How Decisions Are Made When Creating Information Design Exhibits for Museums

Abstract

This case study illustrates how and when decisions are made during the creative process occurring within two cultures: Graphic Designers and Museum Exhibitors. This study investigates the pre-visual creative process and fabrication of exhibits concerning the history of farming in Oneida County and the history of New York State during the American Revolutionary War at the Marcus Willet Visitors Center at Fort Stanwix in Rome, NY. This study will apply wayfinding theories to information design practice; the result is a field guide for both graphic and museum designers. This case study explains the nature of decision-making used in creation of information design. The particular project to be studied is the design of a permanent exhibit for a community historical society. Each decision to be made is documented; details are provided regarding what decisions are made, who makes the decisions, when decisions are made, and the many factors that impact the decision-making process. The case study is a description of this particular design process and a guide to the way in which decisions are made in information design. The major decisions concern the audience, content, means of wayfinding, design consistency, color, typographic parameters, size, and viewing distances. This study explores the impact these decisions had on the final exhibition design.