floor and had no centralized form. The floor contained all the pieces of the history of the Wisconsin Idea, but did not tell the story coherently. the newer elements were sectioned off from the historical parts, and there was much dimmer lighting in the neglected section not within the “Innovation” partition.

The exhibit also lacked any type of immersive media. There were plenty of things to read and artifacts to look at, yet there were no interactive displays or sounds. One of the challenges of the digital age is to bring the categorical knowledge of the literate tradition and make it immersive - a new kind of mimesis that doesn’t sacrifice the learner’s objectivity. The only interactive piece of digital media within the exhibit is a touch screen off to the side of the elevators, that lets you explore historical shipwrecks. This doesn’t seem to fit well with the theme of the floor, and the technology would be better used to create a more tangible, immersive story. The exhibit isn’t dynamic, and it could do a lot more to make the Wisconsin Idea come alive.

We propose a full re-design of the 4th Floor. While many components of the old exhibits can be re-incorporated, we would like to remove or change the following elements:

The light and dark contrast of the old and new elements.

The lack of direction in the exhibit (the “Which way do I walk?” problem)

The outdated feel of the “Innovation” exhibit. The lack of the overarching theme, The Wisconsin

Idea, and cohesive narrative about the way that idea has unfolded throughout Wisconsin history.


“A Wisconsin

student, special-

ist, research

team, or pro-

gram director

could design a

temporary in-

stallation to

add to the ex-

hibit which

would highlight

their work and

contribution to

the progress of

the state.”

We propose the following changes for the exhibit:

Interactivity - Digital media installations with interactive screens. These replace plaques or blocks of written words with an explorable website, and can network into sounds, music, and digital projections and displays that are part of the exhibit. Our research at the Institute for Discovery showed that children and adults showed significant and enthusiastic engagement in interactive digital exhibits, especially when they contained an element of sound like music.

Updated Feel - Part of the space, at the end of the narrative, could be an annually changing exhibit meant to showcase some local project or program that exemplifies the New Wisconsin Idea. A Wisconsin student, specialist, research team, or program director could design a temporary installation to add to the exhibit which would highlight their work and contribution to the progress of the state.

Modified Layout: Original Layout:


“We believe that

these changes

will provide

more than just a

fun and interac-

tive experience

for school kids.”

Lighting and Flow - A more unified feel, with an obvious direction, flow, and an engaging environment. This includes a chronological organization to the exhibit overall, presenting the history and increasing the lighting and level of interactivity to suggest a larger narrative of the Wisconsin Idea, the meeting of State, University, and Industrial powers to benefit the communities of Wisconsin.

Closing Thoughts

We believe that these changes will provide more than just a fun and interactive experience for school kids. The Wisconsin Idea exhibit could be dedicated towards inspiring a tradition of that Idea, while educating and appealing to the new generation and helping to redefine that idea into something concrete that the people of Wisconsin can work for. We believe that history museums provide a service to the public and that their mission aligns with that of the University’s in term of the Wisconsin Idea. This collaboration between the University, a local non-profit (the Wisconsin Historical Society), and a local business (JJ&M) is a perfect example of the kind of work that this exhibit is meant to inspire.

-JJ&M Digital Consulting, in collaboration with the University of

Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Historical society

Hope Jackson, Quinn Jacobson, Andrew McOlash

re-imagination of the wisconsin historical museum

Documents

wisconsin idea

university of wisconsin

digital age

wisconsin historical

great state of wisconsin

digital media consultants

context of digital media

andrew mcolash page