Missoula Floods
Boulder Investigation
The Problem
Visitors often engage passively with exhibits, making complex natural systems difficult to understand. The challenge was to translate a large-scale geological event into something that could be explored and understood at a human scale.
Experience Goal
The goal was to create a discovery-based interaction where visitors uncover meaning through investigation. Instead of presenting information directly, the experience guides visitors through a sequence of clues that build understanding over time.
What I Designed
This interaction is designed as part of a larger exhibit environment, where physical space and digital interaction work together.
Visitors encounter a large physical boulder paired with a minimal digital interface. Through interaction, they investigate clues on the surface, including sedimentary bands, surface scratches, and a quartz vein.
Each interaction reveals a piece of evidence that is added to an evidence checklist, gradually building toward the conclusion that the boulder is a glacial erratic and linking it to real-world glacial erratics found in the region.
How It Works
Visitors move through a short sequence of interactions that build understanding step by step.
1. Begin the investigation
A subtle prompt invites visitors to start. The interface remains minimal, allowing the physical boulder to remain the focus.
2. Investigate clues
Visitors tap highlighted areas on the boulder to examine physical features, including sedimentary bands, surface scratches, and a quartz vein.
3. Collect evidence
Each interaction reveals a piece of evidence that is added to an evidence checklist, making progress visible and reinforcing understanding.
4. Connect the clues
A second set of evidence deepens the investigation, helping visitors connect clues and move from observation toward interpretation.
5. Interpret the result
With all evidence collected, visitors are guided to interpret it and arrive at the conclusion that the boulder is a glacial erratic.
What I Learned
Testing showed that the initial prompt was clear and participants began the experience without hesitation. A brief pause occurred when the first hotspot appeared, with participants initially attempting to interact with the screen before recognizing the interactive area. This indicates the entry into the first interaction could be more immediately legible.
The experience supported inference-based learning. Participants began forming their own explanations before the final reveal, showing that the interaction encouraged active thinking rather than passive reading. The transition from collected evidence to conclusion felt slightly abrupt, indicating an opportunity to better support that reasoning step.
The experience also generated curiosity beyond the interaction. Participants expressed interest in exploring real-world examples, such as viewing locations of similar boulders. This reinforced the direction of extending the experience to connect with the surrounding region.
Next Steps
Strengthen the initial hotspot affordance to make the first interaction more immediately legible while preserving a sense of discovery
Refine the transition from evidence collection to conclusion by introducing a brief reflective step that helps visitors connect clues before the final reveal
Extend the experience with an interactive map of regional glacial erratics, allowing visitors to explore real-world examples beyond the exhibit
Outcome
The goal of this experience is not just to explain the Missoula Floods, but to let visitors discover them for themselves.
By interacting with physical evidence, the scale of the event becomes understandable through direct engagement rather than passive information.
503 N 12th St
Full Renovation & Spatial Redesign