Our team was given the challenge of designing and prototyping a universally accessible museum exhibit. Our goal was to create a prototype that embodied the experience of the exhibit. After brainstorming ideas, we chose to design a volcano experience. Creativity materials and methods used to prototype the intended experience of the exhibit.

To become more empathetic in our design, each team member "experienced" a disability. Using insights from our disability bodystorming, we brainstormed topics for our exhibit. We chose volcanoes because they interact with all the senses.

We then brainstormed ways to create an experience prototype of a volcano. Our first prototype used a dark classroom, video of lava flowing, heat from a hair dryer, plants, and rocks. Users first experienced the walk up to the volcano and then entered the volcano. For our second iteration, we improved the prototype based on insights from the first version.

The second prototype was set up in a smaller classroom for a more cave-like feeling. Our biggest insight from the first prototype was that it felt too static. To improve the experience, we allowed participants to interact with the volcano by adding pressure to it to cause an explosion.

This project demonstrated that effective prototypes do not always have to be very technical. Trying to create a volcano experience was initially daunting, but we learned that a good prototype isin the details. Small details such as adding texture to the rocks (with sandpaper), allowing participants to "pump up" the volcano (with a bike pump), and giving participants a flashlight for exploring moved the prototype from a static experience to a truly interactive one.