Design-driven innovation for museum entrances

R. Verganti, one of the first scholars to promote 'design-driven innovation', stressed the value of design thinking culture for industry and organisations such as museums to innovate. This chapter reflects upon the ways in which the museum threshold may be understood from a 'design thinking' perspective – an approach defined by its human-centred mindset, integrative process and cross-collaborative methodology. The museum entrance is a space of 'arrival and practicality' yet also 'symbolism and aspiration' that facilitates the transition from the external experience to the learning experience of the museum visit. The chapter is mindful of the approaches deployed in other sectors and draws on the direct experience gained on the occasion of a design exploration for a hotel information system aiming to enhance the customer experience. The design process essentially consisted of the following five phases: defining the design brief and finding opportunities; understanding; defining the experience; shaping interactions and refining the design; and implementing the final prototype.