INTERACTION DESIGN MODEL IN VIRTUAL MUSEUM ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

A virtual museum is a museum resembles a real system that allows visitors to walkthrough, browse and manipulate artifacts and galleries online. Previous studies show a virtual environment control and 360� manipulation of artifacts is scarce beside the interface design does not comply with the basic principles of design. One of the efforts made by the museum institutions is to implement immersive technology to enhance the level of user interaction. However, immersive technology in a virtual environment in Malaysia is lagging behind compared to developed countries, because the technology is not cost effective. Therefore, non-immersive technology approach by implementing information visualization and virtual reality techniques as visual display interface is used in order to construct a model of user interaction design in virtual museum. This study uses user-centered design method by analyzing the user requirements involving visitors, curators, academics and students. The developed model could serves as a guide in the development of virtual museum prototype that able to display the exhibition innovatively and creatively so as to attract many users to interact in a virtual environment.

Keywords

• user interaction
• design model
• task analysis
• artifact manipulation
• virtual museum