A study of the iPhone app at Kew Gardens: Improving the visitor experience

A seamless user experience significantly enhances visitor satisfaction with digital tools at UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This study found that the 'Kew' iPhone app, launched by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in 2011, improved exploration and engagement through location-specific features like seasonal recommendations, QR code readers for plant labels, and augmented reality browsers. However, technological hiccups disrupted this seamless experience, highlighting the importance of flawless functionality to meet visitor expectations. The research used audience surveys in October 2011 to evaluate user responses, offering insights into how mobile technology can be effectively integrated into museum settings to create more personalized and immersive visits.

Mann, C. (2012). A study of the iPhone app at Kew Gardens: Improving the visitor experience. Electronic Workshops in Computing. https://doi.org/10.14236/ewic/eva2012.5