Intergenerational Participatory Design for Virtual Museums: Curating Community Archives through Collaborative Methods

Healy, Pat; Babichenko, Dmitriy; Niranjan, Nickhil; Rashidzada, Bilal; Huang, Kuo-Ting; Du, Na

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/132988 Copy

Description

Title

Intergenerational Participatory Design for Virtual Museums: Curating Community Archives through Collaborative Methods

Author(s)

• Healy, Pat
• Babichenko, Dmitriy
• Niranjan, Nickhil
• Rashidzada, Bilal
• Huang, Kuo-Ting
• Du, Na

Issue Date

2026-03-12

Keyword(s)

• Participatory design
• Intergenerational collaboration
• Virtual museums
• Community archives
• Virtual reality

Abstract

Introduction Virtual museums present opportunities to engage communities with their cultural heritage, yet design processes often overlook direct participation from the people whose histories are represented. This study explores how intergenerational participatory design can guide the creation of virtual museum exhibitions that are both culturally relevant and accessible. Methods We recruited five intergenerational dyads; each composed of a senior community member and a younger descendant. Across three sessions, participants engaged in design activities: (1) Map-Making, spatially curating photographs on neighborhood maps; (2) Tablet Walk-and-Talk, refining curated exhibits through annotations, commentary, and the addition of new images; and (3) VR Walk-and-Talk, collaboratively exploring and evaluating both their own and peer-created exhibits in a virtual reality environment. Analysis We performed thematic analysis on audio, video, and screen recordings to identify design insights, usability challenges, and collaborative patterns. We paid special attention to how adolescents supported seniors in technology use, highlighting interaction strategies. Results Dyads produced exhibits enriched with place-based narratives and personal memories. Usability feedback informed improvements in navigation, annotation tools, and accessibility. Collaborative scaffolding revealed strategies for designing systems that proactively support diverse user abilities. Conclusions This intergenerational participatory design approach offers a transferable model for creating inclusive, community-centered virtual museums.

Publisher

iSchools

Series/Report Name or Number

iConference 2026 Proceedings

Type of Resource

Other

Genre of Resource

Conference Poster

Language

eng

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/132988

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2026 is held by Pat Healy, Dmitriy Babichenko, Niranjan Nickhil, Bilal Rashidzada, Kuo-Ting Huang, and Na Du. Copyright permissions, when appropriate, must be obtained directly from the authors.

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