Understanding the mobile visitor

Over recent years the V&A had identified the significant potential of mobile technology to assist them in delivering a range of its core services from interpretation and learning to wayfinding and ticketing. It has installed a WiFi network covering most areas of the Museum, developed a mobile version of its main website and carried out a number of pilot projects.

The Digital and Interpretation teams felt that the time was right to undertake research to determine the scale and nature of the opportunities available to the Museum and support decision - making around investment and service design.

This current research was designed to develop an understanding of the extent of ownership of smartphone/web-enabled mobile devices and the expectations and behaviours amongst visitors to the Museum.

Key outcomes for this project included:

• Establish a baseline of V&A visitor mobile device ownership, expectations and behaviours
• Assess the potential of current and evolving mobile device behaviours for interpretation and other activities on-site
• Enable the integration of visitor mobile insights – needs and behaviours - into Europe 1600-1800 galleries’ interpretive strategy
• Inform digital infrastructure, content and service development strategy

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