Mobile Usage at the National Air and Space Museum

August2013

OfficeofPolicyandAnalysisWashington,DC20013

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Abstract

TheOfficeofPolicyandAnalysis(OP&A)conductedastudyofmobileusageattheNationalAirandSpaceMuseum(NASM)duringAprilandMay2013.Theresultsreportedherearebasedontheanalysisofexitsurveyscompletedbyvisitorsleavingthemuseum.304completedsurveyswerecollectedfromthe510visitorsintercepted(responserateof59%).

ThefocusofthestudywastodeterminetheextenttowhichvisitorstotheNationalMuseumofAirandSpace(NASM)havesmartphonesthatcanaccesstheinternet,howtheyareusingtheirdevicesinthemuseumandtheirsatisfactionwiththemuseumexperience.

TheresultsofthestudywerecomparedwithasimilarstudyconductedatNASMin2010.The2013studyfoundthatincreasinglyvisitorsarecarryingsmartphonesatthemuseum.Themajorityofsmartphoneusersareusingtheirdevicetotakephotos.Thestudyalsofoundthattheoverallexperienceratingofthemuseumisimproving.RatingsofaspectsofNASMshowtwoareasofcurrentweakness,AccesstotheinternetandaGoodplacetospendtimewithothers.Inthisstudy,OP&Amakesrecommendationsontherolemobiletechnologiesmightplayinthefuturetoimprovevisitors’experiencesatNASM.

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PrefaceProvidingusefulinformationandanalysestoSmithsonianofficesandmuseumsisacoremissionoftheOfficeofPolicyandAnalysis(OP&A).Thisstudy,MobileUsageattheNationalAirandSpaceMuseum,waspartofourcontinuedcollaborationwiththeSmithsonian’sMobileStrategyandInitiativesunitandtheNationalAirandSpaceMuseum(NASM).ThisstudywasconductedtoprovideabaselineofinternetusageandaccessatNASM.TheOP&AstudyteamworkedcloselywithNancyProctor,HeadofMobileStrategyandInitiativestodesignthestudyandquestionnaire.WearegratefultohavehadtheopportunitytoworkwithNancyandherstaff,aswellasNASMstaff,onthisproject.InOP&A,ZahavaDoering,AndrewPekarikandSarahBlockdesignedthestudy.SarahBlockwasresponsibleforschedulingandcoordinatingdatacollection.SeveralOP&Ainternsandstaffassistedwithdatacollection.SarahBlockandAndrewPekarikanalyzedthedataandproducedthecreativepresentationofresultsandconclusions.ZahavaDoeringassistedincompilingthereportmaterials.Ithankthemallfortheirwork.

WhitneyWatrissActingDirector

SmithsonianOfficeofPolicyandAnalysis

 

 

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TableofContents

Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Page2

Preface…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Page3

TableofContents………………………………………………………………………………………………….Page4

Methodology…….…………………………………………………………………………………………………..Page5

PresentationofResults……….…………………………………………………………………………………Page6

AppendixA:Questionnaire………………………….………………………………………………………Page11

AppendixB:FrequencyDistributions………….……………………………………………………….Page12

 

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Methodology

ThefocusofthestudywastodeterminetheextenttowhichvisitorstotheNationalMuseumofAirandSpace(NASM)havesmartphonesthatcanaccesstheinternet,howtheyareusingtheirdevicesinthemuseumandtheirsatisfactionwiththemuseumexperience.

Abrief10questionsurvey(seeAppendixA)wasdevelopedtocollectthisinformationfromvisitorsexitingthemuseum.BetweenTuesday,April30andSunday,May12,2013arandomsampleof518visitorswereinterceptedatboththeMallandIndependenceAvenuemuseumexits.Datawerecollectedatdifferenttimesofthedayondifferentdays.Thesurveyteamadministeredthesurveyforabout15hours.Ofthetotalintercepted,510visitorswereeligibleforthesurveyand304visitorscompletedit,yieldingaresponserateof59%.Whilewearenotcertainwhytheresponseratewasrelativelylow,wesurmisethatitcanbeattributedtolanguagebarriersandthehighvolumeofcrowdsduetothemanyschoolgroups.Wecannotbecertainthattheopinionsofthosewhorespondedarethesameasthosewhodidnot.

DatawereprocessedbyOP&AandanalyzedusingSPSSsoftware.

ThisreportincludestheresultsofthesurveyintheformofapresentationthatwasmadeatNASMinthesummerof2013.

7 of 10 NASM visitors were carrying smartphonesNearly all of them used them during their visit

2 in 10 only took photos

1 in 10 only used it for something unrelated to the visit

1 in 10 only looked up info about something in the museum

3 in 10 used their smartphones in multiple ways

Note: In 2010, 4 in 10 NASM visitors were carrying smartphones.If that rate of growth were to continue, 10 in 10 would be carrying one by 2017.

Smartphone usage is high. Presentation of Results

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Ratings of Overall Experience at NASM are improving among all visitors.

In the past ten years Excellent ratings have increased to above the Smithsonian average, and less‐than‐Excellent ratings have declined.But Superior ratings have stayed close to the Smithsonian average.

30 29

22

30

50

5659

50

1915

19 20

0

20

40

60

80

100

2004 NASM 2008 NASM 2013 NASM SI Average

Percen

t

Poor/Fair/Good Excellent Superior

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Ratings of aspects of NASM show two areas of current weakness.

*Among all visitors who used/rated the item

Access to internet and a good place to spend time with others received the lowest ratings.*

42

39

23

29

28

33

25

44

44

55

48

47

38

44

14

17

22

24

25

29

31

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

A good place to spend time with others

Access to internet on my phone/device

Content of information in the exhibitions

A good place for children

Ease of reading information in the exhibitions

Flight simulators

Information desk

Poor/Fair/Good Excellent Superior

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Which improvements could increase Superior Overall Experience ratings?

Ease of reading information in the exhibitionThose who rated ease of reading Superior were seven times more likely to rate their overall experience as Superiorcompared to other visitors.

A good place to spend time with othersThose who rated good place to spend time with others Superior were six times more likely to rate their overall experience as Superiorcompared to other visitors.

Among the seven aspects rated by visitors, only two showed a statistically significantassociation between the rating of the aspect and the Overall Experience rating. In other words, visitors were especially sensitive to these two dimensions whenevaluating their overall experience in NASM.

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Recommendations for the future of mobile usage at NASM:

In considering what role mobile technologies might play in the future of NASMthese findings suggest two possibilities that could have a bottom‐line effect on thequality of the NASM experience among a majority of visitors.

‐New mobile offerings that would inspire social, on‐site experiences within and among visit groups. 

‐New mobile offerings that would make it easier to get information in exhibitions, whether through download onto their device, augmented reality, audio, etc.

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Is this your first visit to this museum,the National Museum of Air and Space?

No Yes

*Do you have a cell phonethat can access the Internet?

[Mark one or more]

*Where do you live? United States

Other country

Specify ZIP code:

Specify:

Please rate your overall experience atthis museum today. Poor Fair Good Excellent Superior

NoNo, but someone with me doesNo, but I/we plan to in 6 months

Yes, and it also runs appsYes, and I/we have it hereYes, but I/we don't have it here

*What is your age?

*What is your sex? Male Female

*With whom are you visiting?[Mark one or more]

I am alone Adult(s) Youth under 18

Session Segment 1 2 3 Status C R L I ID

Thank you for your time and assistance!

National Air and Space Museum Visitor Study Spring 2013

A good place to spend time with others

Access to internet on my phone/device

Flight simulators

Please rate the following aspects of yourvisit in this museum today:

Content of information in the exhibitions

Information desk

Ease of reading information in theexhibitions

A good place for children

NotApplicable Poor Fair Good Excellent Superior

Which of these did you use duringyour visit to this museum?

[Mark one or more]

None of theseFacebookFoursquareInstagram

Internet Search (like Google)Maps/GPS

Pinterest

This museum's website

TwitterWikipediaOther

IF YES, how did you use ittoday in the museum?

[Mark one or more]

Arranged to meet with friends in/near museum

Commented on my visit to friends/others

Contacted someone I know to ask about something I saw here

Looked up info about something I saw here

Shared my location with others

Shared photos or info prompted by my visit

Took photos for myself or to share later

Used phone for something unrelated to visitOther (Please specify):

9547091421

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AppendixB:FrequencyDistributions(InPercentages) AllVisitors Smart‐phoneVisitorsonly

Isthisyourfirstvisittothismuseum,theNationalMuseumofAirandSpace?

No 43 47Yes 57 53

Pleaserateyouroverallexperienceatthismuseumtoday?

Poor 0 0

Fair 2 3Good 20 19

Excellent 59 57Superior 19 21

DoyouhaveacellphonethatcanaccesstheInternet?

No 22 0

No,butsomeonewithmedoes

2 3

No,butI/weplantoin6months

1 0

Yes,anditalsorunapps 53 75Yes,andI/wehaveit

here16 22

Yes,butI/wedon’thaveithere

5 0

Ifyes,howdidyouuseittodayinthemuseum?Tookphotosformyselfortosharelater 33 44

LookedupinfoaboutsomethingIsawhere 13 17Sharedmylocationwithothers 12 16

Sharedphotosorinfopromptedbymyvisit 11 15Usedphoneforsomethingunrelatedtovisit 12 15

Arrangedtomeetwithfriendsin/nearmuseum

8 11

Commentedonmyvisittofriends/others 8 9

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ContactedsomeoneIknowtoaskaboutsomethingIsawhere 3 4

Other 7 9

Whichofthesedidyouuseduringyourvisitinthemuseum?Noneofthese 54

Internetsearch(likeGoogle) 19Facebook 15Maps/GPS 11

Thismuseum'swebsite 5Wikipedia 4Instagram 3Twitter 3

Foursquare 1Pinterest 1

Other 6

Wheredoyoulive? DCMetroArea 6 6ElsewhereintheUnited

States70 78

OtherCountry 24 17

Whatisyourage? 18‐29 27 2830‐39 26 2940‐49 19 1950‐59 15 1460‐69 8 770+ 4 4

AverageAge 40.2 39.2MedianAge 37 36

Whatisyoursex? Male 43 40Female 57 60

Withwhomareyouwith? Iamalone 19 21Adults 70 68

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Youthunder18 20 20

Pleaseratethefollowingaspectsofyourvisitinthismuseumtoday: Ratings(onlythosewhoratedtheitem)(AllVisitors) Ratedthisitem Poor Fair Good Excellent Superior

Informationdesk 57 0 2 23 44 31Flightsimulators 35 1 6 26 38 29

Easeofreadinginformationintheexhibtions 99 0 2 26 47 25Agoodplaceforchildren 91 1 4 24 48 24

Contentofinformationintheexhibitions 97 1 4 18 55 22Accesstointernetonmyphone/device 62 1 9 29 44 17Agoodplacetospendtimewithothers 97 1 8 33 44 14

(Smartphonevisitorsonly) Ratedthisitem Poor Fair Good Excellent Superior

Informationdesk 55 0 2 18 46 34Flightsimulators 35 0 8 22 37 33

Easeofreadinginformationintheexhibtions 100 0 1 28 46 24Agoodplaceforchildren 92 1 5 22 51 21

Contentofinformationintheexhibitions 98 1 3 18 57 21Accesstointernetonmyphone/device 72 2 8 30 41 20Agoodplacetospendtimewithothers 99 1 8 32 43 16