Stairway to heaven: designing for an embodied experience with satellite data

Abstract: This paper explores the design of an interactive installation in a science center which facilitates an embodied experience with satellite data. This addresses a central concern for experience design in museums, which is the question of how to integrate technologies well in the visitor experience, sometimes referred to as "experience blend". We present the design and evaluation of a visualization triggered by movement in a physical staircase to let visitors explore data about satellites at different orbits. The evaluation demonstrates strong experience blend, and points towards similar design opportunities for other institutions interested in finding new uses for mundane pathways through their buildings.