Bringing History to Life at Tumba Paper Mill Museum.
From Insights to Impact: Building Engagement with Digital Tools for Tumba Paper Mill Museum
ResumeRole
Timeline
Tools
Figma
Miro
Overview
Discover
Empathy Phase
Target Group
The project started with meetings and discussions with the museum’s contact person to define the target audience. The focus was on parents with children and older visitors, excluding teenagers and young adults. However, children and families were still considered an important visitor segment.
Data Collection
Data was collected via interviews and observations both at the museum and in the nearby town center due to low visitor availability. Insights were organized into an empathy map to gain a comprehensive understanding of visitor experiences.
Insights
Many visitors associate the venue mainly with the café, not the museum.
Older visitors are hesitant regarding digital tools.
Visitors seek increased engagement through activities and events.
There is a desire for more personal and memorable experiences.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths include the historic environment and café; weaknesses cover limited marketing and few visitors; opportunities involve events and digital solutions; while funding uncertainties and policy changes represent threats.
Define
Point of View
Based on empathy findings, a clear problem statement was formulated to focus the project on optimizing the area’s use to enhance engagement and create memorable experiences. Game-changers helped frame both radical and realistic solution ideas.
Three personas were developed to represent the diversity of visitor needs, pain points, and digital competencies, guiding user-centered solution design.
Design Challenge
Develop
Ideation Phase
The team brainstormed individual ideas, then voted and combined them. AR/VR was excluded due to security constraints. The chosen concept was a digital map paired with an interactive quiz trail, culminating in a personalized souvenir banknote for visitors.
Prototype Phase
An interactive map with clickable historic buildings was created, integrated with the quiz. Visitors used QR codes to answer questions. After completing the quiz, they received a screen with results and an emailed personalized banknote.
MVP Test Guide
An MVP workshop generated a test guide to iteratively validate with user feedback. Initial tests with peers yielded mixed reactions.
User Studies
Testing was conducted in two locations: at the museum with senior visitors and in the town center with parents of young children who had not visited before. The prototype was well received as fun and engaging, but challenges were identified: small font size causing readability issues for seniors, clarity of questions, prototype’s lack of mobile responsiveness, and a complicated QR code scanning process.
Testing Insights
Senior visitors had difficulty reading small fonts used in the prototype.
Participants reported that quiz questions could be clearer and more engaging.
The prototype was not fully optimized for mobile devices, causing usability friction.
Visitors found the QR code scanning process cumbersome and confusing.
Deliver
Solution Overview
An interactive digital map and integrated quiz transform the Tumba Bruksmuseum experience. Visitors use innovative navigation and explore the historic outdoor area with clear direction and engaging, site-specific activities. Integration with the museum’s digital companion platform ensures easy rollout and a consistent experience for all visitor groups.
Engagement and Impact
This gamified format motivates exploration, learning, and deeper connection with the museum’s story. The flexible, self-guided quiz makes the site accessible and exciting for families, school groups, and individual learners, turning each visit into an unforgettable discovery.
Reflections & Key Learnings
Carefully crafted digital experiences can enrich physical sites without costly renovations.
Deep user and staff research was essential for developing relevant, practical solutions.
Cycles of improvement enabled a solution that truly fits visitor needs and museum constraints.
The digital features are designed to complement, not overshadow, the site's authentic setting and narrative.
Prototype
