The Rotterdam Public Library (RPL) houses the largest collection of works by Erasmus, a renowned humanist and scholar of the European Renaissance. To honor his legacy, RPL established the "Erasmus Experience." However, after eight years, the Experience faces significant challenges: it has remained unchanged, its collections are inaccessible and non-interactive for visitors, and its presence is largely unknown to the public. In collaboration with RPL, I undertook a design project to address these challenges and align the Experience with the library's mission: fostering critical thinking among citizens.
To guide my design process, I employed the Double Diamond Model. Initially, I conducted a literature review, interviews, and observations to explore trends in library experiences and understand visitor demographics, ultimately identifying a target audience. Next, I performed field research to identify issues and opportunities within the current Erasmus Experience. This research led to the insight of focusing on a single book to stimulate critical thinking. I then carried out desktop research on similar book-based experiences and user engagement with historical texts, ensuring that each research stage addressed the core challenges identified at the outset.
From this research, I developed a design vision: using the contents of Erasmus's The Praise of Folly to inspire visitors to reflect on themselves. The final design is an interactive, "magical" old book that guides users through self-exploration, helping them discover the "fool" within themselves. After the experience, participants received a personalized poem from the book based on their responses. Throughout the interaction, users choose between two cards to receive questions, which are projected onto the book's pages. They respond verbally, and through touch, they receive their customized poem. The experience is designed to create a nostalgic, immersive environment that encourages critical self-reflection, while the personalized poem provides a unique, memorable takeaway that aligns with users' expectations. Furthermore, design elements and interactive guidance connect participants to the broader legacy of Erasmus.
Before finalizing the design, I conducted user tests with six participants. Their varied reflections indicated that the experience successfully stimulated critical thinking. The interaction flow and card-based design were well-received. I enhanced the final prototype using an antique-style book and projection technology to strengthen its nostalgic atmosphere. Nevertheless, further improvements could be made, such as testing the experience within a library setting for more realistic feedback and incorporating a replica of an actual Erasmus text to deepen the connection to his work.