Mitchell Whitelaw makes a compelling case for the use of “generous interfaces.” However, they’re a lot more feasible in some cases than others. Whitelaw uses the websites for the Rijksmuseum and the Walker Art Centre as examples of what is possible with generous interfaces. Both of these are excellent use cases where the interface adds a lot to the utility or enjoyment of the visitor and where the works being displayed naturally lent themselves to this style of interface. Whitelaw even provides an example of a similar institution which is not using a generous interface, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, to illustrate the difference. I agree that in cases like this, institutions such as the Met should follow in the footsteps of the Rijksmuseum and the Walker Art Centre. But the collections of these museums can be organized into visual collections much more easily than some other sets of works. In the first case study using the Manly Images collection, Whitelaw describes how a good amount of work was needed to display the collection in a new visual format. Also, while this format is definitely an improvement over the simple text search that Manly offers, it still isn’t as useful of an exploration tool as what the Rijksmuseum and the Walker Art Centre offer. The amount of unique work required for any generous interface that doesn’t follow a fairly specific format could be a large obstacle to widespread adoption.

The main argument made in Digital Storytelling in Museums is that while museums are changing in many ways, their core offerings remain the same. These offerings are an experience or story built on top of the information possessed by the museum and a source of authority on this information. The authors make the case that the main changes museums need to make are in how they structure these experiences and how they reach visitors. The authors suggest that museums reach modern visitors by taking a proactive approach to being part of cultural discourse and encourage them to “go where these conversations are taking place rather than waiting for them to come to the museum.” The solution to modernizing the museum experience is more complex but some of the most important principles the authors lay out are taking chances with designs, embracing multiple viewpoints, designing exhibits with multidisciplinary teams, and only using technology when it truly adds value and fits in with the content.