Imperial War Museums (I)

Imperial War Museums (IWM) stands as a distinctive institution, boasting five branches that house an extensive collection chronicling the rich history of war. In our commitment to adapt to a rapidly evolving society, IWM is dedicated to broadening its narrative. We strive to weave stories that captivate and resonate with individuals of diverse experiences and backgrounds, recognising that each person holds a unique perspective on conflict.

At the core of this mission is the imperative to empower IWM staff and volunteers, ensuring they provide an inclusive and enriching experience for every visitor to an IWM branch.

This project exemplifies how strategic service design methods, including prototyping, co-design, and workshopping, can be employed to achieve this mission.

Our collaboration with IWM involved cultivating a shared understanding of the challenges, opportunities, and priorities surrounding the visitor welcome and exit experiences. We achieved this through:

• Shadowing IWM staff and volunteers within the branches.

• Conducting qualitative research with visitors to gain insights into their perspectives.

• Hosting interactive show-and-tell sessions, fostering cross-sectional discussions with staff involved in the visitor experience.

• Facilitating collaborative examinations of the welcome and exit experiences.

• Conducting qualitative research with local non-visitors to understand their perspectives.

• Creating a comprehensive case study illustrating the effective facilitation and application of co-design techniques. This case study focuses on enhancing the dialogue about membership with visitors and streamlining the sign-up process within the branch.

Through this transformative initiative, we have played a pivotal role in shaping a more inclusive and engaging experience for all visitors to Imperial War Museums.