2016 Science Museum Mobile Audience Research Summary - research carried out by Frankly, Green and Webb

1. Frankly, Green + WebbCreated for: Presented by: Date issued:
Science Museum Martha Henson & Lindsey Green 31st August 2016

2. Frankly, Green + WebbCreated for: Presented by: Date issued:
Science Museum Alyson Webb & Paul Tourle 5th August 2013
Science Museum
Mobile Audience
Research for the
Medicine Galleries
2016:
SUMMARY REPORT

3. Frankly, Green + Webb
To inform our thinking for the Medicine
Galleries we wanted to know:
• How well equipped is the Science
Museum audience to benefit from the
development of a mobile experience?
• How do visitors currently use
mobile, both in general, at other
cultural sites and at the Science
Museum?
• What might visitors hope to see in a
mobile experience developed by the
Science Museum?
• How has this changed since our
report in 2013?

4. Frankly, Green + Webb
How we went about it:
• 11 days spent in gallery
• 3 researchers each day
• Audience target: English speaking visitors
who were not part of a school group

5. Frankly, Green + Webb
Who we talked to…
• 571 respondents
• 31% were from Greater London and 13%
from the South East, just under 25%
from elsewhere in the UK and 31% from
overseas
• 43% were first time visitors to the
Science Museum, 69% had no intention
to explore a particular gallery or
exhibition, and 62% were somewhat or
very familiar with the collection
• 32% were families with kids between 2-
11, and 9% between 12-16

6. Frankly, Green + Webb
Summary findings
• Very little has changed significantly since our
2013 report.
• Smartphone use is at saturation point, but new
users come from an older, less active group.
• Despite visitors having the technology and ability
to take the advantage of a mobile offer, this is
not currently being capitalised on.
• Whilst there is little evidence that visitors are
crying out for a mobile experience, there are areas
in which they could potentially do with more
support and behaviours such as high social media
use which could be better taken advantage of.

7. Frankly, Green + Webb
What is the state of device ownership and on site
access amongst Science Museum visitors, and how
does this compare with 2013?

8. Frankly, Green + Webb
Mobile use has reached saturation point at the museum
• 97% of people
visiting the museum
have access to a
mobile device during
their visit
• This is unlikely to
increase as the
remainder are over 45
and have no plans to
buy a smartphone.
N=571
97%
3%
This represents about 3,316000
visitors per year

9. Frankly, Green + Webb
Visitor ownership of mobile devices is now nearly
universal, but still higher than in the general population
Source: Ofcom, Communications Market Report, 2016 – tablet data is per household for UK
N=571
50%
81%
65%
93%
59%
71%
Tablet owner Smartphone owner
Science Museum
2013
Science Museum
2016
UK 2016
Note: updated from
Findings Report to
2016 data for
adults 16+

10. Frankly, Green + Webb
The majority of Science Museum visitors are now
established smartphone users
N=535
4%
9%
36%
51%
Less than 1 year
1-2 years
More than 2
years
5 years +
We asked: “How long have you been using a smartphone?”

11. Frankly, Green + Webb
Ownership is no barrier to
visitors using their
mobiles in the museum.
It can now safely be
assumed that a Science
Museum visitor has mobile
access and is a seasoned
user.
What does this
mean for the
Science Museum?

12. Frankly, Green + Webb
N=562
iOS + Android =
51% smartphone
96% smartphones
95% tablets
2016
Other operating systems
have been almost totally
squeezed out by iOS and
Android

13. Frankly, Green + Webb
iOS users still tend to be more active than Android users in
certain areas
We asked: “Which of the following activities do you do regularly with your smartphone?” Source: Experian.com
iPhone N=236
Android N=249
54% 54%
29%
46%
36%
23%
Share photos,
video,
comments
Purchase a
product or
service
Edit photos
or video
2016 iOS
2016 Android

14. Frankly, Green + Webb
What does this mean
for the Science
Museum?
iOS and Android are the only
platforms worth developing for on
smartphones in terms of numbers of
users.
It is still the case that iOS users
are more active users and are
therefore the most obvious choice to
develop for first, especially for
more complex media.
However, Android users are close
behind in terms of share and the
increasingly tech savvy Android
users may feel left out by iOS-only
offers having had expectations
raised that they will get similar
provision.

15. Frankly, Green + Webb
2013
An even smaller proportion of people are bringing tablets
into the museum
N=527 N=571
84% @ Home
2016
92% @ Home

16. Frankly, Green + Webb
What does this mean
for the Science
Museum?
Focus on at home activities for
any tablet experience.
Do not expect visitors to bring
them.

17. Frankly, Green + Webb
Has anything changed about visitor use of mobile,
in general and at cultural sites?

18. Frankly, Green + Webb
We saw little change in what visitors use their smartphones in
most areas apart from in these four activities
N=535
We asked visitors: Which of the following activities do you do regularly with your smartphone (apart from
calls, texts and email)?
30%
47%
36%
54%
25%
36%
45%
50%
Edit photos or
video
Play games Purchase a
product or
service
Share photos,
video,
comments
2013
2016

19. Frankly, Green + Webb
Breaking this down by age group suggests older users may be
tipping the balance in each direction
N=535
We asked visitors: Which of the following activities do you do regularly with your smartphone (apart from
calls, texts and email)?
22%
50%
17%
33%34%
43%
39%
59%
24%
35%
39%
49%
26%
38%
56%
54%
14%
27%
41%
34%
13%
18%
46%
38%
11%
6%
20%
14%
Edit photos or
video
Play games Purchase a
product or
service
Share photos,
video, comments
<15
16-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65+

20. Frankly, Green + Webb
What does this mean
for the Science
Museum?
Ownership is growing, but confidence
isn’t.
Given the increase in ownership, it
may seem surprising that there has
been a decrease in certain
activities. Evidence suggests that
the increase in ownership has come
from over 55s, who may be less
willing to take up new mobile
experiences.
Their numbers are proportionately
not large, but this lack of
propensity to take up high end
mobile experiences should be
factored if they are chosen as a
target audience.

21. Frankly, Green + Webb
Despite increasing provision, only slightly more smartphone
owners have used their device to enhance a visit to a
cultural site
We asked Smartphone owners: “Have you ever used your smartphone to enhance a visit to a museum, gallery
or cultural site?” N=535 for 2016
Yes
54%
No
46%
2016
2013
Yes
51%
No
49%

22. Frankly, Green + Webb
1%
6%
16%
28%
29%
31%
32%
42%
64%
92%
2%
7%
14%
33%
43%
39%
37%
39%
74%
89%
Other
Played a game
Downloaded a museum app
Visited a gallery/museum website
Checked for visiting information
Shared the experience via social media
Searched for information about objects
Shared photos/videos with
family/friends
Took a photo/video friends and/or
family
Took a photo/video of art/objects on
view
2013
2016
Again these decreases
in certain activities
may be due to more
older owners who
simply don’t do this
kind of thing.
The decline in
checking visiting
information could also
be due to this now
being available in
Google results.
And little has changed in terms of visitor’s reported in-
gallery activities across cultural sites in general
N=309
We asked visitors: What activities did you engage in using your smartphone, which enhanced your
gallery or cultural visit?

23. Frankly, Green + Webb
The improved understanding of
what constitutes and app may
indicate that this is actually
a larger increase than stated.
However, a note of caution: we
would expect this to increase
over time due to more available
apps and more encounters with
them, without necessarily
indicating more widespread
willingness to download them
More apps have reportedly been downloaded by visitors to
cultural sites.
2013 n= 3282016 N=311
10%
24%
2013 2016

24. Frankly, Green + Webb
There has been a slight increase in visitors reporting
that they follow one or more cultural sites via social
media
We asked: “Do you follow any cultural organisations via social media?” N=571
• 14% mentioned following
the Science Museum on
social media
• Visitors gave answers with
a wide definition of what
a “cultural organisation”
is, including not-for-
profits or those relating
to environmental issues.
This may mean they see you
as competing more than
just other museums
21%
27%
2013 2016

25. Frankly, Green + Webb
Smartphone attention is still mostly focussed on
activities unrelated to the museum visit
2013 N=151 2016 n=262
52%
50%
34%
13%
20%
14%
48%
39%
25%
13%
11%
6%
Social media
(facebook, etc)
Checked email General
internet search
not related to
Science Museum
visit
Accessed the
Science Museum
website
Searched for
information
about objects
at the Science
Museum
Other
2013
2016
A proportion of social media use
could be related to the museum visit,
but we don’t have specific data on
what visitors are doing in this area

26. Frankly, Green + Webb
What does this mean
for the Science
Museum?
Visitors are becoming more
nuanced in their use of
mobile, choosing where and
when to access it.
There is nothing to suggest
much increased usage around
cultural sites, but there are
many questions remaining
about the specifics of use.
Looking deeper into needs and
behaviours and understanding
whether digital can support
these is likely to pay more
dividends

27. Frankly, Green + Webb
Are there still barriers to use of mobile in the
museum?

28. Frankly, Green + Webb
More visitors are accessing the internet onsite than in
2013, but over half are still not using it
2013 n=646 2016 n=573
23%
46%
57%
51%
20%
3%
2013 2016
Do not have a mobile
device
No
Yes
We asked visitors: “Did you access the Internet using a mobile device excluding a
laptop (e.g. smartphone, tablet, etc.,) during your visit today?”

29. Frankly, Green + Webb
• 2,393,000 visitors per
year are still
potentially missing out
on using wifi due to
lack of awareness
• The increase in
visitors accessing the
internet is therefore
coming from those using
data, which may suggest
that a lack of wifi is
less of a barrier to
user in certain
activities.
There has been little increase in awareness of the
Science Museum’s free wifi
N=573
25%
30%
2013 2016

30. Frankly, Green + Webb
There is some evidence that visitors would be more likely
to use the internet if made aware of the Museum’s free
WiFi
N=394
Yes
50%No
45%
Don't
know
5%
We asked visitors: if you had been aware that there was free WiFi available
in the Museum, would you have used it?
In 2013, 59% percent
said they would have
used it, so the number
has gone down slightly.
However, it is still
50%, so increasing wifi
awareness is still
likely to increase
access.

31. Frankly, Green + Webb
6%
17%
28%
29%
40%
47%
9%
26%
52%
42%
49%
52%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Other
Accessed the Science Museum
website
Searched for information about
objects at the Science Museum
General internet search
Checked email
Social media (facebook, etc)
2013
2016
Visitors said they would have mainly used the wifi for non-
museum related activities but also some museum information
checking
2013 N=261
2016 N=197
Some of this
could be museum
related
Do these drops show
people are less
interested? Or more
realistic?

32. Frankly, Green + Webb
28%
11%
However, visitors may still be over-estimating their
likelihood to seek out museum related information
Users: N=163
Non-users: N-197
Actually did
search for
information
about objects
when they went
online
Said they would
search for
information
about objects if
they had wifi

33. Frankly, Green + Webb
What Does This Mean
For The Science
Museum?
It is still the case that
raising awareness of WiFi
is likely to increase the
use of mobile in the
museum.
However, there are no
guarantees visitors would
use wifi in the way you
want them to just because
it’s there. Other
communications would be
needed to steer visitors to
a particular use.

34. Frankly, Green + Webb
What Should A Mobile Experience At The
Science Museum Look Like?

35. Frankly, Green + Webb
Science Museum visitors still want a leisure experience
they can learn from
69%
47%
31% 31%
30%
25%
17% 17%
13%
9%
76%
47%
41%
31% 30%
24%
17%
16%
9%
6%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
2013 2016
2013 N=649 2013=571
We asked visitors to pick the 3
qualities that would be most
desirable in a mobile experience at
the Science Museum.

36. Frankly, Green + Webb
Visitors are still less interested in post-visit help than making
sense of what they can see and engaging kids
We asked visitors to rate a number of options for what a mobile experience could do on a scale of 1-5.
3.94
3.61
3.8
3.56
3.79
3.7 3.69
3.01
3.21
3.36
3.04
4.4
4.26 4.24 4.17 4.12
4.03
3.94
3.82
3.59 3.59 3.55
Allow me to
see how
things work
and
experience
the science
behind them
Keep the
kids engaged
with the
museum
Make what
I’m seeing
more
meaningful
Show me
where I am
in the
museum and
what else is
nearby
Give us
ideas of
things to do
in the
museum
Show me the
museum's
highlights
Go back to
for more
information
once I've
left the
museum
Help me get
off the
beaten track
We can all
join in with
and share
Remind me of
the things I
have seen on
my visit
Give us
ideas of
things to do
at home
2013
2016

37. Frankly, Green + Webb
However, there is little difference between the “most” and “least”
options which suggests visitors find it hard to imagine how they
would have an impact on their visit
4.4
4.26 4.24 4.17 4.12
4.03
3.94
3.82
3.59 3.59 3.55
Allow me to
see how
things work
and
experience
the science
behind them
Keep the
kids
engaged
with the
museum
Make what
I’m seeing
more
meaningful
Show me
where I am
in the
museum and
what else
is nearby
Give us
ideas of
things to
do in the
museum
Show me the
museum's
highlights
Go back to
for more
information
once I've
left the
museum
Help me get
off the
beaten
track
We can all
join in
with and
share
Remind me
of the
things I
have seen
on my visit
Give us
ideas of
things to
do at home
2016
We asked visitors to rate a number of options for what a mobile experience could do on a scale of 1-5.

38. Frankly, Green + Webb
• As in 2013, there is still
a general expectation that
a Science Museum experience
will be:
• Educational
• Entertaining
• Not dumbed down
• Digging further into these
needs in the qualitative
research is likely to
provide better information
into visitor’s needs and
whether mobile could
address this.
What does this mean
for the Science
Museum?

39. Frankly, Green + Webb
• There are no real barriers to visitor mobile use BUT
there is no indication of a great appetite for mobile
experiences in the museum.
• And yet, awareness of existing app and wifi offers is
low. Also, visitors also tend to be uncritical of their
experiences. This suggests the potential for a
successful mobile experience is untested.
• The right sort of mobile experience could still have a
positive impact on visitor experiences: our next phase
of research will dig further into this.
• We recommend that future work around mobile takes the
form of small-scale pilot activities to test audience
need and appetite.

40. Frankly, Green + Webb
Benchmarks

41. Frankly, Green + Webb
Science Museum benchmarking data
100%
81%
74%
50%
25%
23%
8%
3%
100%
93% 92%
65%
30%
46%
8%
6%
Science
Museum
Visitors
Smartphone
owner
Brought
smartphone
on visit
Tablet
owner
Aware of
free wifi
Accessed
internet
during
visit
Brought
tablet on
visit
Visited
Science
Museum
website
2013 2016